Plants I'm Growing: First Blooms--Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia basilaris) April 24, 2015)

The potted beavertail cactus (Opuntia basilaris) in the side yard bloomed today. The plant has only a few buds on it this year, like last year, but they're always pretty. This is a very early flower for this plant. The cactus bloomed on May 9, in 2009, on May 29 in 2010, on May 18 in 2011, on June 3 in 2012, and on May 17 in 2014. I can't find a record for 2013, but this plant usually blooms in mid-Mayor later.

Plants I'm Growing--First Blooms: Dwarf Peach, Dwarf Nectarine, Tulipa Bakeri (February 2015)

Plants are coming into bloom in rapid succession in the garden and I'm already behind in keeping track, but here I note that the Dwarf Peach Tree in the side yard started blooming this year on February 16 (top photo). The Dwarf Nectarine started blooming on February 18 (second photo). Our Flavor King Pluot (not shown) began blooming on the 17th. The few remaining species tulips in the front garden (Tulipa bakeri) started blooming this year on February 20 (bottom).

Plants I'm Growing--First Blooms: Daffodils, Pink Flowering Plum (February 3, 2015)

A stretch of dry, unseasonably warm weather has coaxed out flowers in the garden. On February 3, the first yellow daffodil blossoms opened. The pink flowering plum tree in the side garden (Prunus blireiana) starting blooming the same day. This year the sparrows and finches left the buds alone (probably because I've not been feeding the birds), so it looks like we will have a full tree of flowers for the first time in a while. February 3 is on the early end of the normal range for both plants here. They have bloomed between February 2 and about February 20 in a typical year in the past. A storm is on the way, though. I hope these blossoms don't all get lost before we've had a chance to enjoy them.

Plants I'm Growing: White Flowering Plum (December 22, 2014)

The white flowering plum tree (Prunus mume) behind the house and the tiny cyclamen, Cyclamen coum, are always the first plants to bloom in the new year (I count late December flowers in the following calendar year). This year the plum began blooming on December 22,  just before Christmas. It is wonderfully fragrant. I love the scent as much as the blossoms. The little  cyclamen--the flower stalks stand only about 3 inches high--began blooming on December 30. Happy New Year.