Prunus mume ‘Matsubara Red’
Well I’m very late in posting this month. Let me note for GBBD that it is definitely spring here, both on the calendar and outside where it’s been weeks since our last frost. A particular highlight for me is the first blooms on our flowering Apricot as shown above.
Prunus mume ‘Matsubara Red’
This little tree has been in the ground since 2022 and was initially bothered by deer in the front yard. But now it is getting big enough to actually bloom and it will be a special bell-ringer for spring from now on.
All the normal first highlights of Spring are showing up now, but most especially the daffodils.
Daffodils planted here over 50 years ago
Narcissus ‘Little Gem’ in the woods
Narcissus ‘Sunnyside Up’
Daffodils in the house
There are of course hundreds of daffodils to come in the next 6 weeks, but at the same time the Hellebores are providing their expected showy blooms.
Helleborus hybridus ‘Kingston Cardinal’
Helleborus x ‘Berry Swirl’
Hellebores in the kitchen
Among the many other species providing springtime delights right now I am absolutely delighted by the Hepaticas. I think they are really looking outstanding this year.
Hepatica nobilis
Hepatica nobilis blue
Even in the woods in a much more difficult environment the Hepaticas are spreading.
Hepatica in the woods
Some other special contributors at the moment are the Fritillaria stenathera
Fritillaria stenethera ‘Cambridge’
This is a rarity that you rarely see anywhere in the U.S.
And a particularly nice Pulsatilla is in bloom at the moment.
Pulsatilla ambigua
This one came from Edelweiss last year.
And while the focus is outside right now it would be a shame to pass by the greenhouse which has a number of beautiful flowers to share.
Ixia maculata
This last was from the Pacific Bulb Society last year.
And then the Clivia are putting out many flowers right now, both orange and yellow.
Clivia miniata v. citrina
And I can see big buds and first flowers on the Peruvian Scilla.
Scilla peruviana
Scilla peruviana flowers
Note that this wonderful flowering plant is neither Peruvian nor a Scilla but that is a history lesson all in itself.
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day February 2025
Adonis Fukujukai
Well, it’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day again and while there are many more blooms than we had last month it’s clear that winter is still with us. We spent most of the last month enjoying the warmth of California and returned home to find many of the bulbs trying their best to get started despite the distinctly unusual cold weather this year.
As always at this time of year, it is the Adonis that offer a sparkling bright yellow invitation to Spring. I’ve noticed that although we have several varieties of Adonis it is always the Adonis Fukujukai that leads the way.
Adonis Fukujukai Clump
Unfortunately all sources of this plant have dried up or disappeared so I’m thinking about splitting off a piece of this clump to make sure it spreads further. It’s a sterile hybrid so I suspect that’s why it’s hard to come by. There is a very good writeup on BotanyCa that explains why it’s so hard to obtain Adonis.
Another early starter is Crocus Korolkowii
Crocus korolkowii ‘Lemon Tiger’
This one is way ahead of our other Crocus with a bright yellow that catches the eye.
Another yellow for this time of year is Winter Aconite.
Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)
We have a number of these scattered in the woods. Not only are they super hardy, but they increase in number every year. I assume that insects contribute to the spreading of the flowers because I’ve found them in places where I know I did not plant them.
Of course another early yellow is the Witch Hazel.
Witch Hazel coming into bloom
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis mollis) first straps showing
We have several Witch Hazels but this is always the first one to greet the Spring.
And when we are talking about yellow we have to share the first Daffodil of Spring.
Rinjveld’s Early Sensation
For early flowers there are also the snowdrops.
Volunteer Galanthus elwesii in the grass
The remarkable thing I’ve noted the last couple of years is that this particular snowdrop is happily spreading into the grass.
Along the front fence I see the Edgeworthia plumping up.
Edgeworthia
I almost think they are prettier before they actually flower.
On the side of the hill I see the first evidence of Colchicum getting ready for a burst of green leaves.
Colchicum
In the greenhouse I spied a single flower from a high alpine buttercup that was planted last year.
Ranunculus caliandrinoides
And I’ve moved into the house a pot of hybrid Cyrtanthus that is particularly showy.
Hybrid Cyrtanthus
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day January 2025
Greenhouse in January
This is one of the very few postings where there are no GBBD photos of flowers on the outside. The reason being extreme cold and snow blanketing the hillside.
