Flowers of New Years Day

 “Gardening is like cooking. It is tempting to cook only with the goal of achieving great taste, with no thought of healthy eating, but that often results in tasty concoctions so full of fat, sugar, and salt that they are deadly in the long run. Similarly, it is tempting to garden only for beauty, without regard to the many ecological roles our landscapes must perform. All too often, such narrow gardening goals result in a landscape so low in ecological function that it drains the vitality from the surrounding ecosystem.” 

Doug Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope.

Happy New Year!

One of my goals for my garden in Loomis, CA. is to have something blooming year round.  Yes, I like to look at flowers but more importantly, I want to support wildlife.   When we bought our property, it was the orchard that sold me (but that's another post!) but the rest of the property had almost zero native or "pollinator" plants.   In April 2021 when we move here from the Bay Area, I started planting.   So how am I doing?

First, is there anything blooming that was already here?   Yes, two Loquat trees are blooming and very popular with hummingbirds and non-native honey bees.  And one sad Yellow Marguerite Daisy which doesn't even seem to have honey bee visitors.   I have lots of  Camelias which I've left for now.  I have never seen a bee on them.   There was one Manzanita (no idea which variety) on my property when we bought it, it isn't blooming yet.

What I've planted:

Non-native Salvias.   Most of the native salvias I've planted are not blooming now but several hybrids and sub-tropical varieties are.    Some of these were blooming in the fall when there were still native carpenter bees taking advantage of their nectar.

California Fuschia (Epilobium canum) has been blooming since the fall, some are nearly done but some are still blooming.   This native plant is loved by hummingbirds and all bees including native bees still out in the early fall.

Asters, native and non native.   The native aster (Symphyotrichum chilense) is done blooming but Aster x Frikarti "monch" still has a few blooms.   Maybe not a star in January but these were wonderful in the fall.   

Manzanitas.   Manzanitas are great winter and early spring plants.   My Manzanitas are young and small but at least one, John Dourley is flowering.   It's cloudy today but I'll be keen to watch it for bees and hummingbirds.  I hope to do a better job of documenting the first native bees and see them on the Manzanitas.   The year round honey bees are not native and so I wonder who was pollinating the Manzanitas blooming in January.

Sweet Alyssum.   I didn't plant this intentionally but it was in one of those "wildflower" packs that are full of non-native flowers.  The Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) looks great and I see honeybees on it but it's taking too much space.  I will probably pull it but not now.

Calendula.   Very much not native but a welcome flower as I have seen native bees on it.  This is a great flower for beginners and an easy re-seeder.  It's not a native but it's better than not having flowers. 

Strawberry Tree (Abutus Unedo).   A relative of our native Madrone, the Strawberry Tree has teardrop flowers not unlike Manzanitas.   I hope to see humingbirds on it.

Writing this down, I feel like I've made some progress.  My property supports more wildlife than when we moved here.  But there is a lot more to be done.

I look forward to seeing how well the flowers I've planted by seeds do.   From past years seedings, many I hoped would reseed did poorly (Five Spots, Baby Blue Eyes) and others did well (California Poppies, Evening Primrose, Lacy Phacelia, Globe Gilia)