Catching Up...

Hardy Cyclamen, I believe it's Cyclamen coum...


Notice how much rounder the leaves are. This was a nice little find (below). I have tried this Sedum a couple times now, without success (Ogon)...however, check this:


Here are a few pieces that have overwintered. Yea! One of the things I like about sedum is that while it sits in my pot ghetto, it can be prone to dropping pieces which then root. Lucky for me. Maybe the pavers kept it a bit warmer here as well.

I am not a particular fan of spireas. I grew several while I lived in Washington (state) and yes, they were quite easy care...but, they just didn't deliver (to me) on their promise. However, for the last couple of years, I have greatly admired one that I see in spring while I'm down in South Carolina. I didn't buy it because it was much too large (I like small things....easier to plant...they'll grow). So, I ordered it...or so I thought. Sigh. These orange leaves are not the bright neon yellow I was expecting (like the sedum above)....maybe they will turn...if not, sorry, but I want the one I want.


This, flower friends, is a survivor. It is the simple garlic chives. Some years ago, a small bit (much like what is there now) came home with me from the Mary Washington House. I have, every year without fail, abused it. (not intentionally, mind you) I weed whack it completely, only noticing when my nose smells oniony-garlic and there appears to be nothing left. It's in a weedy area that perhaps this year I will gain better control of. I could have sworn that I inadvertently pulled it out numerous times (along with the chickweed, etc.)...yet, here it is:


I grow lots of regular chives (with the pink flowers) and couldn't do without them. Perhaps this year....finally...I will enjoy garlic chives. And, yes, I will be sure to cut off those white flowers (no reseeding everywhere here).

The Johnny Jump Ups are putting on a fine show...for the first time...here. Maybe because they have planted themselves here and there (vs my trying to plant them). The color variations are fascinating...






I like all their little variations. I'm still planting daylily seeds (inside) and working on moving even more outside into planting boxes...they seem to like growing in water....here's a picture...


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I am happy to report that I did get my lettuce planted but, alas, not the peas. I also rearranged some daylilies working toward clearing a bed for seedlings. Much more to do on that front. Rain yesterday, so no work outside.

I have...at last...acquired my much wanted Camellia Nuccio's Pearl! After waiting endlessly last year and finally being sent a different one by Wayside (so aggravating...not even hardy in my zone!....check that fine print when you order, by the way...places can be sneaky)....yesterday, I went to a very kind person's home....who received my camellia in error (so frustrating!)...and called me....I have the camellia in hard. It looks good....that pleases me....but what I had to go through to get it! (How hard is it to get one's name and address correct?? Pretty hard, apparently...) ....wish me luck! I think (yeah, right) this is the final camellia for me....space, you know...

Early Daffodils

Hollywood:


Wings of Freedom:


closer:


Barret Browning:


A couple of Easter Bonnet...a good thing as those bulbs I laboriously pulled out of the tree roots...well, it appears I mixed them up...and they now reside elsewhere...hope they enjoy them...



Changing Colors...beginning to change...


I just like this picture of a group of Changing Colors...nice that daffs allow you multiple days to photograph them...


A better picture of Blazing Star...now open:


This was labeled Orangery...but, I'm not sure that it is:


Just beginning to open...an unknown yellow that once open has near flawless blooms...


You didn't really think we'd have just daffodils today, did you? Here's the blue Roman Hyacinth...which does not increase like its cousin, the pink one...


Very first blooms on the creeping phlox...it's so pretty when it blankets the area:


First blooms last year on this creeping phlox were on 3/16/08...this year, 3/23/09...

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Off to dig daylilies...hope to plant peas (after I seriously weed the area) today also as we are expecting rain tonight. Found some lettuce starts yesterday (Romaine and Red Sails)...hope to get them in as well...

March

March...the month that is said to be "In like a lion, out like a lamb"...is predictably unpredictable. Every year we forget this, of course. My actual garden journal (the written one) has more entries in March than in any other month. Part of this is due to the excitement of the garden awakening and each event is heralded. Later, there are so many things happening at once, that it is enough of a challenge to see each of them, let alone write about them.

Every year, as I am wont to do, I reread Henry Mitchell. This, from One Man's Garden, seems particularly appropriate today:

As our daffodils begin to bloom in March, our hearts leap up, briefly, but they don't stay leapt up, for all too soon the magical day that so excited us --blue sky, crocuses, snowdrops, scillas, early daffodils, temperature of sixty-five degrees--is followed by a hail storm or a drop to twenty-two degrees and a flurry of snow or ice, and gray skies that look more somber than any of the sky of winter. If we have temperature drops to thirty-two or below--we need to remember that early spring is invariable variable--we always have warmer-than-usual days and colder-than-usual. Nothing would be more surprising than a spring of settled weather.

There is not much to be done about it. The flowers that bloom in variable weather have evolved over the eons to survive in variable weather. A bloom here and there may be doomed, but in general there is nothing to worry about when a freeze "threatens" the crocus or daffodil or emerging tulip. They are born to this.*

Now, don't you feel better? You know this, but it helps to see it in writing and to hear it from someone with much more experience than most us...like a gentle pat on the back...

