Here and there in Santa Rosa neighborhoods and now in it's brief glory; probably would be more popular if not for its habit of shedding it's leaves in the summer. I've been told that this practice is an adaptation to California's dry summer; elsewhere leaves hold until fall.
These will patrol our yard all summer after this point in spring. They love wet foliage. I suspect they suppress caterpillars; although I've not caught one in the act.. it does prove hard to raise any larval lepidopterans to maturity without transferring them to a 'terrarium' I've made of shadescreen cloth.
The last two days I've had Lady--hopefully not virginal--Pipevines fluttering around my little patch of Dutchman's Pipe. They quickly light, then fly away circling back to light again..
While you can see Pipevines dependably around this plant either creekside or on the hills within a few miles of this spot, I've never before seen them in the McDonald subdivision. This old Walnut Orchard is sited on the gently sloping flats between Santa Rosa Creek and the 300' hills that rise above it to the north... I'd speculate that this is like the mysterious trophism that brings Monarchs in the fall to visit my Milkweeds.
On a very sodden and steep patch with a fine southern exposure. A bonus appearance by Blue Eyed Grass: the most prevalent bloom on this fine spring day.
Lots of these diminutive lilies on the southern edge of a scrubby oak forest.
One of my favorites from Lillian Finley's garden; but very slow to spread despite--or because-- of my efforts. A half-dozen transplants have expanded to 4 times that number in 15 years.
These appear--or try to--every spring in our neighborhood. Sorry for them, they bloom out of a tuft of rather coarse looking grass; and are generally weeded out before bloom.
Among the first of the season in my neighborhood. Pipevines are out; Anise and thenWestern Tigers follow as the season matures. To get this pix, I just waited next to my token anise plant.
Ubiquitous. What I've not seen is the native plantain. Happily, chow for the Buckeye butterfly.
One of many. To see these infest your local greenspace is to marvel that they are said to be hard to hunt. This one and a partner came within 10 feet of me and my large dog.
They alternated cropping grass and nosing around in the shallow water.
Lurking in the alley along King's nursery; poised to beat up the sissy plants if they dare try to leave.
Another local springtime weed; not as common as others.
Remarkably prolific and persisting visitor to our neighborhood; but another one that often looks as if it was planted by a fastidious gardner. My partner often is annoyed when I pull it up.
A very common weed in my neighborhood; here horning in on the space set aside for a botanical garden. I'd guessed it was some sort of mint; several members recognized it at once.
A lovely species... it's hard to think of the saltcedars as 'invasive' when you see them managing in some of our bleakest locales; but certainly they are foreign.
A very common weed in my area. I believe it's the non-native 'cut-leaved geranium' ; certainly it's a real pest locally.
The old boneyard has a 'native garden' gradually built up by volunteers; this is part of that project.
Not much of a shot; but still enough to identify with confidence. Part of the spring furniture in our neighborhood, here enjoying the bit of marshy ground on the fringes of an old stock-tank.
Not present last week. I think I'm right here, although the petals do seem rather large for this plant. We will see what people think.
I've added a second pix of checker mallow in a local botanical collection...
Generally this fine little park features high and exposed pathways; can be unappealing on a hot day. There are, however, a few shady spots with a smattering of nice ferns.
Sampling the Borage that has naturalized in my daughter's garden from the time it was a herb 'farm'.
