Clintonia andrewsiana

Clintonia andrewsiana

by | May 17, 2010 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Plants

Living here the last few years, I’ve come to realize just how lacking my knowledge is of California native plant species.  I’m trying hard to educate myself as much as I can, but every once in a while, just as with the Calochortus we found here, I...
Calochortus albus

Calochortus albus

by | May 3, 2010 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Plants

Our recent April showers have brought us some beautiful May flowers!  We’ve been watching a plant growing on our hillsides since late winter, wondering what it would prove to be.   It’s taken a very long time to reveal its true identity, but we now know...
Stream Violet

Stream Violet

by | Apr 21, 2010 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Plants, Natives

I had a completely different post planned for today.  Then this morning, between rain showers, I went on a walk along one of the creeks on the property, and found a colony of these dainty little wild violets growing in the shade.   Viola glabella, also known as...
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

by | Apr 19, 2010 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Plants, Natives

Our native Ceanothus on the property is currently exhibiting a profusion of bloom.  A large specimen tree near the house is all a-buzz with bees.  If you stand beneath these trees, there’s a low background audible hum that emanates from above, along with a...
Iris fernaldii

Iris fernaldii

by | Apr 14, 2010 | Farm Blog, Flora and Fauna, Native Plants, Natives

The first of our wild iris are beginning to bloom, despite our recent soggy weather. Last year we only casually observed this iris blooming on some of the slopes around the property, and knew that we had a yellowish-white species here. However, it was late in the...