Friday, January 30, 2009

Illness strikes me



Yes, I'm sick. Some virus is as we speak making free use of my very own cells' mechanisms to reproduce itself. This imposition is particularly unwelcome because it makes me feel icky. But despite my weakened state we made a very brief (half-hour) trip to the UC Botanical Garden yesterday. I had intended to get the name of that fern I photographed but did not make it there. Instead I lingered around the plant deck, eventually picking out a pot full of Ferraria crispa. This is a South African bulb that gets a fragrant flower with an odd starfish-esque shape. I smelled this flower about a year ago at Annie's but limited funds preventing me from purchasing it on my last trip there! In other garden news my native wildflowers are beginning to bloom their little petals out. So far it's just the Nemophila menziesii and Lasthenia californica, but there is more floral promise everywhere as flats of seedlings unfurl their cotyledons to the waxing light! Lots of Clarkia, Lasthenia, Layia, a lupine or two, Collinsia, and some Gilia. I derive great pleasure from watching them sprout away - the first true leaves signalling their identity. I've also been pleased to see my California polypodies unfurl more fronds with each rainfall. The "Sarah Lyman" one with ruffly fronds is finally growing again after a prolonged dormancy. I blame it on this dry winter. Anyway I've included a picture of those ferns taken this week, and my very cute and thrilling Arctostaphylos nummularia!

2 comments:

robin michelle said...

I wish illness struck you quietly!

jet said...

With all of my suffering, sniffing and hacking all you can think of is how it impacts you... oh well, at least you got me more Kleenex.