Pebbles

On Saturday I mowed the back lawn, since this was likely to become impossible soon. Yesterday I shifted some pebbles, which are probably of interest to no-one but me. I saw unmistakable evidence that someone has been letting their pet use my garden, and has not folowed up with a plastic baggie. To be fair, once someone came by and asked me for a baggie so she could clean up after her pet. I keep a few in the shed for that purpose.

The Lion's tail (leonotis leonuris, and never tell me botanists have no sense of humour) are starting to bloom again. They have also made many seedlings, which either grow very fast, or germinated in the dry season. I transplanted one and it doesn't seem to have died yet. A few long-established species tulips (tulipa saxatilis I think) are sending up shoots, and some Dutch iris are just about breaking the surface.

The corner lawn is turning yellow, except at its edges, which I'm leaving for later. Before long I'll clear away the dead grass and sow what I want.

Weed and trim

Yesterday was mostly weeding and trimming. Enough of the weeds are clustered close to the street that I suspect their seeds arrived on the coats of passing pets. I've taken out the two big 'Grandpa Ott' morning glory vines, which were long past their best; the smaller ones are still all right, not suffering from this morning's ground frost. The California fuchsia (epilobium canum canum) is well past its best and should probably be trimmed, and last weekend I cut down some fading canna blooms (red canna 'The President').

I've shifted some gladiolus bulbs: the orange ones to the end of the walkway, where I think they will look great in the morning sun, and the white ones to the front garden. They won't get any water there in summer and will probably die; I won't mourn them. Last weekend Paul and I planted a row of snap peas, and I re-planted what felt like dozens of Darwin Hybrid tulips. They do astonishingly well in our mild climate.

The 'Ziva' narcissi and some ixia that I recently planted are sending up shoots, as are the watsonia and freesia (for weeks now), calla, and muscari. A few brave daylilies continue to bloom and a zinnia. The bush germander (teucrium fruticans) is covered with little blue-purple flowers, but I won't call it a success until it gets big. Ditto the 'Bonanza' camellia sasanqua (its flowers are deep pink, and few in number). The first California bluebell (phacelia campanularia) is open, which I had not expected this early.