Hi Jennifer,
I just went in and added some scientific names to the picture files. Thanks for giving me the incentive to get in and do that. Scientific names are so much more effective than names like “yellow wildflower”
The flowers you are asking about is named ‘tree mallow’, lavatera bicolor. It was purchased from a nursery, and is not a native wildflower. It is related to hibiscus, rose of sharon, mallow, and okra. I planted it a few months ago, and it’s caught on and is growing. A woody little plant, stands about 2 feet tall right now, could go to 6 feet. (we’ll see )
This year the wildflowers are quite abundant. It all depends on amount and timing of the rain. Watering has no significant effect.
I broadcast a mixture of wildflower seed in October while it was raining, (I always plant seeds in the rain!) and have been rewarded with a nice variety.
The brittlebush is a great weed, and this year they look spectacular. I love the bluish white color of the foliage, with the yellow flowers on tall stems. If left alone, the brittlebush gets bigger every year. I just love them.
It is very pretty. Would be very cool if it did get to be 6 feet tall Thanks
Lots of gorgeous things to draw *hint hint*
I need to start my seedlings but I don’t think the bulbs will come up this year, probably next (I have to remember to look up how to start them, so I don’t accidentally kill them right from the start)
are all of those blooming right now? i am very jealous. we have six inches of new white snow. pretty, but it doesn’t smell. (i guess it would be pretty bad if it did.)
Hi Jen,
Any time you want to use any of my photos for making art, just go ahead.
(I know the hint hint was likely for ME to use them )
Seriously, if you want to use the pics to draw from, just do it. Give me a ‘nod’ as to providing the inspiration!
Bulbs, like daffodils, tulips, crocus and such, need to be planted in the fall, to have them bloom for spring. I always forget.
I hope you give us ‘horticultural’ types, like me, some more ‘mystery’ flowers to identify this year.
Hi Laurie,
Happy Easter to you and the pups!
Yes, that’s all happening right now in the backyard.
At the bottom of my sidebar is a weather link named Tucson Weather. Take a peek if you dare! It’s 80 daytime, 50 nightitme.
This is the only time of year I get to brag. The rest of the time it’s damned hot.
You have had an unusual amount of snow this year, haven’t you? And some incredible COLD! I do have to say, I am not envious of that. I’ve lived in the North before. brrrr
Yes, Ian, it’s just been miserable here… 80’s daytime, 50’s nightime.
8% humidity. Sunny. Flowers.
It’s so miserable, I had to turn on my air conditioning in my truck today.
Oh, me. Oh, my.
Leslie here.
I want everyone to know that I am *NOT* turning off the comments on my posts.
This is something that is happening spontaneously.
Every time I see it happen, I go in and correct it, but it often re-occurs.
I want all the comments you have to give, and apologize for the inconvenience.
Leslie
Holy moly, these are gorgeous! I see many of my favorite native plants (although here in NM, we won’t be seeing many of these for a month or more yet). You’re a real green thumb. Well, I’m not surprised.
BTW, some people in NM think that first one is a weed, since it grows naturally. I love it. It’s one of the rarest colors you can find in nature. What is it called? We had a few big bushes in our old place.
Hi ybonesy!
That first one, globemallow, is a “weed”, but I prefer to call them “wildflowers”. I mean, how beautiful is that flower, anyway? We have fields full of them around here.
I am grateful to former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson for enlightening people to the fact that weeds are wildflowers.
Arizona does fairly well with natural landscaping education. When people move here from other places, they try to change the landscape to what they “used to grow”. It just can’t be done here. After a few years they usually “go native”, or pave every square inch of their yard.
As for the green thumb part…last October when it rained one day, I took my little bag of wildflower seed outside, and played Johnny Appleseed all around the yard. I just broadcast the seeds where I thought they would hide from the birds and ants, and maybe catch some moisture. No planting, or scratching in, or watering, or fertilizing…just “throwing”. How hard is that?
And I intend to leave the flowers where they are until they make more seeds and then drop them. Then I don’t even have to plant them next October. Nature will do it for me. How hard is that??
I love weeds!
One plant in NM that I love is the Russian Sage. It has a dreamy blue purple color.
And Happy Birthday to Red Ravine. When do you celebrate?
Hi everybody!
My Leslie’s Blog is being renovated.
Come join me at the “vacation house”, Leslie’s Blogger, for a few days, while the construction crews are at work. We’re having drinks on the “veranda”.
*jealous of all the pretty plants*
what are the white and purple flowers called (the picture with just 2 of them) ?
Comment by Jennifer Rose — March 22, 2008 @ 4:20 am
Hi Jennifer,
I just went in and added some scientific names to the picture files. Thanks for giving me the incentive to get in and do that. Scientific names are so much more effective than names like “yellow wildflower”
The flowers you are asking about is named ‘tree mallow’, lavatera bicolor. It was purchased from a nursery, and is not a native wildflower. It is related to hibiscus, rose of sharon, mallow, and okra. I planted it a few months ago, and it’s caught on and is growing. A woody little plant, stands about 2 feet tall right now, could go to 6 feet. (we’ll see
)
This year the wildflowers are quite abundant. It all depends on amount and timing of the rain. Watering has no significant effect.
I broadcast a mixture of wildflower seed in October while it was raining, (I always plant seeds in the rain!) and have been rewarded with a nice variety.