On to my own garden....where Spring is indeed showing and the weather is beautiful one day, cold and dreadful the next. As it always is in March...

Emerging oriental lilies....


Brunnera...


Trilliums...


Virginia Bluebells...


Spanish Bluebells...


Monkshood...


Monarda...well behaved for the moment as this one was just put in last fall...look in the corner, a couple of toad lilies have made their way there...



And, one hopes, Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)...this is its first spring here, so I am not confident...I may even have the wrong variety....hmmm, where is that tag when one needs it??


It could just be a common weed...

On that cheery note, let's move into things that are actually blooming...

Winter Hazel...


Pink Dawn Viburnum...


Chionodoxa aka Glory of the Snow...the pinker variety that I have, a darker, blue-purple one is a bit behind this one...


Well, okay...I suppose this is long enough....a few more daffodils are opening...we'll get to them next time...

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*One Man's Garden by Henry Mitchell, pages 67-68

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Rose Beloved (own root) planted yesterday to replace same which had an unfortunate arrival and then lack of care by....ahem...someone...last year...

OT Lily Bonbini (6) and Oriental Garden Party (3) lilies planted in former tree bed. First orientals (Garden Party) planted in some time here due to lily virus...hopefully, it has killed off everything affected...including itself...

Asiatic Elodia (a double) lily planted in driveway bed amongst (what else) daylilies)...oh yes (3)...

All lilies acquired in a co-op on Dave's....love those co-ops!

Spring!

...at last! Although tonight a projected low of 31 degrees and tomorrow one of 30 degrees may make one think winter has not quite released its hold. Here where I am, we really aren't frost free until mid May or around Mother's Day. It's just that so many years we push and stretch things, we've come to expect that the weather will always cooperate.

My 'push' this year has been to move some of my daylily seedlings out into boxes on the driveway. Until this cold, I was feeling rather proud of myself for getting ahead of the game. Not so fast! They're covered right now, in anticipation of the low temperature. When I looked at them earlier, it did look like a few them were a bit stressed...Oh well, survival of the fittest, you know.

Looking around, I see that my Magnolia Stellata is in bloom. I may have mentioned that I call this the miracle tree. Year before last, it had scale so bad that I thought it was a goner. We were in a drought and I do think that lack of water stressed the poor tree, making it susceptible to things it might ordinarily fight off. Anyway, I hacked it down in anticipation of removing it, but found that removal very difficult. I meant to call the wonderful tree service I've used twice now to come and get it out...but, I forgot/kept putting it off. To my shock, it began to leaf out, even a few buds. Now, a year later....if I hadn't told you this tale of woe, I doubt you'd notice....


Spring means daffodils to me (much as summer means daylilies)...here are a few that are starting to open now...

Toto


closer, it's rather tiny...


Tete-a-tete, first bloom for this year...


closer...


This one, Cassata, and the next one will both lose the yellow...


Changing Colors...


This is something to be aware of...the following two pictures are of a daffodil sold as Blazing Star which is not registered with the American Daffodil Society. If you collect daffodils, as I do, you might think twice about buying from sources who either rename existing daffodils (who knows), substitute varieties without your knowledge or simply sell unregistered varieties. On the other hand, it's still a pretty flower and that may be enough. I'm getting quite a little sub collection of unregistered/unknown varieties. Most are from years past when I could easily be lured by a pretty picture. I still like them and dream of making a sweep of unknowns...which would be lovely, in my opinion.


(not quite open....I'm so impatient....open, open, open!)

This is another unknown...very faithful and carefree....probably bought as part of a mix, at one time...(no, I'm not tempted by mixes....anymore!)...


Ice Follies...fades to white...still lovely...


This brings me to a What Not to Do...check this out...


There's our little clump of Ice Follies from above...and, beside it, see the lovely daylily coming up (Peggy Jeffcoat)...and there behind them...is a lot of ratty foliage....belonging to Dutch Iris. Now, these Dutch Iris are lovely when them bloom, but do they have to have this awful foliage every year?? The second What Not to Do is that they (the Dutch Iris) are planted in a straight line...that ends....sigh. I have tried and tried to continue the line all the way across (at least it would be consistent), but they refuse...and, they have worked themselves quite deeply into the ground, it seems.

I don't think I have a single picture of Peggy Jeffcoat without this mess behind her. I have given up and plan to move the daylily. Perhaps a taller one, that blooms much higher would be okay...because those iris, man, they are dug in!

Speaking of that...can you believe this....look at what is coming up here...


No, no, no! Say it isn't so. Giant sigh. Those are tiger lilies, you know the orange ones with the spots that are intent on taking over the world. Years ago now, I dug them out. They were down almost to the center of the earth (kidding) and I was sure I had removed them. No, they came back the next year....I dug those out and gave them away....and look, a couple years later...they are still here. They are never going away! And, they're not just in this area....Well, you gotta give them credit for being a survivor, I suppose.

Later, maybe next, we'll take a look at things that are emerging...here's February Gold in full bloom...


and Jet Fire...


For now, I'll stop with my helper who followed me...when he wasn't playing with those threatening magnolia leaves...Sam Cat...