Back in February I scattered some California native Moonglow Poppy seeds along the front border. I hoped they'd bloom in time for the April 2 Growing Natives Garden Tour, but with the colder weather, they didn't actually bloom until early May. But oh what a beautiful show - well worth the wait!
The poppies lit up the border, and provided visual interest running parallel to the Catalina Perfume (Ribes viburnifolium) that is still maturing.
Their luminescence really lit up this area that is dappled shade all morning and full sun all afternoon and evening.
As I looked closely at the poppies, I noticed tiny bees that I hadn't seen in the garden before.
I believe they are Arizona Small Carpenter Bees, but I'm waiting for confirmation from iNaturalist.org. But the important thing is that, with each new element I add to the garden, a new species emerges and seems to desperately need these precious native plant resources. It feels wonderful to see the immediate impact of these plants, and feel that I'm doing my part to support them.
