I saw my first firefly of the season, last night. They usually appear in June, especially if rainfall is sufficient, as they love water. They will actually fly into the stream of a water hose, if watering is done, at night.

Here is a pic of my Pomegranate 'Grenada'. It came through my -10F winter, covered with a styrofoam rose cone, and a Rubbermaid garbage can over that. I had to gently bend the trunk over, so it all could fit under the coverings:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/7YPDt44cq3avgKuL9



The CREAMBUSH or Holodiscus discolor, is blooming. Believe it or not, this plant is native to the Medittereanean-like climate of California. Nevertheless, it doesn't seem to mind the amount of summer water it gets, here, compared to its native digs...and it is hardy here, as well. Its blooms reminds me of cascading fireworks, that is pertinent to this time of year..


https://photos.app.goo.gl/rSmDjnzN2FSDt11d8



What's that beautiful scent, wafting across the yard? It's the grapefruit tree, of course. Grapefruit flowers, if you have seen them, are larger than other citrus. I guess larger fruited citrus command larger blooms, as well. The variety of this grapefruit is 'Oroblanco', which is actually a grapefruit/pommelo hybrid, that is known to produce fruit better, in cooler summer areas:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/tKy2DDs5BYtcM98r8



Uh oh. The Geffner ATEMOYA is setting flower buds. For anyone unfamiliar with the atemoya, it is a tropical fruit, that is related to the temperate Pawpaw. Atemoyas are hybrids of a Sweetsop and a Cherimoya...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ss6wADR9Ssc58JG59



The PERSIMMON is blooming. This variety is a hybrid of an American persimmon and an Asian persimmon, and has an intermediate hardiness of the two, but unlike the Asian persimmon, it is astringent, like most of the American types (and some Asian varieties, too), unless the fruit is soft. This variety is called 'Nikita's Gift'..


https://photos.app.goo.gl/UcRSj9winSr7YFzg7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/g43uVob86Q2FHHzq6



New leaves are forming on this Mediterranean native plant. It is the BAY LAUREL, bay leaf tree, or Laurus nobilis. For those unfamiliar with this plant, it is a subtropical evergreen plant that is a slow-grower, but still provides me with all the bay leaves I need for cooking meats. This variety of bay leaf tree is 'Sicilian Sunshine', for its "yellow" new leaves, that reminds one of the Mediterranean city of Sicily:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/FUzmuP9rE2L2voWU6



The WASHINGTON HAWTHORN is in full bloom. These flowers will be followed by orange-red berries, in fall:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/3ZRuNJmyhsG9G79X6



The HARDY PENSTEMON is blooming. The variety is 'Husker Red', due to its burgundy foliage...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/LYyxD9TvvqAd8E1u5



The VERBASCUM, and ornamental Mullein. This one's cultivar is 'Southern Charm'...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/kJ27CJire9VBL8RWA



The GOLDFISH PLANT is blooming. So named, because its blooms resemble tiny goldfish. This plant is a type of tropical Nematanthus, and the cultivar is 'Black Gold', for its dark foliage, as well as its golden orange blooms...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/kSL7UpVJ4gxLfdLS7