Aubretia overcoming the winter cold
I think this little aubretia blossom aptly describes the effects of winter snowstorms and frozen ground for this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day. We had a couple of nights with single digit temperatures where I added another heater for the greenhouse just to make sure. We’re now back to the twenties at night and thirties-forties daytime which is more of our typical wintertime. The flowers outside are still scarce to find though. There’s a few violas that Beth planted last fall that are remarkably resilient despite being smashed by the snow.
Fall planted viola
Similarly the Jacob hellebores have been smashed to the ground but are still sharing their flowers with us.
Helleborus niger ‘Jacob’
It’s not too hard to look around and find evidence that there are flowers ready to burst forth if they are given the slightest excuse. Even the Cyclamen Coum which seems quite out of season has several buds showing.
Bud on Cyclamen coum ‘Lake Effect’
I have the slavonia pasque flower growing in one of the large troughs. It has the most intricately hairy buds showing above the ground.
The hairy buds of Pulsatilla halleri sup. slavica
For more flowers we have to go into the greenhouse where the oxalis are still holding forth.
Oxalis purpurea ‘Skar’ bud opening
Oxalis purpurea ‘Skar’
The Oxalis purpurea have been blooming since October. More recently a lovely little Oxalis obtusa has popped up.
Oxalis obtusa ‘Peaches and Cream’
I’ve taken to bringing one of the oxalis into the kitchen to enjoy the unwrapping and folding of their blossoms each day.
In the house we have just one orchid in bloom.
Moth orchid
That’s it from a cold Maryland hill. I figure we are less than two weeks from January 21 which I shall now designate officially as post-Solstice. This is roughly the ground temperature analog to the December Solstice that marks the shortest day of the year. I figure that from January 21 onward the ground temperature should get warmer and warmer. I don’t want to say that I can’t wait because I actually enjoy each and every day of the march toward springtime ephemerals. Bud by bud, shoot by shoot, and flower by flower the world will be coming alive again…
Each little bud is the promise of spring!
Happy Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day!
I think you have made January 21st into my new favorite ‘holiday’. I’m not a big fan of the shortening days, and to be sure they’re getting longer and to know that winter is retreating out of the soil really cheers me up.
Once longer days return I also look forward to every new sprout. It’s that time of year when all the drought and bugs are forgotten and all your plans will work out perfectly!
Frank, I just got my Temple Nursery Snowdrop catalog in the mail thanks to your posting from last year. That certainly has some cures for winter doldrums on its pages.
I first thought that Pulsatilla was some poor baby bird that had fallen out of the nest.
🙂 I’ve had much the same reaction every time I exit the greenhouse…