We’ve just had messy snowfall that has undone a lot of the progress that we had made toward Springtime. However, I will share a some of the flowers as they were before the snow, including the above lovely Pasque Flower which is about to show its purple flower in the new alpine bed.
Next to the Pulsatilla is this cute little Ornithogalum that flowers completely flat to the surface of the ground.
Also in the alpine bed is a new Corydalis
The hepaticas have continued to appear. Small little jewels.
Meanwhile the Adonis is still providing interest.
And we planted the wonderful Primula vulgaris after visiting England in 2008. They are prospering in various parts of the yard.
Meanwhile the first of the Glory of the Snow is starting to flower.
These are happily growing in the yard and the pasture.
Finally in the yard and the woods the scilla are growing now.
The stamens are a wonderful shade of blue.
It’s hard to ignore some of the lovely things happening in the greenhouse as well. In particular the ferrarias are now starting to flower.
And some of the other south africans
Spring is happening both outside and in the greenhouse. What can you contribute to Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.
Catching up
We returned from traveling last week to find that the plants had been growing without us. I need to do just a little catch up on what we found on our return because some of the plants are truly special. The Adonis shown above is one of the best special varieties that you can buy for only a second mortgage on your garage. Some of the others might require selling your garage. This is the first year when it is clear that the clump is establishing itself and flourishing.
It is truly spectacular.
Meanwhile the Adonis fujukaki is easily the most vigorous and visible of the Adonis clan. At least around here.
Meanwhile another that I have been calling garden variety Adonis amurensis has impressed me once again with the brilliant shiny petals.
I’m not sure that it is the standard species at all. Note how it does not possess a normal number of stamens. I’ve got a couple of seedlings coming along and I think they were from this plant. We’ll see what happens.
Of course the one Adonis that originally caught my eye was Adonis amurensis ‘Sandanzaki’ which has this incredible lion’s mane of green feathers around the third series of petals. Totally unique.
Lest I am accused of Adonis mania, I will also note that we have a Jeffersonia that blooms well in advance of its colleagues. And it is a standard Jeffersonia dubia with the violet petals, yellow stamens, and green ovary.
But last year, my son gave me a special new Jeffersonia from Garden Visions that Darryl Probst brought back from Korea. It has dark stamens and a purple ovary.
It’s quite different and seems to be lasting quite well.
Another plant that is early for its kinfolk is the Hepatica nobilis pink. Note the cute little stamens on these guys as well.
A pretty plant that shows up this time of year but never quite fulfills its potential is Helleborus thibetanus
I have yet to get it to fully open to the camera.
Next to the greenhouse in a trough is a pretty little clump of Draba acaulis that seem to have suffered from last summer’s dryness.
And inside the greenhouse is another plant with remarkable colored stamens.
These should be hardy outside and I need to give them a trial.
I had also promised more Moraeas and this is one.
I also have an image to share of the fully open Enkianthus quinqueflorus.
Finally in the Alpine bed there was beautiful Fritillaria that was a distinctive showpiece.
Almost Missed Them
With so much happening out of doors right now it would be easy to pass by some of the things happening in the greenhouse. At the back of the greenhouse I almost missed seeing the flowers of this lovely evergreen Einkianthus. I’m usually looking at the pots, especially when for what is just popping up from seed and I had already concluded there were no flower buds on this Einkianthus. Imagine my surprise when I saw this shrub has many flowers on it (the first time for us). Apparently the flowers follow the leaves. The drooping bells are much larger and prettier than the normal Einkianthus alatus, but the plant is probably not hardy here. We put the pot in the ground after last frost.
It is especially easy to miss the Moraeas since the flowers have very short duration. But the colors are marvelous from these little plants from the iris family.
I don’t know if the torn petals were from normal wear and tear or some critter. But what was left is lovely. Wait till next year.
Two more stunning Moraeas follow.
I should have more Moraeas over the next few weeks.
There are also several lachenalias in bloom.
And a marvelous little ornithogalum.
This one may be worth a try outside.
And another almost missed is this lovely hesperantha.
On a hunch I went out to the greenhouse after supper and found the hesperantha was blooming although all the buds had been tightly closed at 3pm. Apparently this hesperantha specializes in serving the nighttime insects. How many of those we have in Maryland right now I’m not sure. I first grew this plant several years ago and then lost the parent but I had saved the seed and this is the first child of that mother plant. By the way all of these plants except the Einkianthus came from the Pacific Bulb Society‘s seed and bulb exchanges. It’s a marvelous source of botanical marvels. Besides opening at the night the Hesperantha falcata exudes a lovely scent to attract all of us late night flower hunters…