Gladiolus are July’s plant of the moment.
Breeding Gladiolus was popular in the early 1900s with old catalogs offering dozens of hybrids. Disease has eliminated most of them but these two old varieties have been found and added to the summer color scheme for the Inner Courtyard. ‘Dauntless’ is medium pink with a magenta throat and ‘Bibi’ has darker pink splattered across a variable pink petal. View both varieties in our inner courtyard.
Other plants in bloom in our Long Beach garden this month include:
Agapanthus orientalis – Lily of the Nile
Located in inner courtyard and backyard, Agapanthus puts on a beautiful show all spring and summer long. Here in Southern California, you see these beauties planted near Jacaranda trees, whose flowers are nearly the shame dramatic color.
Eriogonum fasiculatum – California Buckwheat
Located in the California Native Garden, California Buckwheat is a favorite of water-wise gardeners and butterfly lovers. California Buckwheat’s flowers prolifically, with white blooms emerging in spring, turning pink in summer, and then rust-colored in fall. The rust-colored flowers typically stay on the plant throughout the winter, providing a four-season show.
Hibiscus schiziopetalus – Fringed Hibiscus
Located in the backyard, the Fringed Hibiscus, also called Japanese Lantern, is a tropical native to eastern Africa. Its flowers droop in a patter than brings to mind Japanese lanterns. This showy evergreen can be grown as a hedge or screen.
Parkinsonia aculeata – Mexican Palo Verde
Located in a pot by the Visitor Center, our Mexican Palo Verde is a beautiful, drought-tolerant small tree. One of the few ornamental trees that don’t need supplemental irrigation, Mexican Palo Verde is beloved for its lacy foliage and delicate yellow blooms. This tree also attracts hummingbirds!
Tibouchina urvilleana – Princess Flower
Located in the backyard, adjacent to the library, the princess flower is a semi-evergreen shrub that can also be trained into a small tree. It prefers partial shade and requires regular watering.
You can see all the color our gardens have to offer by taking a garden tour. The free, one-hour tours are available every Saturday and Sunday, and on weekdays by request.