- Author: Trisha Rose
Okay, I have blogged about 'Autumn Joy' in the past. This sedum is one of my favorites as it is colorful and super easy to care for. It is drought tolerant once established. Mine is in full sun near the sidewalk so there is nothing protecting it from the sun or steady wind. It blooms beautifully every year EXCEPT not on May 2nd!! Usually when I notice the rosey flowers I think "well summer is almost over". Not this year, spring is barely 6 weeks old. I don't know what to expect from the garden this year. The Echiums and Buddleia purple plumes have come and gone. The California poppies are still going strong though, that's nice. The Rockrose has decided to bloom this year, I think it's the compact 'Doris Hibberson' which should be sending up crinkly pink petals in June and July. The gloriously self-seeding garden nasturtium, Tropaeolum manus seems to nearly bloom year round. I usually pull it out as it eventually gets pretty leggy. Also noticed that I need to get some fresh mulch down, last year's has dissolved into the soil. Drought tolerant doesn't mean "maintenance free".
here in Contra Costa County....my tall sedums haven't come close to blooming yet and show no signs of such so far... just succulent green from the starts I'm trying this year... everybody says it is easy from cuttings... and so far I agree...but I haven't got flowers yet and it looks like it will be awhile.
BUT the tall Aster I usually appreciate come late summer/fall are blooming... haven't moved it and it is in the same place for the last 10 years or so and is somewhat of an aggressive plant, but not this year..
wonder what's surprise next from Mother Nature?... maybe didn't pay enough homage on Mother's Day... or maybe the forecast for rain tomorrow (5/14) will be the surprise drenching make-up... but then the cherry crop and others will probably be even more devastated from not enough chill hours... go figure...and I still can't quite mentally comprehend what I should do to make my garden survive drought... other than start over and mulch, mulch, mulch.... 'tis a quandry
CHEERS