Well, it’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day again and while there are many more blooms than we had last month it’s clear that winter is still with us.  We spent most of the last month enjoying the warmth of California and returned home to find many of the bulbs trying their best to get started despite the distinctly unusual cold weather this year.

As always at this time of year, it is the Adonis that offer a sparkling bright yellow invitation to Spring.  I’ve noticed that although we have several varieties of Adonis it is always the Adonis Fukujukai that leads the way.

Unfortunately all sources of this plant have dried up or disappeared so I’m thinking about splitting off a piece of this clump to make sure it spreads further.  It’s a sterile hybrid so I suspect that’s why it’s hard to come by.  There is a very good writeup on BotanyCa that explains why it’s so hard to obtain Adonis.

Another early starter is Crocus Korolkowii

This one is way ahead of our other Crocus with a bright yellow that catches the eye.

Another yellow for this time of year is Winter Aconite.

We have a number of these scattered in the woods.  Not only are they super hardy, but they increase in number every year.  I assume that insects contribute to the spreading of the flowers because I’ve found them in places where I know I did not plant them.

Of course another early yellow is the Witch Hazel.

We have several Witch Hazels but this is always the first one to greet the Spring.

And when we are talking about yellow we have to share the first Daffodil of Spring.

For early flowers there are also the snowdrops.

The remarkable thing I’ve noted the last couple of years is that this particular snowdrop is happily spreading into the grass.

Along the front fence I see the Edgeworthia plumping up.

I almost think they are prettier before they actually flower.

On the side of the hill I see the first evidence of Colchicum getting ready for a burst of green leaves.

In the greenhouse I spied a single flower from a high alpine buttercup that was planted last year.

And I’ve moved into the house a pot of hybrid Cyrtanthus that is particularly showy.