Friday, April 15, 2011

All New! Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

Thalictrum thalictroides rosea, a/k/a Anemonella thalictroides rosea
On the 15th of every month, Carol, of May Dreams Gardens, asks us to show what's in bloom. April may just be my favorite month for Bloom Day. Everything is new and completely different from last month. While this year is running a bit behind last year, it's actually right about average and even a bit ahead of '08 and '09. The April garden is a great delight, with (mostly) comfortable temperatures, no mosquitoes, and scads of woodland wildflowers.
Caulophyllum thalictroides

Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa

Hepatica nobilis var. acuta with Mertensia virginica in bud in the background

Geum triflorum, prairie smoke

Sanguinaria canadensis opens its flower only in direct sunlight

In addition to the native trout lily, there are the non-native dog-tooth violets
Erythronium dens-canis 'Purple King'

and pulsatilla blooming.
Pulsatilla vulgaris


There are also the hellebores in full, glorious bloom.
'Kingston Cardinal'

Helleborus niger
'Pink Lady' strain


It wouldn't be April without daffodils.
'Ice Follies' with 'Tete-et-Tete' and 'Small Talk' in the near background and 'February Silver' way in the background in the woodland garden

'St. Keverne'

'Cassata'

Just in time, the little species tulips are blooming,
Tulipa puchella 'Violacea'

and this little self-sown viola decided to bloom.

That's normal, but the following is not.
That's a Colchicum, which normally blooms in the fall.

And finally, the grand finale, in full bloom and never looking better, the forsythia.
What's blooming in your garden?

Also blooming: Bergenia 'Bressingham White', Crocus tommasinianus 'Barr's Purple, Erythronium albidumHelleborus 'Walhelivor' (Ivory Prince), H. 'Ballerina',  H. 'Red Mountain', Narcissus 'Honeybird', Narcissus 'Pineapple Prince', Thalictrum thalictroidesThalictrum thalictroides 'Cameo',  Scilla siberica, Viola labradorica, and one volunteer Chionodoxa in the lawn.

23 comments:

Blackswamp_Girl said...

The blooms are beautiful, but your photography is AMAZING, MMGD! Thank you so much for sharing both, and happy GBBD!

Cyndy said...

Oh my you have a lot blooming - we're still chilly here in CT, so not much bloom, but the anemonella(I like the old name)is just starting. Lovely photos of the delicate woodland beauties of spring, esp Caulophyllum thalictroides.

Gail said...

Exquisite~The best photos I've seen of a shade garden in a very long time. Happy Spring MMD! gail

Alison said...

Wonderful photos! I especially like the Hepatica, I just planted a couple a few days ago. I need to get some Pulsatilla, I find I'm just fascinated with their fuzziness. The species tulip is quite striking too.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Your photography is very artistic this month MMcD. Love that prairie drop seed. I have meant to get some since I started seeing it on your blog and then in your garden I was convinced I needed it. I can't say why it hasn't happened yet. I will... Happy GBBD.

Fairegarden said...

How quickly it all comes flowing in, so many things at once, MMD! You catch up to us Southerners in a short time, with things blooming together that we would never see sharing the stage. That blue Hepatica makes me droll on the laptop! Such great photography, too. Is your metal maiden attached to the trellis, or is it just close by? Just wondering. :-)
Frances

Rosemarie said...

Here I am showing that April 15th Chicago suburbs is dulls-ville and you have ALL this growing! Anyway, I love all your native spring ephemerals. I wish my hepetica would grow like yours (I have 1 single guy and he's remained a single guy these past 4 years).

Dee/reddirtramblings said...

The most beautiful flowers and photos. I'm so very impressed.~~Dee

Layanee said...

Eye Candy! Capitol Eye Candy. Wonderful shots in your garden. I cannot pick a favorite although the first is a show stopper.

Darla said...

Oh my goodness have you captured these blooms beautifully through your lens....love that pink tulip!

greggo said...

Unbelievably great photos. So unusual.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Beautiful, beautiful, I miss all my woodland plants that I had at my old, old house.

Eileen

NellJean said...

Everything there is beautiful. Spring looks good this year. Happy Bloom Day.

Kylee said...

Simply GORGEOUS, MMD!! Outstanding photography! You are ahead of us with many of your blooms.

The Sage Butterfly said...

Your blooms are lovely. The Helleborus seems as if it posed for your beautiful photo...I love how you have placed them.

Leslie said...

I can read about hepaticas and just be interested but seeing your photo inspires plant lust. Your photography is simply gorgeous.

Town Mouse said...

Wow. Those photos are amazing! How do you do it? Anyway, love your collection, especially the hellebores. Happy bloom day!

Rose said...

Looks like your garden has really awakened for spring, MMD! I love all your woodland plants, especially the hepatica and Sanguinaria. It's nice to see something besides tulips and daffodils growing.

Thanks for identifying my narcissus; I've bought a lot of mixed bags of daffodils in the past that weren't labelled, so it's hard to re-order the same variety.

Donna said...

Gorgeous blooms and pics and all the native plants blooming...I can't wait for mine to start...happy GBBD

patientgardener said...

Fabulous flowers and your top photos are particularly impressive. I love the dark background

Grace Peterson said...

Gorgeous photos of beautiful flowers.

Cindy, MCOK said...

Squirrelhaven is looking absolutely fabulous this spring! I know you're happy to be in the garden again.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Thanks, everyone.
Frances - "Becoming the Greenwoman" is not attached to the trellis, but she's listing badly because the ground is soft & we had wicked winds last week.

Rosemarie - my Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa has barely grown in years, but H. var acutiloba does bulk up fairly quickly when happy.

Town Mouse - the secret to spring wildflower photography is lying on the ground to shoot.

Rose - it's good to know the big names in daffodils, that's usually what's in the mixed bags.