Wildflower Wednesday a Bit Late

Sanguinaria canadensis

I'm back from the rabbit hole of photo editing the pictures for my exhibition. (Reminds me of Mussorgsky's  Pictures at an Exhibition, I'm humming The Great Gate of Kiev as I type.) I emerged from said rabbit hole too late on Wednesday to get my Wildflower Wednesday* post up on time, but since I missed last month's opportunity I decided what the heck. As further incentive, the wildflowers have gone, well, wild with the incredibly warm temperatures of the previous two weeks. Fortunately, temperatures have returned to normal before all the bloodroot (Sanguinaria) faded.

Also down to their last few blooms are the hepaticas. This is how Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa, the round-leaved hepatica looked last week.

They really don't like temperatures in the 80s.

Weathering the weather better are the Anemonella thalictroides (a/k/a Thalictrum thalictroides).

This stand had some rebloom last fall and is clearly well contented. Its pink variant is also in full bloom now.

The little trout lily, Erythronium albidum, began blooming this week.

You have to get on your knees to appreciate this tiny charmer.

Significantly taller, yet best appreciated close up is blue cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictroides.

These freakish flowers are merely a sideshow. The main attraction comes in mid-summer in the form of deep blue berries. I suppose that's how most people view it. I am actually drawn to the blooms.

I decided that none of my trilliums were Trillium grandiflorum, so I planted a couple last summer. I believe this is one of them.

The white trilliums are so similar and cannot be distinguished from across the garden or in the dark. The rest of the Squirrelhaven trilliums are in bud or still sprouting.

That blue in the background of the above photo isn't a native wildflower, but this blue is: Mertensia virginica.

Most of the bluebells are in full bloom or starting to fade. I love them in combination with the bright yellow of the celadine poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum.

Stylophorum diphyllum

Despite the common name, it's not really a poppy.

While looking down at the wildflowers has been fun, I'm starting to get a crick in the neck. So let's look up for one last native wildflower currently gracing my garden.

Cercis canadensis

The little redbud tree is in full bloom, with its funky slipper-shaped flowers.

With all this going on now, a month early, I have no clue what wildflowers will be in bloom for April's Wildflower Wednesday. The little woodland wildflowers, ephemeral and not, are my absolute favorites. I hate to miss a single day of them.


*Wildflower Wednesday is a monthly celebration of native wildflowers hosted by Gail of Clay of Limestone.

This is Just Wrong

Sanguinaria canadenis

As I sit here typing this, it's 85F/29.4C on the first official day of spring. There's been an unprecedented string of days with highs in the 80s. As my mother-in-law said to me last weekend, "I feel cheated. I like it in the 50s and 60s." Amen, sister. I quite dislike the feeling of sweat on the back of my knees as I perform spring garden cleanup. Discomfort aside, this is a gardening nightmare in the making. Plants spring forth from the earth, bud up, come into bloom and then fade within a couple of days. Usually, unseasonable early warmth catches out only the non-native plants, but as can be seen from the above and following photos, even native plants are confused.

Podophyllum peltatum

Things seem to be running a month ahead. This will be the first time the Magnolia will not be in bloom for my and bicycle man's wedding anniversary in the middle of April.

Nearly everything is either sprouting, leafing out, or blooming, leaving who knows what to bloom in April. But what will happen when the other shoe drops? How many plants will be killed by an April frost? I'm very worried, but I've got bags of shredded leaves and shrub jackets standing by. 

Minor Bulbs & Hellebores: March Bloom Day

Crocus chyrsanthus  'Princess Beatrix'

It's that time again, the 15th of month when Carol of May Dreams Gardens asks what's blooming in our gardens.  Right now, the snowdrops (Galanthus elwesii) are finally taking their farewell bows, ceding the spotlight to those most stalwart and dramatic of early bloomers, the hellebores. This is a far different garden from that of March 15, 2011. In fact, the garden hasn't been this far along since 2000 (when things actually bloomed even earlier).

unnamed Helleborus x hybridus seedling

The unseasonably warm weather has called forth blooms from most of the hellebores already, including the decadently double 'Kingston Cardinal'.

My favorite is 'Ballerina strain'.

There are also solid dark purple, white ones and near black ones, but there's no room for photos of them here, as there's more to see in this March's garden.

There are the little irises in full bloom. The slightly shorter than average Iris reticulata 'Pixie',

and the larger blooming Iris histrioides 'Katharine Hodgkin'.

What makes these flowers such valuable additions to the early spring garden is that unlike crocuses and winter aconites (Eranthis species), which close up at night and on cloudy days, these little charmers remain open once they bloom.

The little daffodils are coming into bloom.

Narcissus 'February Silver'

'February Silver' just opened this morning. In a few days, the cup will fade to white.

The garden is not limited to bulbs and hellebores. The first of the native wildflowers has bloomed.

Hepatica nobilis var. acuta

The sharp-leaved hepatica always is the first to bloom in the parade of native woodland plants.

Still in full bloom and looking mighty fine is the witchhazel, Hammamelis x intermedia 'Sunburst'.

It seems to be trying to make up for its abysmal performance last year. Yes, all is forgiven. This morning, the Forsythia is showing colors in its buds; it will probably be in bloom within the week if this warm weather lasts.

Also in bloom:
Crocus siberi 'Tricolor'
Crocus tommasinianus
Eranthis cilicica
Galanthus elwesii
Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa
Narcissus 'Small Talk'
last fall's pansies
Scilla siberica

13 March 2012

Clematis 'Rhapsody'

Early spring is minute details and small moments, such as a hoverfly in a sunny winter aconite (Eranthis cilicica),

and the fresh foliage of a Dicentra bursting forth from the earth.

Go put on your messy garden clothes and get down close to get the full experience.