June Bloom

Our June gloom seems to be getting longer and deeper as the years go by.  I like it, actually.  More time for the summer bloomers to put on growth before the heat comes on.

A few flowers of note that shone out on a grey morning:

Eriogonum giganteum, St. Catherine's lace has finally bloomed.  Actually the tiny buds are just beginning to open, beginning to attract hordes of pollinators and their predators.  The other buckwheats,   (e. fasiculatum and e. grande rubescens) have not started to bloom yet so for the time being St. Catherine has the conn.

I planted Blue hair grass, Koeleria glauca, in a cool old bbq grill (planting to be revealed at an undisclosed future date) and it is blooming:  First the inflorescence uncurls, then it stands straight and the flower parts begin to emerge, then the flowers hang out in full force and wait for a pollinating breeze.

And the succulent I believe to be one of the forms of Cotyledon orbiculata produces these amazingly pretty drooping pepper-like buds that open to pretty drooping lantern-like flowers.  You can see the color of the stems (actually pedicels seen here) and sepals is nearly white . . . the leaves are even whiter and are long and fleshy.

Cheers to June blooms everywhere.