A few months ago, Julia and I tossed around in our front yard a packet of "Payne's #1: Rainbow Mix" from the Theodore Payne Foundation, and for the past few weeks already, have been enjoying the wonders of a yard-full of California wildflowers in bloom. The mountain garland has been the last to come out, but now we have the full complement of colors, and a large patch of our once-sadly-drought-stricken former lawn is now a charming riot of colors and textures.
Arroyo lupine (Lupinus succulentus).
Lacy phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia).
One of the biggest delights, I think, is finding different "bouquets" in the photographs, like the blues and oranges above, or the pinks and blues and yellows below.
Globe gilia (Gilia capitata), with a painted lady butterfly, though I don't know if it is the American one (Vanessa virginiensis) or the West coast one (Vanessa annabella).
Mountain garland (Clarkia unguiculata), also known as elegant clarkia. These come in a wide range of pink shades, from magenta to salmon, and there are even a couple of white ones here.
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica).
Only one arroyo lupine emerged, but it is clearly setting seed! Later, I will gather these to spread further next year, Miss-Rumphius-like.
Tidytips (Layia platyglossa). I know there were California goldfields (Lasthenia californica) in here too, but I can't seem to find any now!
Coast poppy (Eschscholzia californica var. maritima), also called maritime poppy. Instead of the California poppy's pure orange, the coastal one has orange in the center, lightening towards near-yellow at the edges of the petals.
Desert Canterbury bells (Phacelia campanularia), also known as bell-flowered phacelia. The photo doesn't actually do justice to the intense cobalt blue.
Bird's eye gilia (Gilia tricolor).
Happy spring!
A Bluestocking Knits 
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