Devon
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plumquot.bsky.social
Devon
@plumquot.bsky.social
180 followers 190 following 93 posts
Urban gardening with native plants for beauty and the magic of living in alignment with the natural world.
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plumquot.bsky.social
3yr old CA native garden's 1st nesting bird family. Supremely rewarding to see: my garden's offerings woven into a perfect nest, the parents finding lots of insects and caterpillars to feed their babies, and the fledglings learning about the world in the habitat I created.
#HomegrownNationalPark
Three California Towhee eggs (blue with some random brown speckles) in a perfectly constructed nest. Three California Towhee nestlings sleeping in dappled shade inside a shrub. Three California Towhee fledglings (only two are visible in photo) exploring their new world.
July 31, 2025 at 9:44 PM
plumquot.bsky.social
Don't forget that inside cats like salad too! Vinny's favorites are sunflower, echinacea, and borage leaves.
#catsofbluesky #eatyourgreens
June 24, 2025 at 2:28 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
It's believed, based on science, that it's most beneficial to the local food chain (pollinators, birds, etc.) to have at least 70% native plants in your garden. There is room to play.

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark #ifyouplantittheywillcome
CA Red buckwheat, Eriogonum grande var. rubescens (especially vibrant this year), playing with English lavender, Lavandula anguvstifolia 'Hidcote'.
June 20, 2025 at 10:04 PM
plumquot.bsky.social
Happy Summer Solstice! Plants are crossing boundaries and entangling themselves with each other in my garden at this time of year. And the CA native pollinators are in heaven!
#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark #ifyouplantittheywillcome
Salvia 'Celestial Blue' combined with CA Poppy (Eschscholzia californica 'Carmine King'). Clarkia concinna (Red Ribbons) is holding its own in a bed previously planted with non-native Nigella sativa. Monardella villosa ssp. franciscana 'Russian River' flower coming up through hybrid Sphaeralcea 'Newleaze Coral'. Zooming out on the bed of Clarkia and non-native Nigella. Growing against the fence is CA native honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula), now done blooming.
June 20, 2025 at 9:49 PM
plumquot.bsky.social
A new visitor has found my garden, thanks to the CA poppy super bloom: a moth called Neoterpes edwardsata. CA poppies are its main larval host plant. If you plant it, they will come!
#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark #ifyouplantittheywillcome
A yellow moth with horizontal stripe across the bottom of it's wings, resting on a burgundy clay pot rim. Pinkish-red California poppies (Carmine King) in full bloom, with purple blooming Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina' in the background. Reddish-pink California poppies (Carmine King) blooming, along with Blue Flax (Linum lewisii). Three spikes of flowers from Hesperaloe parvifola [not CA-native but hummingbird favorite] rise up in the middle.
May 21, 2025 at 12:39 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
Soap Plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum) flowers open in the evening, providing food for night-flying pollinators. Some yellow-faced bumble bees were working overtime into the evening on mine.

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Strappy 6-petaled flowers with 6 long stamens give a ghostly, spidery look when they open at night. The blur of a yellow-faced bumble bee is visible towards the center of the photo. Strappy 6-petaled flowers with 6 long stamens give a ghostly, spidery look when they open at night. The blur of a yellow-faced bumble bee is visible towards the center of the photo.
May 20, 2025 at 3:54 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
I cast the Clarkia seeds late, and today I finally have the first of the blooms. Our 94 degree day must have pushed them. Other native blooms in the garden:
Penstemon, Salvia 'Celestial Blue', Dudleya

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Fuchsia flowers of Elegant Clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata) grown from seed. Many flower buds promise a great show! Penstemon heterophyllus - Hood Mt. seed strain growing happily in a terra cotta pot with partial sun The very first flowers of the year from a 2-year old Salvia 'Celestial Blue' have started to open. Yellow flowers from Dudleya 'Frank Reinelt' growing in a clay bowl in full sun.
May 20, 2025 at 2:29 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
The bees have enough to go around this year now that things are established, so I'm playing with using native flowers with non-native garden roses in cut flower arrangements. So fun! (flower ID is in ALT text)

