matilija poppies and coastal sequoia

We are lucky the Santa Monica Mountains edge Los Angeles, and there are easy ways to get a quick hike in nature without driving far. On the weekends, however, it can be like Disneyland at times in terms of crowds on the easier hiking trails.

It was foggy and overcast in the morning, a perfect day for a hike, in my opinion. But the clouds melted away very early, leaving blue sky. Either way, foggy or blue, both are good excuses for a hike. Today, I find the Matilija poppies are still in bloom and as photographic as ever. I puzzled over the water drops. Are they dew drops? We haven't had rain in the last 24 hours.

The coastal sequoia planted near the hiking trail show new growth as light green against a dark background. Unfortunately, these shots do not do justice to spurt of new growth on the tips of the branches.

I purposefully did not take photos of the kazillion hikers on the trail, thus leaving the illusion of being out communing with solitary nature.

local hike in the santa monica mountains

There be flowers blooming though these are native plants placed by either the state park or the local conservancy along the hiking trail. I love how the setting sun highlights these Matilija poppies. Family: Papaveraceae, Genus: Romneya. These perennial tree poppies are good for drought tolerant plantings. I was told these can be difficult to start but once they take, they grow like mad. My neighbors call them the eggs sunny side up flower.

These cute furry tips are likely to be the seed pod.

These flannelbush plants, now flowering, were also planted by the state park or local conservancy. Family: Malvaceae, Genus: Fremontodentron. Needless to say, these native plants are also great for water conserving gardens.

Amazingly enough, there is still running water, albeit algae-ridden, at the top of the hiking trail. It is still shady and green along parts of this hike.

Popparazzi musings

I am a poppy papparazzi, a popparazzi perhaps? It was drizzling a bit, my favorite weather for taking plant shots. This beautiful Matilija poppy, unfortunately, is not in my plot but grows in a nearby plot such that this showy flower stuck out into the pathway. I suspect there might even be an exhibitionistic streak in these poppies, all the more reason to whip out the camera, especially in the rain.