Californian colour!

After being starved of colour at a rather insipid Chelsea, I was delighted to find a burst of colour in a roadside garden on Friday. Sadly I didn't have my camera with me but was so taken with the explosion of hot hues that I returned Saturday to capture the colour before it faded. This was hardly a border, more of a roadside verge but it was alive with Californian poppies, Eschscholtzia (don't forget the double sch), a few Osteospermum and groups of flag iris. I have no idea whether the poppies were deliberately sown or had just self-seeded from last year but the effect was stunning!

Although I've never seen Californian poppies growing wild in California it nevertheless made me homesick for my winter home in Palm Springs and partner Philip who is sweltering in temperatures that will rise to 43C (110F) this week! Makes our heatwave look quite mild!