Piedmont California Photos --Winter!

Piedmont Photo Gallery

Friday the 13^th of January in Piedmont:

My Begonia Because our winters are so temperate—I've lived here nearly 10 years and have yet to see a frost—begonias thrive for years, as has this specimen near my front door.
Piedmont Community Church With the church spire in the background, this Tulip Magnolia is in full bloom.
Pruned Roses and Primroses I remember seeing a sea of primroses on the Strand during an early spring in London years ago. Primroses offer dramatic color through our winters.
A Late Agapanthus One of the most common border plants in the area, Agapanthus offer striking blue (and white) spikes of color for about four months of the year. The strappy green leaves contrast nicely with lobed or variegated leaves.
On our Main Street This garden on Highland Avenue exhibits classic plants from Piedmont. Purples and greens predominate—emblematic of our Scottish roots.
West Coast Azalea Our azaleas never lose their leaves, so the springtime flush is less showy than the East Coast variants. On the other hand, azaleas here bloom during two or three seasons, with some preferring shade and others sun.
A Garden Path If you stood near the tree, you'd have a spectacular view of the San Francisco skyline.
Fuchsia Though threatened by a fuchsia mite run rampant in the last decade or so, fuchsias thrive in the ground here. I was bitten by the fuchsia bug while living in Anchorage in the early '80s. There we paid $20 for the nursery to shepherd them through the winter and deliver them over Memorial Day weekend. Here, we can enjoy the species or hybrids throughout the year.
Iris and Lenten Rose Or is it a Christmas Rose?? Both do well here, though the West Coast irises are more drought tolerant than those of the East Coast
Classic Streetscape Another typical steetside planting. So much variety among the greens! Our sycamore trees lose their leaves from December to about March, and then majestically line most streets in town.