It's such a great time of the year for walks around the gardens. The rains this year have made such a difference for all of the plants. Everything just seems to be bigger and better with water from the skies rather than a faucet.
As promised, I grabbed the camera and headed down the road to my BIL's home. His little hobby of cross pollinating clivia has become a bit of an obsession for him. He currently has over 6000 plants!!!! I thought it was about 3500, but I guess I underestimated. They are growing everywhere in his yard and then he has a HUGE shade cloth covered area for a double level of others.
Most of us are familiar with the orange ones. I have a number of those that once belonged to my father, who loved his gardens. Just look at the wonderful colors and different shaped blooms that we enjoyed.
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| This is what greets us at the front door. |
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| Some of the petals appear to be shaped more like a lily. |
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| GREEN.....now we're talkin'! |
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| Practically red! It looks like Christmas. |
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| This was such a prolific bloomer. |
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| Around the pool area. |
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| Loved the hint of peach on the petals of these. |
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| More around the pool. |
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| The classic orange. |
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| This is the shaded area. Clivia for as far as you can see and this is only the top level of them. There is another whole level below these that is just as full. |
I couldn't leave without him "forcing" me to load a few in my car! I wish I had more shady areas in my yard as I could have helped him unload a lot more. I may have to make a shad cloth area so I can bring all of the ones I loved home with me. It was the perfect time of the year to go see them in bloom.
Meanwhile, my own garden is in bloom as well. I was able to pick the first bouquet of roses - always a welcomed day.
The citrus is in bloom throughout the area and the smell is absolutely intoxicating - especially in the early morning and evening hours.
As well, the jasmine vine and cymbidium orchids are each vying for their own moment to shine.
We had a couple of new visitors to the yard this week. I was drawn outside by the rat-a-tat-tat I was hearing. Look what I discovered in the palm trees.
I am assuming they are a pair.
Next post will be back to stitching...........
I have never heard of Clivia before today. Oh my!! What gorgeous blooms! Do they have a scent, too? I'm going to have to see if I can buy those here... as annuals. My yard is beginning to come to life. Thanks for the eye candy of a different kind!
ReplyDeleteOh love your flowers. Isn't it amazing how different plants look receiving rainfall versus watering from the garden hose?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful clivias...we're expecting SNOW tomorrow--where is our Spring this year??? aaargh hugs, Julierose
ReplyDeleteTotally breathtaking, and making us northeastern folk long for some real spring! It snowed hard much of the afternoon today. Makes me want to hibernate another month.
ReplyDeleteOh my! BIL does have some gorgeous clivia - he's got a great hobby! Mine have just started blooming, all classic orange. The plant that produced the yellow one last year hasn't even put out a spike :(
ReplyDeleteOh my gracious, what gorgeous flora he has! Ummm...I have *plenty* of shady spots!! LOL! Really very beautiful. And you bird friends -- what are they?! Some type of woodpecker? How fun!! :)
ReplyDeleteI can only say WOW!!! enjoyed your flower show
ReplyDeleteFabulous photos! The flowers are gorgeous - it was a smart move on your part to be forced to take some home. :) The fragrance must be awesome with all that is blooming in your yard - yes, I'm envious.
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you :) Such a contrast to our gray foggy day here, I sure enjoyed your flower show!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of clivia before today, either. WOW! They are gorgeous flowers! And all of your flowers are gorgeous, too. My favorite is roses.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
What a stunning display of Clivias.. sew many lovely colours....
ReplyDeleteBeautiful vase of roses 🌹 Mary...
Thanks for sharing X
beautiful flowers. we have a pecker wood that likes our green tin roof!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see this post about clivia--loved the tour of his gardens, and lucky you, for getting some to put in your own gardens, too. I know what you mean about the morning fragrance--such a delightful scent that only comes round at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the beautiful tour!
Wow! Wonderful photos! Those flowers are beautiful. I have never seen so many varieties before. Love the yellow ones with a hint of peach. I had an orange one once, I had to leave it behind when we moved here. Your garden looks quite pretty too. Gorgeous roses. You are such a talented gardener, Mary! Thank you for the flower show :)
ReplyDelete-Soma
The clivia are breathtaking. Your brother has so many different colors. It was nice of him to "force" you to take some home.
ReplyDeleteYour roses are pretty too.
I had a red-headed woodpecker at my bird feeder the other day. I usually only see them on the power poles.
OH MY WOW! What a hobby/obsession. LOL! They're fabulous and the green is amazing. Your own garden is producing some beauties as well. I love jasmine. Beautiful woodpecker. Looks like all of the rain CA had is making for a glorious Spring.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen nor heard of these gorgeous flowers but wow, they are incredible and I really appreciate you sharing these photos , so nice to see such pretty colours , everything is still so blah here at the moment , the only thing blooming is snow 😯
ReplyDeleteGorgeous flowers, I haven't heard of the clivia before, the flowers are similar to our azaleas, are these bulbs? I have a lot of shade. Love your orchids too, I am so jealous of your ability to grow them outside!! They couldn't survive our winters.
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