The brittlebush is a great weed, and this year they look spectacular. I love the bluish white color of the foliage, with the yellow flowers on tall stems. If left alone, the brittlebush gets bigger every year. I just love them.
I am awed and amazed by the desert.
Comment by leslie — March 22, 2008 @ 10:38 am
It is very pretty. Would be very cool if it did get to be 6 feet tall
Thanks 
Lots of gorgeous things to draw *hint hint*
I need to start my seedlings but I don’t think the bulbs will come up this year, probably next (I have to remember to look up how to start them, so I don’t accidentally kill them right from the start)
Comment by Jennifer Rose — March 22, 2008 @ 11:39 am
are all of those blooming right now? i am very jealous. we have six inches of new white snow. pretty, but it doesn’t smell. (i guess it would be pretty bad if it did.)
those are gorgeous pictures.
happy easter!
Comment by laurie — March 22, 2008 @ 12:46 pm
Hi Jen,
)
Any time you want to use any of my photos for making art, just go ahead.
(I know the hint hint was likely for ME to use them
Seriously, if you want to use the pics to draw from, just do it. Give me a ‘nod’ as to providing the inspiration!
Bulbs, like daffodils, tulips, crocus and such, need to be planted in the fall, to have them bloom for spring. I always forget.
I hope you give us ‘horticultural’ types, like me, some more ‘mystery’ flowers to identify this year.
Comment by leslie — March 23, 2008 @ 12:18 pm
Hi Laurie,
Happy Easter to you and the pups!
Yes, that’s all happening right now in the backyard.
At the bottom of my sidebar is a weather link named Tucson Weather. Take a peek if you dare! It’s 80 daytime, 50 nightitme.
This is the only time of year I get to brag. The rest of the time it’s damned hot.
You have had an unusual amount of snow this year, haven’t you? And some incredible COLD! I do have to say, I am not envious of that. I’ve lived in the North before. brrrr
Comment by leslie — March 23, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
A beautiful array. I want it to be warmer here, OK? Even though the daffodils are out it’s still too chilly. I’m getting too old to do chilly.
Comment by Ian Lidster — March 24, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
Yes, Ian, it’s just been miserable here… 80’s daytime, 50’s nightime.
8% humidity. Sunny. Flowers.
It’s so miserable, I had to turn on my air conditioning in my truck today.
Oh, me. Oh, my.
50 degrees is chilly, right?
Comment by leslie — March 24, 2008 @ 5:47 pm
Leslie here.
I want everyone to know that I am *NOT* turning off the comments on my posts.
This is something that is happening spontaneously.
Every time I see it happen, I go in and correct it, but it often re-occurs.
I want all the comments you have to give, and apologize for the inconvenience.
Leslie
Comment by leslie — March 25, 2008 @ 9:17 am
Lovely macro shots.
Comment by Dan — March 27, 2008 @ 12:19 am
Thank you, Sir Dan.
I was going to say, “…this is my favorite…”, but I just looked at them again, and I think ALL flowers are my favorite!
Comment by leslie — March 27, 2008 @ 7:17 am
Hi everyone. Leslie here.
I am having some blog problems again.
I can’t post, or turn the comments back on.
I hope to have posts working soon.
Today, March 29th is my one year blog birthday, and I had a spiffy post ready.
Can’t get it to publish.
Please email me if you want. I get lonely
leslie at lesliehawes dot com
Comment by leslie — March 29, 2008 @ 2:08 pm
Holy moly, these are gorgeous! I see many of my favorite native plants (although here in NM, we won’t be seeing many of these for a month or more yet). You’re a real green thumb. Well, I’m not surprised.
BTW, some people in NM think that first one is a weed, since it grows naturally. I love it. It’s one of the rarest colors you can find in nature. What is it called? We had a few big bushes in our old place.
Comment by ybonesy — March 29, 2008 @ 5:27 pm
p.s., Happy anniversary on your one year! It’s amazing how many of us started blogging right around the same time.
Comment by ybonesy — March 29, 2008 @ 5:27 pm
Hi ybonesy!
I mean, how beautiful is that flower, anyway? We have fields full of them around here.
That first one, globemallow, is a “weed”, but I prefer to call them “wildflowers”.
I am grateful to former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson for enlightening people to the fact that weeds are wildflowers.
Arizona does fairly well with natural landscaping education. When people move here from other places, they try to change the landscape to what they “used to grow”. It just can’t be done here. After a few years they usually “go native”, or pave every square inch of their yard.
As for the green thumb part…last October when it rained one day, I took my little bag of wildflower seed outside, and played Johnny Appleseed all around the yard. I just broadcast the seeds where I thought they would hide from the birds and ants, and maybe catch some moisture. No planting, or scratching in, or watering, or fertilizing…just “throwing”. How hard is that?
And I intend to leave the flowers where they are until they make more seeds and then drop them. Then I don’t even have to plant them next October. Nature will do it for me. How hard is that??
I love weeds!
One plant in NM that I love is the Russian Sage. It has a dreamy blue purple color.
And Happy Birthday to Red Ravine. When do you celebrate?
Comment by leslie — March 30, 2008 @ 10:56 am
Hi everybody!
My Leslie’s Blog is being renovated.
Come join me at the “vacation house”, Leslie’s Blogger, for a few days, while the construction crews are at work. We’re having drinks on the “veranda”.
http://lesliesblogger.blogspot.com/
Comment by leslie — April 8, 2008 @ 10:51 pm