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!

Fun With Pollen

Sprouts and Blooms in the Sunroom

The weather here is bizarre for a few days, so I'm in denial and hiding out in the sunroom. We keep it partially heated, but closed off, so it seems to simulate winter in a warmer climate. Temperatures never drop below about 45F/7C, but they warm during most winter days to about 60F/15C. During short winter days, many plants go semi-dormant, and then "wake up" in late winter/early spring with longer daylight.

So for this "Six on Saturday," I'm sharing some indoor happenings: First, the Kalanchoe (K. blossfeldiana) is about to bloom (see above). It's a great indoor potted plant year-round, but I take mine outside (along with all my pots) from May through early October.



I started some seeds! And they're sprouting fast! These are mixed Dahlias. I've never grown Dahlias from seed, so I'm thrilled they're successful (so far)!



This potted Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) has come back for several years now in its pot in the sunroom. It's a joy to see the sprouts climbing their trellis in spring and blooming in the summer. I also have some vines planted along the west, sunny side of the house on an outdoor trellis, although those plants have never bloomed (yet). I'm so glad I planted these--they're easy-care, and they bring so much joy!



Yay for Zinnias (Z. elegans)! I post about these guys way too much (sorry), but they're definitely a garden staple for me. Tiny little sprouts like this eventually yield continuous, weekly blooms for cut arrangements--from late May through mid-October.



This was an accident: In October, I left some Impatiens (I. walleriana) in a mixed planter when I brought it inside. These plants looked terrible in December and January, and I forgot about them. To my surprise, they perked up and started blooming in March. Fun!

Finally, I'm thrilled to say California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are waving their little tendrils in a planting trough in the sun! I've never had luck planting these seeds directly in the garden, as many people do. They seem to get lost in the mulch and the competition with other plants...and maybe wildlife eat them? Anyway, we'll see how they perform in this trough, which I can move around and control a little easier. Some day, I'd like to try planting their Papaver cousins, using a similar technique.

That's my "six" for this week. Head on over to Garden Ruminations to see what's happening in other gardens around the world!

Spring Is Emerging

The garden is waking.

I know this doesn't look like much for gardeners in warmer climates. But here in the Northern U.S., the first emergence of spring plants after months of below-freezing weather is truly liberating. Here's a sample of six:



Hellebores (Helleborus orientalis) partnered with a sprinkling of last season's Crabapples.



Alliums (A. giganteum) decorating the warm south side of the house.



Mixed mosses covering a burnt log, with their sporophytes reaching for the sky.



'Tête-à-têtes' backed by larger mixed Daffodils (Narcissus spp.).



Spring Beauties (Claytonia virginica) whirling and spreading under the leaf mulch, preparing to stand and flower.

And Snowdrops (Galanthus spp.) ready to burst after a bath with fresh raindrops.

Happy spring! What's happening in your garden? Consider joining "Six on Saturday" over at Garden Ruminations. Thanks to Jim for hosting!