Rainy Day Flowers in Southern California

If you’ve read many of my posts, you’ve probably heard me rant about the drought in Southern California.  That condition ended months ago, and we’ve had a gloriously wet springtime.  The flowers are blooming, and the water is free from the sky!  I can’t resist photographing the rainy day flowers with their sparkling petals and decided to share a few.

Roses

Nearly everyone has at least one rosebush blooming somewhere.  Often I seem small bushes along a wall, or near a porch.  I don’t go creeping up to someone’s doorstep to get a photograph; there are plenty of roses within easy reach.

Don’t ask me what this rose is or even what type it is.  I don’t know much about flowers.  I do know that some grow on single stems, like the bud above, and others in clusters.

Cactus!

I’ve watched a flower bed full of small barrel cacti for several weeks.  They have gorgeous pink blossoms for a few days, and then the flowers wilt.  Patience pays off because after several days the cacti bloom again!

The flowers grow on stalks.  Have no idea what variety of barrel cactus this is.  I do know that I look forward to seeing it bloom!

The Unknown Rainy Day Flowers

Speaking of not knowing the name or type of flower, I encounter all types of drought-resistant plants that I never saw growing up in Michigan, where we didn’t have much need for such things.  In California, these plants are a necessity if we want to have any color in our landscaping.

Many people have replaced their lawns with decorative stone and water-friendly grasses such as this Purple Fountain grass.  It has big cattail-like spikes.  (I’m sure there’s a botanical term for them) They have a purple tint.

I confess I don’t know if the above is Purple Fountain, but it certainly has a purple tint.  On the other hand, right next to it was a plant I can’t begin to guess.  I linclude it because I liked its rainy day flowers.

Every small branch of the above plant held a drop of water.  In the morning air, the bush sparkled like a Christmas tree!  Does anyone know the name of this plant?

I’ve enjoyed the rainy days, but now June is almost here.  The days are warming, and summer will soon heat the flowerbeds.  Don’t worry; I’ll find something new to photograph.  I hope you do as well.

Meanwhile, to see more images from my rainy day explorations, please click here.