Although the solstice has passed, and officially it is now summer, I would hesitate to describe it as such here in the northernmost part of California. We have had almost no spring, with rain until early June and much cold windy weather when it wasn't raining (in this 'Mediterranean' climate it usually stops raining in April).
This has confused my bulbs, and, even more so, confused the wildflowers, with many species being at least six weeks behind in blooming. The extra rain is needed after at least three years of reduced rainfall, but the grey weather, after a long cold winter, has made me feel cheated and worried that we will go right into winter feeling as though summer never happened.
Returning home from a dog trial in Oregon this week, I found Lycoris chinensis in full bloom, about four months ahead of schedule. Well, I am not complaining! It is hard enough to get Lycoris to bloom in containers, and this lovely bloom was very welcome. I am growing some of my Lycoris in very large containers, in the hope of encouraging them to bloom. I am not sure why they don't bloom in pots, there are so many variables; root room, soil temperature, soil mosture, microorganisms, etc. Growing anything in a container is subjecting a plant to a very abnormal environment, with extreme swings in moisture, nutrient availability and temperature. I am surprised they tolerate it at all.
There are new additions to the nursery. A month ago I made my regular visit to an Indian reservation where I have friends. A stray cat had shown up and had a litter under the house of one of my friends. The kittens were about two months old, and my friend said she didn't want to take them to the animal shelter since they would surely be killed. My adult cats died over a year ago, and I certainly need cats here to keep the mice in check, but my dogs are cat killers, so I had hesitated to take the step. Well, here they are, two little girls I named Mamie and Lucy after Indian friends. Mamie is the grey and white one, Lucy the black and white one.
I had a friend many years ago who told me that every time she got depressed she got a new kitten, being a sure cure for the blues (she had five cats). Well, it's lot better than taking pills, and I can vouch for their mood elevating properties, since they never stop playing, and curl in my lap purring and gazing at me with adoration (at least, that is how I choose to interpret it). I haven't had a kitten for about thirty years, since my previous cats lived to very ripe old ages and the two that died a year ago came to me as adults (from another reservation). So now we are in the very slow process of introducing the dogs to the cats, under close supervision. It is going well, but the danger will be when they are loose outside and the cats run, triggering my dogs' rat hunting instincts. At that point they are just prey as far as my dogs are concerned, so we are putting up hog wire fencing that will allow the cats through but will prevent the dogs from following.
Bulb harvesting is in full swing. Most of the South African bulbs have been lifted, but the native bulbs are still ripening seed, with a few still in bloom.
The late blooming Calochortus are the last to be harvested, as are the Brodiaeas. Here are the lovely Calochortus gunnisoni (left) and Calochortus macrocarpus (right) still in full bloom.
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