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark #roses
Globe Gilia (Gilia capitata), Fringe cups (Tellima grandiflora), Jellybean Orange Monkeyflower (Mimulus diplzucus), Mexican orange (Choisya ternate). With non-native white Pope John Paul II and sunset-hued Lady of Shalott roses and background of non-native Santa Barbara daisies (Erigeron karvinskianus). Globe Gilia (Gilia capitata), Fringe cups (Tellima grandiflora), Jellybean Orange Monkeyflower (Mimulus diplzucus), Mexican orange (Choisya ternate). With non-native white Pope John Paul II and sunset-hued Lady of Shalott roses.
May 13, 2025 at 4:07 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
Blooming Now:
Monkeyflower - Diplacus (Mimulus) 'Creamsicle'

Happily creeping along in almost full shade and no water
#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Diplacus (Mimulus) 'Creamsicle' light orange flowers with white highlights on the north side of the house. Foreground shows a bit of turkey tangle frog fruit (lippia/Phyla nodiflora), and background shows some rosa gymnocarpa in bloom.
May 9, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Reposted by Devon
shannonskalos.bsky.social
Today was a really hard day as a federal employee. Here are some flowers outside the USGS Bee Lab.
Tall blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis) Pitcher plant flower Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens)
May 9, 2025 at 3:31 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
Blooming now:
Allium amplectens (narrow-leaved onion)
Achillea millefolium - inland form - Sonoma County seed source (yarrow)

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Allium amplectens (globe shaped flowers made up of many star-shaped, white florets with lavender anthers and pale pink veins on thin 12" tall stems). Background of Salvia 'Bee's Bliss' in bloom; Foreground of coyote mint leaves (Monardella villosa ssp. franciscana) White flower clusters and ferny gray foliage of Yarrow (Sonoma County inland form). Background of Salvia 'Bee's Bliss' in bloom.
May 8, 2025 at 7:01 PM
plumquot.bsky.social
New blooms:
Gilia capitata, Globe Gilia
Easy and cheerful, it self-seeds readily!

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Gilia capitata: Ball-shaped lavender-blue flowers with delicate fern-like foliage that has established itself amongst [non-native] orange nasturtiums and dinosaur kale.
May 5, 2025 at 7:22 PM
plumquot.bsky.social
New blooms:
Tellima grandiflora - Fringe cups
Sisyrinchium hybrid 'Devon Skies'
Iris fernaldii - Fernald's iris

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Tellima grandiflora - Fringe cups. Zoomed in macro view of three tiny cup shaped lime green flowers edged with pink fringe Foreground is a patch of Sisyrinchium hybrid 'Devon Skies' with small blue-lavender flowers amidst green scrappy leaves. Background is a Rhamnus (Frangula) californica 'Gumdrop' with oval shiny leaves. The new leaves are bright green, and the older leaves are deep green. First blossom of Iris fernaldii (Fernald's iris) - a flower with 3 long narrow creamy colored petals with grayish purple veins and yellow centers and flags. Leaves are long, narrow, and strappy, and some have maroon coloring at the base.
April 24, 2025 at 3:56 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
CA Native Plant Gardeners: How can you stand the beauty and the magic?? I saw at least 4 varieties of butterflies today and many different bees (including a bunch of one kind that was almost microscopic).

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Late afternoon shot of the front yard looking south, with developing soap plant blooms closest, tucked in with yampah. On the right is Eriogonum fasciculatum, and other native plants. The pinkish red sprinkles are Carmine King California poppies positioning themselves to their best advantage. First bloom of the Rosa gymnocarpa (Wood Rose), tucked into a shady dry spot on the N. side of the house. First blooms of the Sticky Monkey Flower (Creamsicle), planted under the Wood Rose in a spot that gets late afternoon sun.
April 21, 2025 at 12:47 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
CA Pink Honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula v. vacillans) is starting its third year in the ground today (planted 4/15/23) and blooming for the first time! Just a few, but the future's bright now that it's established.
#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Close-up photo of 4 groups of pink flowers amidst medium gray-ish green fuzzy smooth edged leaves on a vine. The flowers that are open have long yellow stamens poking out from underneath a pink upturned petal. The vine, which strongly wants to grow horizontal instead of upward, is trained against a trellis in front of a redwood fence, facing west. Clumps of hummingbird sage developing flower buds are establishing themselves in front of the vine, and to the left is an Arctostaphylos bakeri 'Louis Edmunds' manzanita.
April 15, 2025 at 10:20 PM
plumquot.bsky.social
Front lawn converted to CA native plants 3 years ago (4/2022). I opened one curtain today to a rufous hummingbird sipping from some penstemon, and I opened another curtain to a junco hopping in and around and under the ceanothus, and an Anise Swallowtail laying eggs in the yampah. It's Working.
I painstakingly identified every plant here in Alt Text, but then it got lost. Let me know if you want any identifications, happy to share!
April 13, 2025 at 11:07 PM
plumquot.bsky.social
I didn't realize this blue-eyed grass variety isn't a true native when I chose it (Sisyrinchium hybrid 'Devon Skies'), but I still appreciate it and am excited for it's first flower!

