Brodiaea After Blooming



The vivid blue-purple blossoms have faded to only a hint of their former color. These skeletons of former brodiaea can be seen everywhere.

Yarrow Close Up



Spread by rhizomes, attracting lots of bees and butterflies, blooming into the summer, what could be better?

Yarrow in the Yard



Achillea millefolium, yarrow, established an outpost at the edge of the garden. I vaguely remember scattering some seeds from a packet someone had given me -- and look what happened.

Foothill Penstemon



Lots of new Penstemon Heterophylla in the area that was cleared. Beautiful blue-purple flower.

One Last Mariposa Lily



The last of the season for Mariposa lilies (Calochortus), one of the most beautiful of the foothill wildflowers. Not as many to be seen this year, making this one all the more precious.

Soap Plant




Chlorogalum pomeridianum is known for its evening flower display. The bulbs of this relative of the onion were used by the Indians for cleaning.

Golden Yarrow's Last Stand



Eriophyllum Confertiflorum of the sunflower family still blooms amid a pile of dead sticks. It may not have lush foliage, but still it blooms defying the summer heat.

Unidentified Purple Clover



This clover-like plant now carpets the formerly wet marshes.

Williamson's Clarkia Again



There are 72 species of clarkia with their distinctive four petals. The genus Clarkia is named for Captain William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition to the mouth of the Columbia River.

This variety always makes me think of candy canes.

Clarkia



Clarkia Amoena, subtle and delicate. Sometimes known as Farewell-to-Spring of the evening primrose family.

Late Season Pentstemon



This Penstemon Laetus or Beardtongue is still blooming as the wildflower season reaches a conclusion. There are more plants this year in the area that we cleared two years ago.

Farewell-to-Spring



This is the showiest Clarkia that appears late in the spring, probably Clarkia Amoena. With fire suppression many meadows formerly full of Clarkia have given way to shrubby perennials.

Buckeye Up Close



How extravagant are the blossoms of the Aesculus Californica as the grass fades to beige.

Matilija Poppy, A Gardening Success



I planted this Romneya coulteri two years ago. It defoliated last summer in the heat and appeared to be dead. Then this spring, it put forth new growth and bloomed for the first time. The very large dramatic blossoms are visible from a distance.

Patch of Mule's Ears



These all look healthy now that they're protected from the cattle. A manzanita is casting the shadow.

Mule's Ears



Wyethia Amplexicaulis, one of the late bloomers of the Asteraceae (Daisy) family. This is part of the growing grove in the back yard.

Pearly Everlasting



Great name, it grows everywhere and it smells sweet and lemony. This closeup of Anaphalis Margaritacea is of the plant in full bloom.

Another Buckeye



The buckeye in the front yard is always a late bloomer.

Manzanita - Flowers to Berries



Our local species of Arcostaphylos is in the next stage as its delicate pale pink flowers become large berries.

Brodiaea Elegans



The Harvest Brodiaea provide a startling contrast to the beige dead grass. Taken by the main road just past my driveway.

Buckeye in Bloom



Aesculus Californica teeming with blossoms. In a dry year, it will lose its leaves sometimes even before blooming is complete.

Late Season Chinese Houses



It's wonderful to see these Collinsia Heterophylla in a shady spot under the manzanita.

Kellogg's Monkeyflower



My preliminary identification is Mimulus Kelloggi. These are very small plants. My second guess is beardtongue.

Common Monkeyflower



A member of the Scrophulariaceae (Figwort) family, the mimulus guttatus is sparser and smaller this year. Its rich yellow with a red spotted center is dying out as the marshes dry up.

Mariposa Lily



This plant is spectacular when viewed from the top in order to see the intricate design at the base of the petals. Part of the Calochortus family, these lilies only bloom a few places near the house.

More Fremontia



My attempt to capture how showy these shrubs are in full bloom.

Fremontia



So lovely to see Fremontodendron Californicum in bloom. A rare shrub with blossoms all up and down its branches. This small grove is now fenced and protected from the cattle. It's thriving.