Spring Bloom right here

Most people need to travel somewhere to experience the dramatic beauty and colors of Spring Bloom.

But luckily many spring and summer plants have reseeded around the garden.

In spite of drought conditions, we apparently had enough winter and spring showers to encourage the native plants to grow. I also water some of the plants (not the poppies) with water that I save from washing and steaming vegetables and cooking pasta.

The photo above is a closeup of California orange chiffon poppies.

Bird's-eyes Gilia Gilia tricolor is a truly lovely plant.

The slender stems with feathery leaves are topped with lovely tricolor blossoms. You can see that each blossom is yellow, dark purple and lavender. The pollen is powder blue in color.

This year we got lucky. Gilia seeds from blossoms from last year and the year before germinated in the soil and grow in profusion around the native patch now. Lucky bees!

Poppies, poppies everywhere!

California poppies are springing up all around the front yard.

Some self seeded. Others may be from the seeds I strew around last autumn.

We love them, and so do the neighbors.