Mixed Hellebores

The first Hellebores are coming into bloom for this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.  That striking green contrast is provided by Helleborus viridis.

Our weather is flirting with winter and spring as the days go by.  The snowdrops don’t seem to mind either choice as illustrated by the the exotic Blewbury Tart.

Galanthus nivalis ‘Blewbury Tart’

In addition to it’s multiple tepals the flower is outward facing, not doing the normal droop of snowdrops.  See these Galanthus nivalis for comparison.

Galanthus nivalis

The other interesting flowers at this point are the Adonis.  They open only in the sunshine and by late afternoon are already closing.

Adonis ‘Fukujukai’ in shadow

There still only just a couple of open buds on the Adonis amurensis ‘Chichibu beni’.

Adonis amurensis ‘Chichibu Beni’

Eranthis are abundantly open at this point, including the soft butter yellow Eranthis hyemalis ‘Scwefelglanz’.

Eranthis hyemalis ‘Schwefelglanz’

There is one plant of Jeffersonia dubia that is way ahead of the other Jeffersonia.  It has a ton of buds just opening.

Many Jeffersonia dubia buds

And one plant of Cyclamen coum is cautiously opening.

Cyclamen coum

In the new alpine bed, we have the first buds showing on a little draba that I put into Tufa last fall.

Draba hispanica in tufa

It seems to be quite happy growing in the rock.  The plant was from seed planted last January (2016) as part of the NARGS seed exchange.

And the Fritillaria stenanthera Karatau that I shared recently is putting out its first blossoms.

Fritillaria stenanthera Karatau

In the greenhouse many Oxalis continue in bloom.  One that I like especially is O. obtusa.

Oxalis obtusa MV6341

Notice the striping from the rear.

Oxalis obtusa MV6341 from the back

And an absoute charmer is this bulb from the PBS exchanges.  Actually that’s where the Oxalis came from too.

Hesperantha paucifolia

Hesperantha paucifolia

Unlike many of its kin, the flowers seem to be hanging around. It’s been in flower like this for more than a week.