December 29, 2009

San Diego Blooms

When Susie from Poppy and Sage read that I was going to be visiting San Diego, she recommended I visit Cedros Gardens in Solana Beach which is 15 miles north of downtown. I never made it there, but did manage to take a few pictures of the flowers I saw on Coronado Island and at Seaport Village. Flowers blooming outside in December. Imagine that!

My rickety old computer doesn't let me leave comments on Susie's blog, so I read and enjoy and then feel frustrated that I can't blabber on and on with my comments. Leaving comments only seems to work for me if the blogger is using the pop-up window for comments, as opposed to embedded below post. Hint. Hint.

On Coronado Island, I saw all these poinsettias planted around all the big evergreens growing in the median on Orange Avenue. We were told that in the early years of the Island orange trees were used for landscaping along the avenue, but jackrabbits eventually ate the tree roots and the orange trees were not replaced. Trees less tasty to jackrabbits were planted, but the name Orange Avenue remained.

Something I learned about poinsettias while in San Diego is that the Paul Ecke Ranch in Encinitas, CA provides 80% of all poinsettias worldwide. I find that almost impossible to believe, but if they say it's true, that's good enough for me.

Birds of Paradise were blooming everywhere we went. Orange is not my favorite color for flowers, but I fell in love with these beautiful flowers and how they resemble a bird in flight. The glossy green foliage is also very attractive. They are native to South Africa and are sometimes referred to as Crane flowers. It's my understanding that they bloom September through May, so that explains why we saw so many of them.

At Seaport Village, there were many beds of white alyssum and red & white cyclamen growing outside the shops and restaurants. Beautiful, natural Christmas decorations. I only think of cyclamen as a house plant but it can be grown outside provided the temperature doesn't fall below 50 degrees. I've always liked how the stems hold the flowers up over the silvery marbled leaves.

There were also a lot of these bushes with blue berries that caught my eye. I don't know the name of it. Susie is a professional landscape designer, so maybe she can help me out.

These plants with the purple flowers were growing in containers. Although it looks familiar to me, I can't think of the name. Susie? Anyone else?

I also saw many trees that were very unusual and entirely new to me. I'll save those for another post.

In less than 48 hours, it will be January and my thoughts will start turning to spring. That's not necessarily a good thing because spring is still a long way off for all of us in zone 4, but that won't stop me from dreaming.
Happy New Year!



39 comments:

  1. Hi Donna,
    It looks like you are having a good time. I don't know what your mystery plants are, but I enjoyed seeing all of the blooms. That bird of paradise is beautiful!

    Yes, I am starting to think of spring, too. Enjoy the rest of 2009, and happy new year!

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  2. What a great post. I love those flowers. I really enjoyed your comment you left me about my boyfriend. They have been fun to watch this year.

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  3. I don't know either. It is fun visiting different parts, isn't it, and seeing what grows there. I have tried twice to grow bird of paradise and failed - I'm not sure what it likes that I didn't provide. It grows well up here in the SF Bay Area too. Just not in my gardens! I like it because it is so exotic, the blooms like nothing else.

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  4. Lovely post! I believe our friend, Faye, is a big fan of Bird of Paradise. Enjoy your dreaming.

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  5. What a treat to see those flowers blooming outdoors, especially this time of year! The shrub with the blue berries looks like Indian Hawthorn. I'll be interested to hear what the last plant is -- the leaves look like Sedum but the flowers look like that of a legume. It's very pretty!

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  6. I love visiting other places and seeing what grows there, especially in winter.
    Interesting to read that about the Poinsettias, that would be a whole lot of them!
    Sounds like you had a great trip.

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  7. It amazes how plants grow in various places, as if its not the dead winter! Have a Happy New Year!

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  8. Glad you're having a great time! I really don't miss snow very much...

    BTW, I don't think you're having a problem with your computer but with your browser software. Downloading the latest version of Firefox (which is free) should solve your problem.

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  9. Hi Donna and welcome back! How fun to see all the colorful flowers; outside here is monochromatic gray right now.

    Nice that you got a sunny SD break in the middle of winter!

    Happy New Year!

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  10. hi Donna, I wanna see your list of bulbs so yes, you will have to do a post about what you got.

    Im not actually in the U.P. I'm located on the mit. Im hoping to be home to see them!

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  11. The color is so welcome in the midst of our white world. But even the snow has its array of color at different times of the day.

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  12. I have been waiting for you to post about San Diego...I meant to ask how your trip went. Looks lovely. I will try to fix my blog...but not sure how??? You got some lovely photos.
    Yes the one plant with the blue berries & a Rhaphiolepis...Indian Hawthorne, if those are white blooms it is probably 'Clara'. It also blooms pink, comes in all sizes, one of our toughest plants & is quite drought tolerant. The plant in the bottom photo is Polygala 'Petite Butterflies' a new compact version of Sweet Pea Shrub, also used quite a bit in these parts, blooms all year round, but uses a little too much water for my taste. I plant Cyclamen outside in the fall & they do quite well even if the nightime temps drop into the 30's I never cover them.

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  13. Oh, great! Glad you are able to join me now ... LOVE the florals.

    Have a beautiful & blessed NEW YEAR ... I will be in & out of communication for a couple weeks.
    TTFN ~ Marydon

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  14. Donna, I think I fixed my blog according to your suggestions....give it a try...Thanks!