Snowy hillside in January
The best I can offer are flowers in the greenhouse that are actually quite nice and well worth bringing in the house.
Cyclamen graecum
There are actually some orchids that I am keeping in the greenhouse at the moment. And some lovely Cyrtanthus on the way.
Orchid and Cyrthanthus in the greenhouse
Meanwhile outside all you can see are some early daffodils patiently awaiting their turn.
Rinjveld’s Early Sensation showing tips.
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day December 2024
Princess Flower (Tibouchina urvilleana)
Well there is not much outside for this Garden Blogger Bloom Day. I see some burnt-off Camellia Flowers and there are just a couple of early snowdrops in the woods, but mostly we are finally seeing some evidence of winter with temperatures down to the mid-20’s. The most colorful flowers I can share at this point are in the greenhouse like the Princess Flower up above. I expect that it will continue to flower all winter long.
There is an absolutely lovely Greek Cyclamen from Edgewood Gardens which just continues to get bigger every year.
Cyclamen graecum
This year we bought a very nice Cyclamen persicum from Abernethy & Spencer in Virginia
Cyclamen persicum
This will definitely never be an outside plant but they are easy to care for and flower for a very long time. I had one that lasted for over 20 years in a windowsill in my government office at one point.
One of the bulbs I’ve gotten from the Pacific Bulb Society many times is Freesia. Very easy to grow and always nice to look at.
Freesia
One of my favorites in the greenhouse are the Nerines from South Africa. This particular one came via Far Reaches. It has particularly large and long-lasting flowers.
Nerine ‘Pink Triumph’
And then finally I would note that I do see the Adonis on their way with nice fat buds.
Adonis buds
I expect to see early flowers next month.
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day November 2024
Camellia x ‘Yume’
Well I have to say that camellias dominate the local flower landscape for this GBBD. We had a dry and very warm Fall. All of the Camellia sansanquas and hybrids are in bloom as shown above and below.
Camellia sasanqua red
Camellia sasanqua red
Camellia sasanqua ‘Double Rainbow’
Camellia sasanqua ‘October Magic’
But in addition several of the Spring blooming camellias are showing flowers.
Camellia japonica red
Camellia japonica double pink
As I said it’s been unusually warm. One of the surprising things I’ve noticed is that the Loropetalum, which is only marginally hardy in this area has grown substantially this year. It is literally creeping up the house.
Loropetalum almost ten feet tall
And even more amazing it has flowers showing already.
Loropetalum chinese var. rubrum ‘Zhuzhou fuschia’ in flower
Elsewhere in the yard there are seasonal signs
Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
Corydalis lutea flowers until frost
Daphne × transatlantica ‘Eternal Fragrance’
This Daphne flowers almost all the time.
We were threatened with frost this week but it didn’t really happen. We ended up moving most of the fragile items into the greenhouse, but to make room we had to take a very large Elephant Ear out.
Alocasia ‘Sumo’
And then we ended up putting it in the entryway to the house where it makes a definite statement.
Alocasia ‘Sumo’ in the entryway
Also in the greenhouse is a nicely flowering Nerine
Nerine undulata
and a very early Freesia
Freesia fucata
Thinking of Winter
Late Afternoon Light
A very good friend, Marianne Willburn, wrote an article in the latest American Gardener (Nov/Dec 2024) entitled ‘Rethinking the Winter Garden’. Reading her lovely article made me revisit what I have experienced in the winters on Ball Rd. Fortunately I have 15 years of this Posting which lets me go back and remind myself what I enjoy about winter. The snow that I pictured above is from 2010 and it rarely happens anymore. I can’t even remember when I’ve had to plow the driveway. Nonetheless winter is a different season when many of the flowers and fruits have gone away to rest or reseed.
“No matter how unprepared I am, I always imagine preparing for a winter you can’t muddle through. It’s a deep, wooded season. Time pauses and then pauses again. The sun winks over the horizon, glinting on a snow-swept lake — just enough light to wake the chickadees.” — Verlyn Klinkenborg
In going back over just the past year I saw plenty that makes me look forward to the coming months.
