Aeonium tabuliforme and Greenovia aurea are pictured together. It may be that the Greenovias are now considered Aeonium, but at any rate they are related and share some of the same habitats. I've been led recently towards Aeonium. They're connected to the saga of the floral history of the Mediterranean - a tale of climate change, relict species, and islands. Quite stirring! Since my last post we've been to Annie's and the U.C. Botanical Garden. It was a frenzy of leaf and blossom at Annie's. I ended up with another Datura metel "Double Lavender" and two Monardellas - M. odoratissima and M. undulata var. frutescens. The first has lovely white blossoms, the second striking purple. On the subject of Monardellas my M. macrantha "Marian Sampson" has just started this season's blooms - what lovely red floralness! Also included is picture of the M. unulata var. frutescens. At the Botanical Garden I saw the last of the Corpse Flower and brought home a smaller species called Amorphophallus rivieri, with similar floral qualities. It's just a speckled-stalked leaf right now. The botanical garden was awash with happily buzzing bees - especially the herb garden. My garden also has its share of apian visitors - mostly native bees, as near as I can tell. Though the occasional honey bee comes by. In other news of my garden - there are still quite a few Clarkias and Gilias continuing to bloom. Salvia clevelandii has started to show cerulean blossoms, and various Agastaches contribute warmer hues. A cheerfully yellow Grindelia blooms alongside. There's also new leaves on the native milkweeds and buckwheat flowers under the sun!
