Gotta Garden

Sunday, March 25, 2007

I'm Back...

It's always good to get home, isn't it? Even when you've had just the best time, there's nothing like sleeping in your own bed. As in Married to My Garden, one of my favorite books, I missed my garden (and DH, of course).

I'll be writing this week about things I saw/heard in South Carolina. They're a bit ahead of us here in Northern Virginia. The dogwoods were beginning to bloom as were the azaleas. But, more about that later.

Returning home, the first thing I saw was that my magnolia stellata (Star Magnolia) had burst into bloom. It sits right beside the driveway, so it's hard to miss.



Winter Hazel, Corylopsis spicata, is also blooming its heart out (especially nice after I "trimmed" it last year):


This year will bring the first ever blooms on my tiny buckeye...will it really be red? Inquiring minds want to know...



More daffodils are joining the show and the peculiar three blossom on Barrett Browning has opened. I don't know what to make of it, but it's definitely interesting.





The newest daffodils to begin blooming are Quail, Sailboat, Changing Colors, Orangery, Goldflake, Mount Hood, Trepolo and Mondragon.

Sailboat:


Mondragon:


Trepolo...this clump is several years old....they never look the same, but are still pretty neat:



Still blooming are various clumps of Ice Follies, Sweet Harmony, Cassata, February Gold, Easter Bonnet, Tete-a-Tete, Jetfire, Fragrant Breeze, Sweetness, Trevithian, Topolino and various unknown yellows.

Easter Bonnet:


Cassata:


Unknown yellow with marvelous form (I think):


Another unknown yellow:



A few hyacinths are blooming. The prized and rare Blue Roman Hyacinth is now blooming.



Glory of the Snow, Chionodoxa Forbesii 'Pink Giant', is blooming. The blue variety is a tad behind, maybe because they are shaded by some daffodil foliage.




The very first of the species tulips, tulipa humilis 'Persian Pearl' is just beginning to bloom.


And Scilla siberica:



Looking past the columbine and monarda, those speckled leaves belong to trout lilies. I am so pleased to see more than last year. Maybe one of these years, I will actually see some flowers! I understand it can take a few years to see flowers.



The Madonna Lilies are usually the earliest of my lilies to emerge. Not to disappoint, here they are...although only two this year, as I was afraid, as the third got broken by something last year and apparently didn't recover (although, I have found a seedling under the Korean Spice Viburnum!).


It was nice to see Sedum 'Frosty Morn' up and about. I do have to watch these closely as they are prone to sending out solid green...which is not want I want and left alone, would dominate.



The first of my Virginia Bluebells has emerged. I expect to see them in two other places. I couldn't resist purchasing another one (already in bloom) from The Great Big Greenhouse on my way back from S.C.





I also purchased some trilliums on sale there and a hosta ('June')...okay, a few little pots...I mean, there was still some space in the car I could squeeze a bit more in!

So far, I've gotten two bags of clippings from the garden...and I've barely begun cleaning up...but, it was such a nice day today that I just couldn't stand to be inside. One thing the cleaning and clearing does is get you close to the ground to see what is popping up.

That's enough for today...it really is hard to leave your garden, isn't it? So much happens so quickly when you're gone...I'm glad to be be back!

5 comments:

Carol Michel said...

My Star Magnolia is also blooming along with daffodils. You have a lot of daffodils and they are all so pretty, I hope you've cut a few to bring inside to enjoy.

Ki said...

I don't care much for hyacinths but your rare blue one looks great! We have winter hazel too and did exactly as you did - gave it a trim so I'm glad yours flowered well. I was concerned that we did the wrong thing and wouldn't have any flowers this year. The stellata looks great we are looking forward when ours blooms which looks to be at least a week or two away.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Married to My Garden? How come I've missed that book? It's written by whom?

Lovely daffodils, you got quite a collection! And your white star is beautiful. They are so elegant aren't they? It's nice to come home to such a welcome from your garden.

kate said...

It is good to see you back! I am so enjoying your daffodils ... what an incredible number you have.

And your magnolia is a wonderful sight.

You must have been happy to be back home!!

Gotta Garden said...

Hi Carol: There are still more daffs to come! Well, I think you're right. I need to bring some in...in the morning, I'll go out and cut some!

Hello KI: You are much too kind! The Roman Hyacinth I make too much over because it was too expensive...and I feel silly I thought I had to have it! I just bought the one bulb! lol! It turns out that where I volunteer garden, they have them there....and if I had just been patient, I probably would have gotten some FREE from there! The things we do! Old House Gardens says it is rare...so, I use their terminology to remind myself why I paid that for one silly bulb!

I'll look forward to seeing your Winter Hazel bloom...and your stellata!

Greetings YE: It's by Barbara Ashmun. I found it at Powells Books...which makes sense since she is lives out there! It looks like it's coming back into print in May. It's a collection of her columns...I enjoyed it very much! Once I saw the title, I just had to have it! Lol!

Thanks, Kate! It is good to be back! I love this time of year! From here out, I find it incredibly hard to be away...after all, isn't that what winter is for??

Thank you all for coming over!

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