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: Soon, I'll 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"!

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!

Garden Excitement Inside and Out

Early blooms: Helleborus, Narcissus, Scilla, Chionodoxa

Spring is finally happening, and it's happening fast. The blooms in this first photo are still going, but with several days in the 80sF, they're fading. This is very unusual April weather for us.



The plants in the sunroom are happy, too, including the 'State Fair Mix' Zinnias (Z. elegans) in pots, which I'll plant outside in early May.



Yellow Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeidiana) has been blooming for weeks--such a vibrant color and form.



I was worried about the overwintered Calla Lilies (Zantedeschia spp.), but they're coming on strong now. I hope they'll bloom again this summer.



The potted Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata) is happy, as well. It bloomed last summer; I hope it will happen again.



Purple Shamrocks (Oxalis triangularis) planted with English Ivy (Hedera helix) have persisted for many years, spending winters indoors and summers outside.



'Cannova Rose' Cannas (C. indica) have been reaching for the sun for several weeks now.



Oxalis 'Zinfandel' (O. vulcanicola) is blooming like crazy. I so enjoy the purple foliage with the bright yellow blooms.



My favorite Fuchsia, 'Marinka' has performed very well this winter. I trimmed back the plants in both pots, and they've come on strong, starting to bloom just in time for the return of the hummingbirds.



I won't be able to keep up with the changes outside much longer, so I'm only sharing a few bloomers at this point. Among them, Grape Hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum) are showing their stuff.



The Spring Beauties (Claytonia virginica) I planted from seeds collected the woods in back are very happy in their new location near the house.



Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) haven't been scarfed down by the rabbits yet. Some of them are caged, so that will help.



And of course the 'Red Riding Hood' Tulips (Tulipa greigii) are caged, or they'd be eaten for sure. They'll be blooming very soon.

With all the new blooms outdoors, many butterflies have returned, including this Red Admiral nectaring on Pachysandra (P. terminalis).

So much more to come in the weeks ahead! I hope your spring is pleasant, too. Best wishes for season ahead!

(Linking in to Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens, even though I'm a day early. Thanks, Carol. :)  )

Herbs, Lettuce, and a Repurposed Plant Stand

It's winter, but that doesn't mean the end of growing things, even in a cold climate.



My daughter was ditching a wine rack that she didn't need anymore, so I asked her if I could repurpose it. She said, "sure." So...



I planted some lettuce seeds in window planters and put them in the bottom. (I need to thin them out, but otherwise, they're growing well.)



I thought about doing something with the wine holders, but that would block the sun from the lettuce. Stay tuned for future ideas, or please share them in the comments.

Most of the herbs are taking off, too...

parsley

chamomile

cilantro

oregano

dill

I placed the plant stand in a south-facing window in the sunroom. The room is only partially heated, so it's a little cooler in there than the herbs would prefer. But there's plenty of sun! As the days get longer, I expect even more success.

How about you? Do you grow herbs and edibles indoors during the winter?

Spring Started Without Me

I've been away for a family wedding (more on that later). Look what greeted me when I returned: The 200+ Colorblends bulbs I planted last fall are emerging and beginning to bloom!



The mix includes Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica);



Winter Aconites (Eranthus hyemalis);



... and Tommies (Crocus tommasinianus). The mix also includes Daffodils (Narcissus spp.) and Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa spp.), which haven't bloomed yet.

I planted most of them in the sheltered, warmer microclimate area by my rock wall. It will be fun to see more of them blooming during the next few weeks.

Other old friends that started blooming while I was gone, include:







Several varieties of Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis);



Dutch Crocuses (C. vernus);



and Snowdrops. (I think these are Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno.') These beauties were whipped around by our recent windstorm, so I clipped them for display in a bud vase and brought them inside.

More flowering bulbs are preparing to bloom, including other Snowdrops, Crocuses, and Daffodils.







Looks like these guys will bloom next week, or after our current cold snap.

Many other signs of spring have surprised me this week, including:





Tiny starts of Sedums;



And Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis).

Oh, and the happy results of an experiment:



A few weeks ago, I'd planted Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) seeds--some from 2014 and some from 2015. Both germinated while I was gone, and it's clear to see that the newer seeds were more viable.



I'm looking forward to transplanting these to the garden in May--more food for Monarch butterfly caterpillars!

I'm happy to be home to enjoy these first colorful, magical signs of spring!

I'm linking this post to Donna's Seasonal Celebrations meme. Head on over to her blog to read about how other gardeners are welcoming the new season ahead! Wrap-ups for the Garden Lessons Learned meme will appear soon on the PlantPostings Facebook page.