I Hereby Declare It Spring

Iris reticulata 'Pixie' grown in a container in the garage, now blowing in the wind.

I know, the official first day of meteorological spring is tomorrow, but this just couldn't wait. Yesterday, while making my daily trek to the compost bin, I heard the sound. Then I saw the sight: a V formation of great blue herons flying north, directly overhead. I wasn't able to get a photo, unfortunately, as this was the lowest I've ever seen a migratory flock of them. The return of these majestic birds has been the symbolic start of spring for me since I moved to Squirrelhaven, and I have been enamored of them ever since. (See, e.g., this post at Beautiful Wildlife Garden about a fishing heron in the pond here.)

In a bittersweet surprise, I discovered today that there will, in fact, be a Christmas rose blooming here this spring.

Helleborus niger

It's just the one bud shown here. These plants are diseased and will be removed this spring, making way for something hopefully better. The funny thing is, this bud is no further along than the Helleborus x hybridus 'Pink Lady Strain'. This has just been one very weird winter. It should be an outstanding hellebore spring (not including the H. niger), and it's all just about to pop. I can't wait. But first, the exhibition photos must be finished. Back to work for me.

Bulbs & an Announcement

The bulbs are blooming here at Squirrelhaven, and not just indoors like the 'Fats Domino' tulips that were forced. The first of the crocuses has sprouted and is blooming outside.

Crocus 'Princess Beatrix'

I guess you could call my first experiment with growing bulbs in a container a success.

I planted up two containers in the garage, to be brought outside at bloom time. The Iris reticulata 'Pixie' are ahead of their counterparts out in the garden, but not by that much. I think there are also tulips in there and possibly crocuses. A fun surprise is the good thing about failing to keep accurate records. The containers will be moved out to the patio today.

And now, the big news: my first solo art photography exhibition, "In the Garden of Live Flowers," will be on display at the Barrington library from April 6 through May 26. On May 14, I will be giving a presentation at the library about the exhibition. For the past month, I've been immersed in getting the images ready, including figuring out QR codes to go with some of them. I intend to set up a web page for a gallery of the images. With luck, I might be able to sell a few.

Happy Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, and Paczki Day!

Winter Blooms

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Sunburst'

Happy February Bloom Day! And it is a happy one for me, as it is a rare treat to have blooms outdoors here at Squirrelhaven for February 15th. The only other time I posted outdoor blooms for February was in 2009. As is evident from the shot of the witch hazel, the weather has returned to near normal this past week with snow not once, but twice. Not much snow, but it is good to see some to give these pictures a wintry feel. By this afternoon, however, the snow will probably all be gone, as the highs for today and the next week are fore casted to reach above the freezing point.

In addition to the Hamamelis, Galanthus elwesii is in full bloom.

There are several good stands of the giant snowdrop scattered about the woodland garden, but the squirrels appear to dislike the idea of them growing in front of the sculpture. I'm happy to report the replanted bulb in full bloom appears to be no worse for the experience.

On a personal note, I apologize to all the wonderful garden bloggers whose posts I should be reading but haven't had time lately. Jury duty and a major project have been occupying my time, but I promise, come April, I will be eager to indulge in one of my favorite indoor pastimes, reading about others' triumphs and tribulations in the garden.

This year Squirrelhaven is living up to Elizabeth Lawrence's quote about having something blooming every month of the year. Visit her devotee Carol at May Dreams Gardens to find a list of all the Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day posts.

Witch Hazel Begins

Hamamelis 'Sunburst'

I had a delightful surprise yesterday afternoon; my witch hazel started blooming. While this plant has bloomed in February occasionally, it has never bloomed this early. Last year it had a pathetic performance of one bloom on March 31. I'm really looking forward to a good show this year. (I hope that doesn't jinx it.) The last time it bloomed well was in 2010.

It's just amazing how quickly the strap-like petals unfurl like streamers of silk. The photo below was taken an hour earlier than the above photo.

The difference is most marked in the two outside bud clusters.

'Sunburst' is a lovely shrub. The only drawback is that it doesn't have a scent that I can detect, and I have a very good nose. It's a treat to find such vibrant color on display in the midst of the winter garden.