Lookin’ Fly – Spring Flowers

In this weekly bit we’ll talk about plants that are looking great.  Sometimes it’s nice to remember what blooms or looks its best at specific times of the year – that way you can plan ahead for those barren spots in the yard.  Nearly everything I’ll talk about is low water and either native, semi-native or arid-adapted.

Clockwise from top left:

California Poppies – I bought a big baggie of these at Home Depot in the fall and threw them down when we had a two-day rainstorm.  Sometimes I give them a small drink so they bloom nicely and make new seeds.  You really only need to spread the seeds once and they’ll come back for years.  Love that part.  After blooming they turn brown and crispy and you can leave them alone or cut them back to the ground.

Desert Marigold – This one pictured was a volunteer that established itself between the curb and a paver path.  Three years ago I bought four $6 containers of these flowers and now they pop up all over the yard and flower like crazy multiple times a year.  Super bang for the buck, and very low-water.  Once in while they need an extreme haircut – like take 3/4 of the plant off the top.  They’ll perk back up pretty quick.

Gooding’s Verbena – I’m a total sucker for gradients, and this purple-to-blue is pretty fantastic.  This is another one planted by seed with huge success.  After two years they’re multiplying and getting to be much more substantial.  I’ve even seen butterflies checking them out which is super fun.

Snapdragons – Okay, this isn’t a plant I would normally cover, but they’re just so pretty and they came up in my pot of oregano as a February surprise.  As far as annual flowers go, snap dragons are lovely.  I especially like the 2-3′ tall ones when layered with other flowers and foliage.  They seem to handle our intense sun and temperatures pretty well, and could be very nice as part of a vibrant focal point where they can get an extra drink now and again.

Happy Planting!