Almost Time for Garden Planting!

The main color in this post is green, so I'm starting with a photo of colorful Crocuses from last week. The little beauties are just about done now, so it's on to the next phase—celebrating the plants that need warmth.

In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to include an update on the seedlings I started in the sunroom in March. Our last frost date is in early May, so I'll soon need to harden these babies off before planting.

First we have the mixed Dahlias. They're doing well; I'm so thrilled!



The California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are happy and dancing.



The three Milkweed species (Asclepias spp.) took a bit longer to emerge, but they're making progress now.



Oh, and 'The Watchman' Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) look healthy, too.



'Zowie' and 'State Fair Mix' Zinnias (Z. elegans) are always reliable.

Finally, I'm celebrating the Calla Lilies (Zantedeschia spp.) poking through the soil! Now the race is on to fast, colorful blooms.

That's my "Six" for this week, with extra flowers at the start. Thanks to Jim at Garden Ruminations for hosting "Six on Saturday"!

A Dancing Easter Vase on Monday

Happy Easter!

I pulled together a few odds and ends over the weekend for Easter vases. Some fillers came from the garden; others from the sunroom. This first vase appears to be dancing and celebrating spring.

The stars of this grouping are Hellebores (Helleborus × hybridus)—currently blooming with abandon in the garden. I have about six varieties, and I always find it hard to clip them for some reason—I don't want to disturb their natural beauty. But they're lovely in vases and face up in bowls.

Daffodils (Narcissus hybrids) are abundant, too, These white ones with yellow centers seem to be the first tall Daffodils to bloom in spring.



I included this dried Fiddlehead Fern frond (Matteuccia struthiopteris) for structure and a nod to the end of winter.



Also saying "bye" to winter: dried seedheads of 'Invincibelle Lace' Hydrangea (H. radiata). Because this shrub's seedheads persist through winter, it has four-season appeal.

I also grabbed two items from the sunroom, including yellow Kalanchoe (K. blossfeldiana), with its bright, cheery blooms.



And vines of English Ivy (Hedera helix), which give the arrangement its "dance."



Another vase was a quick combination of more Daffodils and a few clippings of evergreen Yew (Taxus canadensis).

So...spring is happening, and the garden is waking! What's blooming and growing in your garden and in your vases? Head on over to Cathy's blog Rambling in the Garden for the wonderful meme, "In a Vase on Monday."

On Breaking the Rules (Occasionally)

My Friend Swamp Milkweed
(Asclepias incarnata)

I believe it’s important to follow rules—whether they be laws, regulations, procedures, shared guidelines, or really…whatever.

But, sometimes, it’s OK to stretch them or break them. Sometimes it’s OK to set your own rules, when you own the property, the idea, and the consequences. There are many acceptable reasons, but some include greater clarity, no harm to others, innovation, spirit of the rule, individualism. Although, I believe it's always important to be consistent.

I’m not talking about anything terribly earth-shattering here. So please pardon the drama of my opening words. I merely want to share that I try to carefully follow the rules of botanical nomenclature and the horticultural norms of describing gardens and plants.

But sometimes I break the rules—both unintentionally and on purpose.

Regarding the former: My aim is to correctly report the scientific names of plants, using the standardized binomial system. This is something I want to do and need to do I consider it a very important practice. We need to ensure we’re all talking about the same plants! Common names vary by region and tradition.

My Friend Golden Alexander
(Zizia aurea)

I also try to follow Associated Press (AP) style. But I make mistakes, and plant categories change and shift. Please forgive me, as I adjust and correct errors along the way.

Here’s where I break the rules, intentionally, although it’s a struggle: I use initial capital letters for common names of plants. There are several reasons for this: 

● This is my blog. I created it. I set the style, and I try to be consistent.

● I think of plants as characters. No, they’re not people, but they are unique old and new “friends.”

● It’s easier for me to read and understand information about plants when I picture them as proper names, i.e., St. John’s Wort, Highbush Cranberry, Rattlesnake Master, and so on. There are challenges to using this rule-breaking method, and one of them is figuring out what to do with simple categories of plants, like “Maples,” “Coneflowers,” or “ Ferns."

My Friend Prairie Rose
(Rosa setigera)

Again, I include the Latin names, but I tend to capitalize even categories of plants. I waffle a little on this one: I apologize for that.

All this to say that I think it’s OK to break the rules sometimes, and I own the consequences of my actions. Thanks for your patience, humor, and acceptance of my human foibles!

Do you ever break the rules?

A Few Starts in March

Every March in this part of the world is a roller-coaster ride of weather. But going from 4F/-16C to 72F/22C within a few days (what we experienced last week) is crazier than "normal."

Anyway, most of the plants survived and seem to be thriving. A heavy blanket of snow last week helped, I guess, and now we'll be warm again this week.

So...on with what's happening in the garden for Six on Saturday!



A few beauties are blooming away with abandon, including the 'Tête-à-tête' Daffodils (Narcissus).

Crocuses seem more abundant and more varied in colors and shading this year. The wind whipped them around yesterday and today, but they're tougher than they look!



Rhubarb (Rheum hybrid) is making good progress, and I'm already salivating, thinking about a delicious pie.

Tulips (Tulipa hybrids) will be blooming very soon. They're surrounded by fencing to protect them from naughty, hungry rabbits.



Ornamental Alliums (A. giganteum) have longer to wait for their bloom time, but they've made amazing progress since the beginning of the month. I guess the snowy blanket helped them, too.

Finally, I briefly lifted leaf mulch from a patch of Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and discovered they've emerged! They look other-worldly at this point, but it's so magical to see them carpeting the woodland with blue flowers in mid-spring.

Soon, I'll have way too many things to share for "Six on Saturday"! But for now, I hope your week will be pleasant. Head on over to Garden Ruminations for more wonderful garden happenings. Thanks to Jim for hosting!