Retina Scorchers Part II

I have too many flower photos! Here are a few more just to fill up the day. Click on individual photos for larger view. Acacia redolens is a low growing hardy drought tolerant shrub that has millions of yellow puff ball flower this time of year.


Another crowd pleasing shrub is pink raphiolopus, which is planted all over the place in parking lots and other difficult landscaping areas. It's a survivor and this time of year, it becomes saturated with pink flowers.

The bouganvillea plants are just starting to bloom now as well. They come in many colors like red, violet and purple. This one is a red violet color. Bouganvillea will bloom for the entire warm season. It's flowers are not true flowers but instead are modified leaves that change color at the end of the stalks for an exquisite display of vibrancy.

Dangling clumps of purple wisteria are just starting to emerge from their pods at this time. Eventually, these beautiful danglers will turn to seed pods that will wait until a windy day in fall at which time they will snap open violently and their seeds will eject all over my yard. On that day, I will hear the snapping sound all day as these pods intermittently explode. And once the rains come, seedlings will begin to sprout in all manner of odd places.

On the flip side, the wild lilac season is just coming to a close right now. Chaparral hillsides in this area experience several weeks of intense blue color as the wild lilac bushes push out their blooms. These wild children need no water once established and grow naturally all around me. In addition, many cultivars are planted as landscape. In the photo, you can see a large tree like bush of lilac in full bloom with Sesame Pooch lounging below the trunk, and a close up view of the flowers in the photo just down and to the right of the larger photo.

The large tropical leaves and bright orange tongues of the Bird of Paradise flower seem to please men the world over. Every man I've known has liked this flower but could not say exactly why. This bush grows readily in San Diego county.

Another classic flower is Vinca with its picturesque chiseled blue flowers. Vinca is a hardy drought tolerant vine that grows well in shade, unlike most flowers that instead like sun.

Part one of Retina Scorchers is here.

I've spent a lot of time viewing flowers lately, but I miss my rocks! Luckily, Dave told me yesterday that he found a new nearby location that has small garnets and aquamarine crystals! Hopefully, we will be able to go there again on Saturday so I can get me some good pictures and specimens!