Gotta Garden

Monday, March 22, 2010

Spring....

....is here! This year the saucer magnolia takes my breath away! I can't think of a single year...so far...and I'm a bit worried about mentioning it right now...(knocking on wood)...where the bloom has been so....WOW....I mean, there are usually hard frosts which turn the blooms brown, shortening their life, etc., etc. Fortunately, this one continues to pump out intermittent blooms so all is not lost...but, this year....woohoo!


Stepping back....


It's simply covered in blooms...and the pruning has really helped it have that lovely vase shape... Another stunner which frequently suffers from the same frost prone end-of-show worries, but not this year, is the magnolia stellata...




The other day I had someone over to give an estimate on some work that needs to be done on ye olde house and as he came around from the back, he exclaimed, "That smell! It's so nice!" ...and turned around and stuck his face into...


...Pink Dawn viburnum...I often post about its early bloom as it starts showing off before most things....and I think I often mention its fragrance....but, just in case you forgot, I thought I'd share with you someone else's reaction... Just beginning are the camellias....here's one of the first...

It's not all pink or pink/white, though...




Reliable (and oh-so-common) Ice Follies are in bloom in a bunch of places in my yard...the group below has a couple of solid yellows joining in this year....


This is probably not February Gold (below)....still pretty, don't you think?


It seems most of my early daffodils are not-what-they're-supposed to be....one day I'll reorganize them...one day.... This is supposed to be Hollywood, but I'm not sure that it is...such a fun bloom, all upright and facing the sky...


Now for a few that are what they're supposed to be... Sideling Hill...


First picture of this one (excuse that horrible foliage...yikes...gotta get that out/off)... Minor Monarque...


Loch Hope...



Easter Bonnet...



Sweetness...very faithful....produced a ton of bulbs last fall....most of which just got planted recently (oops)....however, this picture is from the fall replanted group...and why they're blooming on time...

Cum Laude...blooming in two spots....the first where I apparently failed to dig them all up....ha...and the second where they were all moved to...



One of my favorites, Cum Laude, is worth two pictures!....There are some other things going on, like a little mix of iris reticulata....


Some of the very small bulbs...Glory of the Snow or Chionodoxa...one of two colors blooming right now...


....and, last but not least, just getting going (if you look very closely)...Brunnera variegata...



11 comments:

Floridagirl said...

Wow! Your magnolia is stunning! As are the daffodils!

Randy Emmitt said...

Envious of all the unusual daffodils! Those magnolias are stunning as well.

Unknown said...

So many pretty things! I have been snapping shots of Magnolias all week! They are so wonderful.

Narcissa said...

Daffodils! You didn't mention it but you seem to have Slim Whitman as well as Ice Follies? Or have I just forgotten how Ice Follies look :)
My Hollywood looks different from yours but I've always doubted whether it's correctly named. Mine doesn't have those frills around the rim. Daffseek only has one picture of it and it's not a very good one, so there's no telling on the basis of that. Your flower is gorgeous though! The contrast between the petals and the rim is fantastic.
Please do keep the pictures coming, they really brighten up my day :)

Gretchen said...

Stumbled upon your blog and am so awed by all you are doing in the garden. I live nearby so know our climates are the same! I am just starting out in the gardening world and am inspired.

Les said...

The magnolias down here are also having a good year. The prolonged cold kept the buds from opening too soon, and now they are in their full glory. Too bad we are expecting very high winds this afternoon. My next garden will have room for a few, but for now my space is too confined to give up any for something that is so beautifully fleeting.

joey said...

Wow, a lovely parade of spring beauties ... we're very far behind you so this was indeed a treat!

Gotta Garden said...

Thanks, Floridagirl!

Oh, Randy...they are fun to collect...I'm not quite at the daylily level (ha) but I'd say they're my next largest collection. Thanks....this has been an unusually good spring for them.

It's so fun to take pictures, isn't it? I do find white challenging, but if you take a zillion pictures (as I do), surely a few will turn out! Best of luck with your picture taking, Michelle.

Hello Narcissa...I think last year you pointed out that my Fragrant Breeze wasn't actually it....perhaps Slim Whitman. I'm uncertain as the description of SW says orange and I don't see that. However, I do agree that it/they clearly aren't Fragrant Breeze.

I hoping to make it to a show...I'd really like to eyeball them for myself...although since they're earlies, they may not make it to a show, depending on when the show is (usually not early!).

Maybe someday someone will publish a definitive book with great pictures. It would be so helpful! I have one book, but I don't find it particularly helpful (or interesting...sigh, how judgmental of me)...and the pictures are not very good.

Of course, another alternative is to make it to a national convention one of these years! First, I need to join the national society as I only belong to a local one at this time.

Since 2007, I buy mostly (last year only) from WDS. It has been wonderful to actually get the correct flowers! Receiving that list of what will be available is one of the highlights of spring!

I don't think my Hollywood is correct. If it is, it is sheer luck as the source for it is unreliable.

I appreciate your thoughts and please do not hesitate to let me know if you spot something amiss. It's great fun to talk daffodils! (You know they go great with daylilies....hehe)

Hi Gretchen! Well, welcome to gardening! Don't be awed...lol...as I have made many many mistakes...and continue to do do so. Such is life. It's half the fun, though...the learning...successes as well as failures.

I popped over to your blog...lovely! I'll be back a bit later to comment...I must say those butternut squash tacos sound (and look) wonderful...you are very creative!

You're right...we're very close by...although you may just be a tad warmer than me...my experience has been that things bloom a bit sooner there.

How exciting to find someone in the area! (I don't think there are many of us...lol)

I hear you, Les. Four trees will be coming out of my small garden (what not to do...), one a magnolia grandiflora...simply not enough room. You are wise.

For a long time, I've thought I wanted a larger garden (for the daylily seedlings!)...lately, I've come to realize that I am pretty well maxed out with what I have. Although, I would really really like flat ground...lol...that's what my next garden will have to have!

Hi Joey...it is fun to watch spring move northward....seems like once the ball starts rolling, it goes very fast. Hope yours starts soon (weather permitting, of course).

Thank you all for coming by!

kate smudges said...

The Magnolia trees are gorgeous as is the Viburnum. They are all loaded with blooms. Love them! Ah, it's a wonderful time of year when I can come here and see all of your daffodils. They are all so lovely ~ Happy spring!

Narcissa said...

I don't think that I've ever seen my Slim Whitmans be truly orange. I'll try to remember to check this year. It's such a shame that our Daffodil seasons are so far apart. This winter really doesn't seem to want to let go. I'm really hoping there'll be some kind of heat wave soon, I refuse to wait until mid-May for the first Daffodils! :)

I've been sort of planning to try Daylilies with my Daffs (they are SO unsightly when the leaves are dying) but the garden centres here seem to have such a small assortment, and ordering abroad seems so daunting because I've no idea which varieties can take our climate.

I've been a member of the American Daffodil Society for a while now, I love getting the Daffodil Journal, but it has definitely had an impact on my taste, which is getting a lot more expensive :) But I'm helping the economy! In Britain, at least...

ericat said...

I go wow twice - for what I just saw and for you having the time to reply on the comments. I also appreciate comments and read them on other blogs as well. ( except those that say 'nice blog visit mine')
I am from the dry regions of the western cape South Africa. Seeing the beautiful flowers (credit to the photographer too) is fascinating. I did not realize there were so many daffodils. Is Cum Laude also a daffodil? it has a frilly pedal over a straight pedal and in different colors. Amazing. I must tell about this one.
greetings

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