Irresistable weather and a trip to Strybing Arboretum

The weather in San Francisco has been remarkable...warm and sunny, no clouds, no fog---simply breathtaking.  I couldn't resist heading over to Golden Gate Park's Strybing Arboretum to see how the collections were showing off...I wasn't disappointed!  This is just a small sampling of the luscious bloomers there--the Michelias were mind boggling, fragrant towers of flowers...

Berberis darwinii--This is giving me some garden lust!

Ribes sangineana--A mighty delicate-looking flower for a tough CA native!

Perfect patch of Armeria

Polyspora longicarpa

Hard to ignore the lavish Helleborus argutifolias

 Telanthofora grandifolia--and grandifolious it is!

I love Symphytum (comfrey)--a great groundcover to include in permaculture practices
and for dry shade.

Rhododendron hybrid 'John Mclaren'

Protea cynaroides (King Protea)--and in pic above 

The Ericaceous plants (Heathers, for one--also Rhodos) really strutting their stuff!

Erica arborea (below, too).  Much more magnificent in the space than in a pic.

Azolla caroliniana--aquatic duckfoot fern!

Michelia--breathtaking!

What the?! Yellow flowered Rhodo--someone please ID for me...

Aloe arborescens also giving quite a show...

And all the Proteacea (Leucadendrons and Protea, etc)...pretty stunning.

Native Pacific coast Iris

Giant Montanoa leucantha arborescens in flower (native to Mexico)

I'm also lusting after Pinus pseudostrobus (Apulca Pine--also native to Mexico), which is stunning in person.  About 40 ft tall with large scale branches, covered with hanging glaucus needles.  

An august observer of all the flouncy flowers.

Native Arcostaphlos pumila (maybe A. hookeri??) covered in charming flowers,
like all the Manzanitas.