Scarlet Red Malope

Malopes are closely related to Althaea, Abutilon, Gossypium, Kitaibelia, Malva and Sidalcea. They are all in the Malvacea family which also includes, cocoa, cotton, okra, baobab and durian the stinky but delicious Southeast Asian fruit.

We planted annual wildflower seeds to cover a newly created bank and the malope was included in the mixture.

Hibiscus trionum, Flower-of-an-Hour

A weed but a nice weed so we let it grow. Funny but it only grows in our yard. I never see them in the neighbors' weed filled beds or in other waste areas. The flower is short lived - only a day but the plant has numerous buds so several are blooming at any one day. The flower is small not more than a couple of inches in diameter.

The two bottom pictures are of the seedpod which is as interesting as the flower in my opinion.

2 poppies

This is a field poppy we bought in a wild flower seed mix. Of the original flowers in the mix this is the only one that reseeded every year for 5 years.






The first of the California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) to bloom this year. Of the two flowers blooming now they both look like the common yellow orange California poppies despite my buying a mixed color 'Thai Silk' seed packet. I guess the crenelated folding of the petals is supposed to resemble silk cloth?

Styrax japonicus

Japanese Snowbell

Kalmia latifolia, Mountain laurel

Alpine Pink?

Here's a nice site with pictures of many different cultivars of Kalmia.

Lupine Russell hybrid, Lupinus polyphyllus 'Russell'

Geranium hybrids 'Jolly Bee'?

We were at the local Lowes store and I spotted these wilted perennial geraninums. I bought all three on the display table and I'm glad I did - they have been blooming prolifically ever since I planted them several weeks ago. I scooped up some water from one of the fountain displays :) to revive the plants - I wish they took better care of the plants they sell. I think they are 'Jolly Bee's but I can't be sure because there was no name tags or labels.