Magnolia and friends.

Beautiful Stan and is that a yellow Datura behind? It's hanging with flowers.

What a lovely garden it has some wonderful blooms.

Brugmansia "Charles Grimaldi" Thorney. The home has a UK look to it..with exotics like Alocasia,Philodendrons and some ornamental foxtail fern (Asparagus)

All the plants and tree look happy with all the rain! I saw the Magnolias flowering when I was there a few weeks ago.

Some were in flower in January.. I posted a photo of a big Fremont tree in full bloom.
Just a long and dark winter. We've had twice as many rainy days as average..but average rains other than the Santa Rosa's and others that always catch more rain.

lovely... I'll bet everything is slurping up the moisture.

For sure Lori. Ferns and other water loving plants are lush and upright with high fronds. Even the succulents are very plump and fresh looking. The problem is when that crosses into root rot. I've had some of that with potted plants..but in ground seem fine so far.

I've had no luck with making tree ferns into houseplants..just not easy, therefore: no chance. They are so interesting. Have a large planter of epis, ponytail palm and euphorbia that I put out as soon as the weather warms. It gets lots of water from rain and dew... I've never thought about root rot. maybe the cooler temps help because it sits there all summer and seems quite happy when it's time to go indoors in the fall... grows like mad all summer...and I don't water it much in the winter. so far. so good! It's the first dry climate plant that I've had any success with. my first cacti died terrible deaths...probably the dreaded root rot! We are finally getting temps above zero... and it's mid March already... when will you send us some warmth? ;-)

It touched 65f today. 18C. Part of a warm up to go into the 70's (22c+) Sunny. Its about time. The last two and a half months have been very wet,soggy,..mildewy-ha.

glad it's turned the corner for you, Stan... there was melting today but it's very cold tonight ... minus 10. It's happening so slowly and just about everyone is totally fed up with cold and snow...but...it will return at months end..according to the Weather Network sanity is hanging by a thread.. :-(

Well Lori,the bay area's metro area is 7 million people crowded together. Like Blade Runner sometimes..traffic,noise.
The garden is the getaway between visits to the park.
But,we broke free of cold nights and days are mild to getting warm.
I'm taking photos again too.

at last! it seems so long in coming. tonight it is going to be plus 7 C. overnight and rain! Might have to park the car at the road..our culvert is still frozen in and the banks of the creek are 2 ft. deep in snow. with a lot of rain it could get crazy really fast!