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  15. I always look forward to the arrival of seed catalogs which generally begins the first week of January. These are all beautiful, especially the pointsettas and bird of paradise.

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  17. Hi Donna!

    Those are beautiful series of pictures you took. I love poinsettias but unfortunately I dont have one in my garden. I am planning to plant one next Spring. I have birds of paradise in the front garden too. Hubby bought it for me as a gift.

    Well, you can join watery Wednesday even if you have only the faucet water or even drops. I know you can get good photos of it. I can't imagine how cold it is there because I haven't experienced snow yet but love to. Right now, we are having a cloudy day but still warm.

    Wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Please say hello to Phillip for me and Dorothy.

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  18. those are really nice hpotos of flowers youve got there.

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  19. Sounds like you are having a great time on your trip. Have a happy new year, Donna.

    Jan
    Always Growing

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  20. It's wonderful to see some garden color as I sit here with snow and ice surounding the house. I want to leave for San Diego IMMEDIATLY!

    It's time for me to stop whining and get busy - gardening plans to make, books and catalogs to read, pork and sauerkraut to cook, house cleaning awaits, income taxes to do, flower shows and meetings to attend. There, I feel better already. I just needed (yet another)list.

    Have a great New Year!

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  21. I'm glad you got your plant questions answered. They're all lovely plants. Apparently those bird of paradises live a long time because my father planted one when I was a teeny girl (I was born in S.D.) and it's still there! Hope you have a great 2010 Donna!

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  22. I'm sure you enjoying the warmth and flowers of San Diego. What a treat to have flowers in winter! That's where I should live.

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  23. Having lived in CA as a girl, I realize now what I did not appreciate, all those blossoms in the winter I never noticed!
    I can't even imagine a pointsetia growing outside. It looks like you enjoyed your trip to CA.
    Happy New year to you as well.
    Rosey

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  24. Great photos, Donna! Thanks for sharing and may the New Year hold us all gently ... it's been a gift connecting. Happy New Year!

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  25. Wonderful to meet you Donna! I think Poinsettias in the landscaping are my favorite things ever!
    Happy New Year... I look forward to what you will share in the new year.

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  26. San Diego sounds awfully good to me right now--it's freezing here, I'm sure it must be even colder in Wisconsin. I can't imagine live poinsettias growing outside--perfect Christmas decorations! And wouldn't it be nice to be able to grow this cyclamen?

    I had trouble leaving comments on some blogs for a long time, until I tried a different browser--Firefox. If I could change the settings on my Internet Explorer, that might also do the trick, but I don't have a clue how to do that. You might change your browser or try updating it to see if that helps.

    Wishing you a happy New Year and lots of time to do some spring daydreaming!

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  27. Hi Donna,

    Looks like you had a great trip. With nothing but white and cold outside it's sure nice to see pictures of growing things.

    I just wanted to thank you for being my first blogging buddy and giving me lots of support through out this year. You are a very special woman.

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  28. Hi Donna!

    Just dropping by to say have a good week and than you for the comment on my Sky Watch Post.

    hugs

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  29. Donna so good to hear from you! What a treat to see the sunshine and so many wonderful flowers in San Diego. Sorry I haven't commented lately... I guess I have been busy trying to get healthy.

    I am getting around really well though and have some phys. therapy to work on so I am feeling motivated. :) Someday I may return to the blog world... but for now, it will just be a little bit here and there.

    Happy New Year and God Bless you,
    Mindy

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  30. Hi Donna!

    Thanks for dropping by. I do love autumn too..

    Dorothy says Hi to you. She is going for a swim today with her friend.Today is hot, seems we are in the mid 30 degrees C.

    Have a nice day always .

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  31. I think blogger is the problem as I has similar "problems" that come and go. Grrrr. Anyway it looks like a great trip. San Diego is on my must visit list now.

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  32. Wow, pointsettias growing in flower beds...how cool is that?
    Thank-you for your kind words about my blog, I haven't got a clue about pop-ups, but you were able to leave a comment. The birds of paradise, I've never actually seen them, now I see how they got their name!

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  33. hey donna, guess what i have a new post. come to my blog any time. Buy!

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  34. Loved that pic of the Bird of Paradise. I'm hoping my plant will survive in the chilly but not freezing greenhouse and might bloom next summer.

    My mother's name was Audrey, too, probably the age of your grandmother or maybe your great-grandmother. She was named by her father for the heroine in a popular turn-of-the-last-century novel.

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  35. Ohhh I've missed you. Sorry about that.
    But as early it still is over here your pictures make me smile and feel warm inside. While it's darn cold outhere this weekend. Again we've got lots of snow but on top of that the wind picked up...brrrr.

    I want to thank you for your uplifting words Donna. I so needed them all. You embrace my heart with love and tender care so I know I can go on. Be strong and stand tall. I will conquer.

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  36. Oh what I wouldn't give to see just one lone flower popping out of the snow we have. Thank you for sharing it was so nice to see green.

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  37. Hi Donna,

    I just felt sick when I read your comment on my blog about the roof of your mouth. Ugh. You poor thing! I am sorry you had to go through that.
    I hope you are keeping warm!
    Rosey

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  38. It will be great to watch Mamma Mia, i have bought tickets from
    http://ticketfront.com/event/Mamma_Mia-tickets looking forward to it.

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