Camellia sasanqua red (Dec 2023)
Krarmer’s Rote Heather (Erica x darleyensis) (Dec 2023)
Japanese Quince (Dec 2023)
Daffodil ‘Rinjveldt’s Early Sensation’ (Jan 2024)
Galanthus elwesii (Jan 2024)
Camellia Sasanqua October Magic Orchid (Jan 2024)
Adonis amurensis ‘Fukujukai’ (Jan 2024)
Winter Aconite (Feb 2024)
Camellia japonica red (Feb 2024)
Helleborus x hybridus ‘Cotton Candy’ (Feb 2024)
But to be fair, Marianne’s article was not just about finding delights in the garden over the winter months but also about creating structures that give you pleasure as you watch it evolve. Among the many evergreens we’ve planted on our hillside are the Christmas trees that mark the season every year.
Backyard Christmas Trees
And without a doubt the single most enjoyable viewpoint for us has always been the hillside leading down to the pasture.
February Snow (Feb 2024)
That line of White Pines was planted in 1976 with baby trees donated by the state of Maryland and the hillside is adorned with wildflowers in other seasons. It has been a delight to watch the White Pines grown year by year…
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day October 2024
Dahlia ‘Mai Tai’
Well it’s another month of flowers and I am very reminded by GBBD that accounting for the flowers in bloom during October brings the dahlias very much front and center. Each year we think we will more carefully label and support the dahlias and each year we have them sprawled all over a row in the vegetable garden with no support at all. Nevertheless we pick and enjoy the flowers and swear will do better by them next year. They are certainly worthwhile.
Dahlia ‘Taboo’
Dahlia ‘Maui’
Dahlia ‘Excentric’
Dahlia ‘Pooh’
Dahlia ‘Picasso’
Dahlia ‘Garbrielle Marie’
You can see the use of these dahlias in the center of our new kitchen.
Dahlias in the new kitchen
Next to the Dahlias we always have a sequence of gladiolia in the garden.
Gladiolus ‘Black Cherry’
Of course there are many other flowers in the garden for fall, especially some of the annuals.
Tithonia ‘Mexican Sunflower’
Nasturtium
And some of the reliable perennials
Toadlily (Trycyrtis ‘Sinonome’)
Crocus Rose
Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’
Cestrum ‘Orange Peel’
Crocus Fall -speciosus
But the other thing that happens in this season is that we begin to see the first of Camellias that will contribute to the yard for the next 6 months.
Camellia sasanqua ‘October Magic’
Camellia x ‘Survivor’
There are also a few greenhouse plants that worth sharing.
Nerine ‘Peppermint’
Nerine Zinkowski hybrid
Oxalis hirta ‘Gothenburg’
Plectranthus
And one last thing I wanted to mention. We planted a Heptacodium two years ago and it flowered for the first time this Fall. What was striking to me was not the flowers but the red leaf bracts which follow afterwards. I can see how this is going to be lovely small tree.
Heptacodium miconioides ‘Temple of Bloom’
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day September 2024
Colchicum on the hillside
Well for this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day the Colchicum are the bright new stars for the month. I’ve added more this year and I can foresee adding more Colchicum every year. They have real visual impact and last even longer than I had remembered.
Colchicum bivonae
Colchicum x byzantium ‘Innocence’
Another bright spot for this time of year is the emergence of the Cyclamen hederifolium.
Cyclamen hederifolium
First the naked flowers appear and then the wonderfully interesting leaves will appear.
Cyclamen hederifolium leaf
A surprise this morning was seeing that a single red flower was emerging from the perrenial garden foliage.
Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’
Dahlias are not normally hardy over the winter for us but this is the fourth season for the Bishop to return.
Nearby is the Black and Blue Sage which was also said to marginally hardy for us and continues to regrow and spread.
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Of course the Cestrum continues to flower for us.
Cestrum ‘Orange Peel’
But right next to it the Clematis virginiana is now trying overgrow the rose bush.
Crocus Rose surrounded by Clematis virginiana
We also see this Clematis abundantly spreading the woods so we will need to try to trim it back.
Clematis virginiana
And when we turn to the annuals in the vegetable garden they are flowering beautifully.
Annuals in the vegetable garden
Including also the glads in neighboring rows.
Aaralyn Glad
Glad ‘Margaret Rose’
Lastly I should mention that we have had Evening Primrose growing on the hillside through most of this year.
Evening Primrose (Oenethera speciosa)
I was surprised to discover while perusing some my old orders from Park Seeds that I had actually order Oenethera seed back in 2001 and I’m now think this may be why we now have wild primrose growing in the pasture…