Spring Backyard - May 24

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For the last five years I've sown poppy & red clover seeds in the fall, mainly in a planter box near the back fence. Both plants flower at the same time, and look good together. Over time, both plants have self-seeded, extending beyond the planter box.

October '23 had two good rain storms, rare these days, usually indicating a wet winter coming, so I tossed poppy seeds that had been in a glass jar in the garage for years, all around the yard. Winter here was long, and it was often cool & wet, perfect for seedlings, and for some people.

Peak bloom occurs (for about two weeks) in late April, when evening primrose & a climbing pink rose contribute to the show. Two medicinal herbs, borage & arrow, also play a part, as do bottlebrush and tulips. 

note - you can enlarge any part of a picture by left-clicking in and then out again (but not on phonse). 

	early tulips		reddish poppy, from a seed packet		self-seeded borage
		see note		blue flowers are somewhat rare, worldwide
	first blooms in the box		early yarrow &  poppy		clover 'fixes' atmospheric nitrogen in soil
				coral bells
	back yard		bottlebrush		trees that need no water, once established
		the unraveling		ephemeral backyard meadow look

note - years ago I used spare lengths of 3/4 inch dia. copper pipe (from a diy fence project out front) to support these Mission style landscape lights around the yard, and in this image you can see the natural patina that develops when soil moisture (slowly) causes copper to corrode. 

Once May arrives, clover flowers quickly fade, leaving attractive seed heads behind, while poppies continue to bloom, for another month or more, with supplemental water.          

	post-peak images
		Shatzie & volunteer borage (left)		backyard flower arrangement
			almost photogenic ?		yarrow & climbing rose, see note

note - Yarrow is a terrific dry climate plant, thriving in poor (clay) soils & needing little water. This bursting-forth plant came in a 4 inch pot, less than two years ago & the blooms shown lasted for months, into July.

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