Lovely California Natives for the Pollinators

Aren't these Ella Nelson buckwheat Eriogonum nudum 'Ella Nelson's Yellow' blossoms lovely?

This particular strain of California nude buckwheat was collected along the Eel River in Mendocino County by Eric Nelson, who named it for his grandmother.

The blossoms stand on several feet tall stems that spring from spoon shaped leaf rosette bases.

We planted the seedlings in the native buckwheat area of the native garden, which has rocky, clay soil. The blooms will last through the Fall, turning to a pinkish brown.

I just planted two of these Blue-Eyed Grass Sisyrinchium bellum seedlings in one of the patio plant beds. They are perennials that grow to a foot tall and bloom from January through June.

We have two other of the same grass plants that I planted several years ago. They seem to do well in light shade and well drained soil.

Within an hour of being planted in the garden bed, one of the Blue-Eyed Grass seedlings had a visitor, a hover fly. The fly spent several minutes inspecting the plant and the soil around it. You can see it here at the base of the seedling, to the middle left of the photo.