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. :)  )

Wordless Signs of Hope

Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno'

Helleborus orientalis

Zinnia elegans 'State Fair Mix'

Shared Grace and Savored Grace

Pollinator on Crocus vernus 'Pickwick'

It's that time of year when blog posts are out of date by the time I get them up and published. These photos are from two days ago, and some of these blooms are fading now. It's also the time of year, in my climate, when plants that bloom in a more staggered timeline in a warmer climate bloom all at once here in the north (USDA zone 5a).

Galanthus nivalis  'Flore Pleno'

Galanthus nivalis

Eranthus hyemalis

Blooms considered winter flowers in the south (Snowdrops and Winter Aconites) must wait until March or April to bloom here.

Crocus tommasinianus

Because of our cool temperatures but plenty of sun, the 'Tommie' Crocuses have been blooming for about a week now.

Crocus vernus

C. vernus

The larger Dutch Crocuses are blooming at the same time as the "earlier" flowers. (I find it fascinating how the same flower can look very different when photographed at different times of day, in different light, and from different angles.)

C. vernus 'Pickwick'

These striped beauties are in a very sunny spot. They appear to be multiplying and they seem to be favorites of the pollinators. I keep lava rocks and foil around them to discourage squirrels and chipmunks from digging, and rabbits from eating.

Narcissus 'Tete-a-Tete'

The tiny Daffodils are at their peak.

Trumpet Narcissus

Larger Narcissus are just beginning.

Hyacinthus orientalis

It won't be long for the Hyacinths.

Helleborus 'Sandy Shores'

Finally, the Hellebores definitely will be blooming today. This one, from two days ago, is a first bloom on a new plant for me: I'll look forward to its open face within hours. The other Hellebores, in a different spot, started opening yesterday.

During these difficult times, sharing our plant-love and gardening joys is more important than ever. That is our shared grace. On the day that I photographed these first flowers, I saw my first butterfly of the season. My heart jumped and I smiled, even though no one was looking. I didn't have my camera handy, and I wasn't able to follow it, so I don't know if it was a Mourning Cloak or an Eastern Comma, because it fluttered up and away too fast. But it was a sign of hope. It was a savored grace.

Forcing Spring

Easter Greetings

They're Back! (Better Late Than Never)

Plant of the Month: Winter Aconite

Eranthus hyemalis

Did I miss the Winter Aconites? Did they bloom under the snow?

Around this time last year, they were up and open and brightening my garden.



The first pollinators of the season were swimming in their goodness.



Maybe there's still hope for this year? If not, I won't give up because I love them so. Do you grow Winter Aconites? If not, you should try them.



They take the cold and snow and late freezes in stride.



Plus, they're so joyful, you can't help but smile when you see them.



Winter Aconites (Eranthus hyemalis) are native to Europe, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. and they're among the first flowers to bloom in the late winter and early spring. In addition, they:

• Are hardy in zones 3 to 7;
• Thrive in full sun to partial shade;
• Resist deer and rabbit damage (but maybe not voles?); and
• Prefer organically rich, well-draining soil.

I hope I'll still see them yet this year, but if not I will try again--maybe in pots to resist the voles.



Plus, they're so beautiful as companions to Tommies (Crocus tommasinianus).



Happy spring!

The Bright Side of a Yo-Yo Spring

I concede there are garden benefits to spring snow and cool temperatures. The snow protects the plants when nighttime temperatures plummet, and cool temperatures help the blooms last longer.

While changeable weather ... from cold to warm and back again ... can be tough on the constitution, it also encourages plant growth and then holds the blooms.

Our forecast here (Southern Wisconsin, USDA zone 5) heading into mid-spring looks warm, which pleases me. In the meantime, many of the early spring-blooming bulbs and plants are still going strong, concurrently with spring ephemerals beginning to emerge. That makes for quite a show!

I'm linking this post to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day over at May Dreams Gardens and Foliage Follow-Up at Digging.

Most of my Crocuses and Snowdrops are done, but some spring bloomers are still with us. Here are a few as they looked a couple of days ago:

Crocus tommasinianus

Eranthis hyemalis

Scilla siberica

Narcissus 'Tete-a-Tete'

Crocus sieberi

Muscari armeniacum

Galanthus nivalis

Chionodoxa forbesii

Hyacinthus orientalis

The Hellebores have been blooming for weeks now:

Helleborus x hybridus

Helleborus x hybridus

I did cover them before the recent ice storm, and when nighttime temperatures dipped below 30F/-1C.

Some spring plants are starting or about to bloom, including Vinca and Clematis:

Vinca minor

Clematis 'Nelly Moser'

I didn't cover these guys during the cold nights, but they don't appear to have any damage.

You might wonder why I allow these next two plants to grow in my garden:

Geum canadense

White Avens (Geum canadense) forms hitchhiking seedheads after flowering, so they're often considered nuisance plants. But I like the early rosettes, and the flowers attract butterflies. White Avens grows along the edge of our woods, in an area with little foot traffic.

Urtica dioica

Common Nettle (Urtica dioica) also grows in the woods. It's one of only a few host plants for the Red Admiral butterfly.

Several more "desirable" native plants are showing their attractive foliage, including:

Mertensia virginica

Virginia Bluebells and

Hydrophyllum virginianum

Virginia Waterleaf.

Podophyllum peltatum

The Mayapples will soon form tiny umbrellas in their colony on the side of the hill. This photo series shows the stages before the foliage unfurls.

Other plants with interesting foliage: 

Rheum rhabarbarum

Rhubarb is growing fast. These two photos were taken about a week apart, during cold weather. When the heat hits during the next few days, this plant will really take off.

Lycoris squamigera

The foliage of Surprise Lilies (Lycoris squamigera) makes an early spring appearance. The foliage will fade and decompose during the summer, and the blooms will shoot up out of nowhere in late summer.

Lamprocapnos spectabilis

Some of the Bleeding Hearts look a bit tattered after recent nighttime freezes, but they'll be fine.

Digitalis hybrida 'Camelot Lavendar'

And the Foxglove, which formed its rosette in December, will be spiking up with its tall flowers soon.

How about you? What's blooming, about to bloom, and emerging in your garden? Head on over to May Dreams Gardens and Digging to learn about other blooming plants and fab foliage in gardens around the world.