Eranthis hyemalis

This is a wonderful time of year to watch the Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) emerge from their slumber.  They spread every year — into the grass and other parts of the garden.  But it’s a nice kind of spreading.  Hardly any other plants are doing anything at this time of year and in six weeks from now they will have disappeared till next year.  There are some other color forms of the winter aconite, either paler yellow or orange shades, but one of my strong desires has been to grow the white species, Eranthis Pinnatifida.  I got one flowering a few years ago, but it didn’t stay with us.  Nevertheless, the flower is so intriguing that I keep persisting.  I ordered one from Japan last fall and got it planted out in December.  I noticed on my daily stroll about the garden that It is growing but it looks like no flowers this year.

Eranthis pinnatifida from Japan

At the same time, and almost so small that i nearly missed it, I found a flowering Eranthis pinnatifida in a seeding pot that I had started in 2016 from seeds obtained from the NARGS seed exchange.

Eranthis pinnatifida

Not only was this little jewel growing but there was another little Eranthis in the same pot.  So hope spring eternal someone once said.

The seed exchanges are a wonderful introduction to new plants that you will never see in a commercial catalog.  My package from the Alpine Garden society arrived just this week.

Seed Exchange package from the AGS

But I have already started many seeds obtained from NARGS, the SRGC, and individual seed vendors.

Seed Exchange plantings

Also in the greenhouse is the first of the Ferrarias to bloom this year.

Ferraria crispa

Ferrarias are very easy to grow and easily one of the most unusual flowers you will ever set eyes on.  The curls around the edge have a fractal quality to them.

I also just brought the first of many Scilla peruviana into the house to enjoy.

Scilla peruviana

But getting back to the daily walkabout, I would be remiss not to note that many crocus and snowdrops are appearing around the yard.

Crocus tommasinianus

And the first Primula is showing it’s flowers as well.

Primula vulgaris

Like the Winter Aconite, these are happy to spread into the lawn.

A more unusual spotting from the walkabout was to see the first pink color in one of the Saxifrages in a trough.

Saxifraga ‘Valerie Keevil’

This little jewel flowered in April last year.

And I also noticed in the alpine bed that one of the Callianthemums from Japan that I planted in December has a bud on it!

Callianthemum miyabeanum

These plants are really hard to find in the U.S. and my thanks to Yuzawa Engei for the wonderful packing to get it here.