Our front yard in late April

I haven’t done a “our yard in the month of xyz” post in a while, mostly because things were slow in taking off this year due to unseasonably cool weather. Now, however, spring is here with a vengeance. Plants that were just poking out of the ground last week are in full leaf this week. The planting strip outside the front yard fence is beginning to resemble the tapestry of color we so love. Finally the time of year is here when you can see changes from one day to the next.

The bed inside the front yard fence may not look like much from a distance, but the ornamental grasses are going great guns, and herbaceous perennials like penstemons, echinaceas and salvias are trying to catch up.

Planting strip inside our front yard fence

Our yellow lotus banana (Musella lasiocarpa) is continuing to leaf out, but the clump looks a bit off balance since the mother plant flowered last year and died.

Musella lasiocarpa (foreground left)

The variegated Eureka lemon (Citrus limon ‘Eureka Variegated Pink’) behind the banana is having its best year yet (it’s been in the ground for three years now). The variegation in the leaves is very strong and there are more flower buds then ever.

Citrus limon ‘Eureka Variegated Pink’

The main succulent bed looks better than ever, now that most anchor plants are reaching maturity. The coral aloe (Aloe striata) is flowering, added an element of red that is normally absent.

Succulent bed next to front door

Outside the front yard fence, a lot is happening. Early bloomers like Cape balsam (Bulbine frutescens), Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas ‘Otto Quast’), Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa) and Hot Lips sage (Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’) are providing cheerful pops of color.

Planting strip outside the front yard fence

In this corner, yellow is the dominating color at this time of year

Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa)

A wider view

A few days ago, a clump of Cooper’s hardy ice plant (Delosperma cooperi) started to bloom, and its fluorescent purple flowers can be see from across the street. This ice plant is reputed to be hardy to zone 5 but requires good drainage in wet-winter areas.

Cooper’s hardy ice plant (Delosperma cooperi) breaking up the yellow from Cape balsam (Bulbine frutescens) and Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa)

Cooper’s hardy ice plant (Delosperma cooperi)

Red hot pokers (Knipfhofia uvaria) are starting their springtime show as well, their flower stalks rising from mounds of strappy leaves.

Red hot poker (Knipfhofia uvaria)

Red hot pokers (Knipfhofia uvaria)

Red hot pokers (Knipfhofia uvaria)

Red hot pokers (Knipfhofia uvaria)

The space around the Bradford pear tree (Pyrus calleryiana ‘Bradford’) in the photo below has been notoriously difficult to cultivate because the tree roots suck up most of the moisture and nutrients. After trying and failing with Mediterranean perennials—things like spurge, coral bells and sage—I switched to succulents last fall and I’m cautiously optimistic.

Area around the Bradford pear tree. See below for an explanation of the numbers.

[1] is a recent purchase from Annie’s Annuals, Drosanthemum micans, an ice plant with very colorful orange and red flowers (photo here)
[2] is a Calandrinia spectabilis, a Chilean perennial with purple flowers that blooms from late spring to fall

[3] in the photo above is a red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora). The one I planted is still small, but it will one day look like the Wikipedia photo above.

[4] is a variegated Aloe arborescens I bought at a recent UC Davis Arboretum plant sale. This variegated cultivar used to be rare but is now becoming more widely available.

[5] is this new succulent rack up against the house.
This spot gets partial sun between noon and 6pm. I think it will be a great place for succulents because they are somewhat protected from the worst of the afternoon sun which can fry even the toughest succulent when they’re in a pot.

Right near the new rack above is the curved succulent table

This post is the baseline for all other front yard-related posts this year. I’m excited to see how everything will in the months to come.