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
One pale lavender-blue flower with darker parallel veining on each of the 6 petals, and a yellow center, amidst many bright green grass-like leaves, some showing additional flower buds.
April 9, 2025 at 12:37 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
Salvia x 'Bee's Bliss' planted 2 yrs ago from cuttings, flowering for the first time has brought in the beneficial soldier beetles! Also, Blue Flax just starting to bloom, and an Anise Swallowtail on soap plant & yampa.

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Pale purple flowers just starting to open on spires, surrounded by lanceolate light green leaves. Beneficial black and orange soldier beetles are found on top of a leaf on the left and on the underside of a flower in the middle. Beneficial soldier beetle on Salvia x Bee's Bliss flowers. Mid-blue 5-petaled flowers just opening on blue flax, Linum lewisii. CA poppy foliage is see on the left and behind the blue flax foliage. Yellow and black Anise swallowtail butterfly resting on the wide, wavy leaves of Soap plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum). The narrow leaves of yampah (Perideridia kelloggii), beloved by the Anise swallowtail, are also present.
April 6, 2025 at 10:10 PM
plumquot.bsky.social
Anise Swallowtail amongst CA poppies, Yampah kellogii, Eriogonum nudum & Soapwort. I just learned that they test the chemical composition of a plant this way to see if it would be compatible with eggs/larvae. How cool!
#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
April 5, 2025 at 12:43 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
A couple of stunning combinations woke up today:
-Eschscholzia californica 'Carmine King' Poppy, backed by Arctostaphylos 'John Dourley'
-Penstemon centranthifolius (Scarlet bugler) backed by Arctostaphylos 'Howard McMinn'
6 red poppy flowers with yellow centers (Eschscholzia californica 'Carmine King' Poppy), backed by the leaves and red berries of Arctostaphylos 'John Dourley', backed by the deep green shiny leaves of Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. griseus 'Yankee Point'. Front right corner shows narrow leaves of Penstemon heterophyllus (Hood Mt.), and back right shows grayish green leaves of Salvia 'Celestial Blue'. One and wine-red stem spike of tubular red flowers on a wine red stem of Penstemon centranthifolius backed by the small shiny, dark green leaves and wine-red stems of Arctostaphylos 'Howard McMinn'.
March 24, 2025 at 11:57 PM
plumquot.bsky.social
Dicentra formosa - Pacific Bleeding Heart
The length of the N. side of my house is a mini field (3' wide) of this. I'm not sure if it's original to the land before development in the 1930s or if it was added later.

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
March 23, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Reposted by Devon
clio.bsky.social
If you are in Sonoma County, the UC Master Gardeners will be holding a great workshop on habitat gardening and birds. #sonoma #CaNativePlants #CaliforniaGardeners
Scan QR for registration link
March 20, 2025 at 5:19 PM
plumquot.bsky.social
I started Salvia 'Bee's Bliss' from cuttings at a CNPS class 4/2023. That year, they barely hung on. 2024 they grew but were covered with powdery mildew. 2025 they are stunning and will flower for the 1st time.
#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Salvia 'Bee's Bliss': first buds finally on year 3, supported by a gardener's hand that shows a band-aid one one finger and a tiny thorn scab on another, amidst lightly furry light green leaves. Patch of Salvia 'Bee's Bliss' planted from 3 cuttings rooted 4/2023, now 3' x 3' wide, encroaching on a stepping stone. A young Arctostaphylos bakeri 'Louis Edmunds' is visible in the upper left corner.
March 21, 2025 at 1:57 AM
plumquot.bsky.social
Clump #2 of Iris macrosiphon (Long-tubed Iris) just started blooming. This clump turned out to be purple. Highly variable, good for surprises. calscape.org/plant/Iris-m...

#NativePlants #CaliforniaNativePlants #SuburbanLandscape #HomegrownNationalPark
Light purple iris flower with long, thin, scrappy leaves in the rain. Clump #1 (white) and clump #2 (purple). Clump #3 is just out of frame on the left, not yet blooming.
March 17, 2025 at 1:05 AM