Labeled Tulipa sprengeri, (Zephyranthes dicrhomata?)
I was pleased to see a bud coming out of my planting of Tulipa sprengeri this past week. But what emerged is very likely Zephyranthes dichromata. That’s pretty much par for the course on starting some of these unusual plants from seed. You can wait years for a seedling to emerge and then discover that it was either a mislabeled package or some friendly neighboring pot contributed some viable seed. It’s likely that the Zephyranthes jumped from a neighboring pot because they do seed freely. But then there are the successful outcomes like the big Paradisea that is just finishing in the greenhouse right now.
Paradisea lusitanica
This is a beautiful lily-like plant more than 2 feet high that came from seed distributed by the Pacific Bulb Society in the spring of 2013. It grows wild in the mountains of Portugal and might be barely hardy here. Another successful seed sowing from the PBS in 2013 was Dichelostemma multiflorum which grows wild in California.
Dichelostemma multiflorum
I’ve planted a lot of seeds over the past few years and managed to lose of lot of my seedlings last year when the water timer failed while we were on vacation. I’ve kept all those pots just in case, but decided last week to go through the hundreds of pots and reclaim the soil and pots.
Hundreds of pots to be reclaimed
I was delighted to find that some of those pots had seedlings just starting.
Brimeura amethystina seedling starting 3 years later
Fritillaria meleagris seedling
This all serves as a reminder that you have to patient to allow good things to happen. Another sort of patience comes with waiting for the first flowers. Four years ago I bought a tiny little seedling of Paeonia rockii from Wrightman Alpines. It has taken until this year to produce it’s first flowers. I think you will agree that it was worth the wait.
Paeonia rockii
Another delightful species Peony that is flowering right now was obtained from Plant Delights
Paeonia obovata ssp. obovata var. willmottiae
So returning to topic of planting seeds I should note that many of the seeds come up in abundance. They are often very cute as they so immediately resemble the plants that they will eventually become.
Draba parnassica
Antennaria rosea ssp pulvinata seedlings
Phyteuma scheuchzeri seedlings (BotanyCa)
Silene acaulis seedlings
Gentiana dahurica seedlings (BotanyCa)
Altogether, looking at the three alpine seed exchanges that I participate in, the results are just short of 50% of the seeds successfully started so far. In other words, so far, so good.
The other part of the seed topic is collecting the ones that are appearing right now. Many of the spring ephemerals are putting out seeds in quantity now.
Eranthis hyemalis ‘Schwefelglanz’ seeds
Hepatica seeds
Often the spring emphemerals have elaiosomes on the seeds that make them attractive to ants. So there is a brief 3-5 day window when you can just knock off the seeds to collect them. Otherwise, if they fall, the ants will gather them up and take them home for planting.
Ant carrying Hepatica seed
And, of course, every seed is not only a potential new plant, but also acts as currency if you are involved in seed exchanges.
Let me close with a few more of the flowers that have bloomed over the past two weeks.
Tulipa humilis ‘Alba Caerulea Oculata’
Corydalis turtschaninovii ‘Eric the Red’
Borage
And lastly a beautiful new Allium from Odyssey Bulbs
Allium (nectaroscordum) tripedale
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day April 2016
Panorama of Front Yard
Well for this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day there is no difficulty with finding things in flower. April is a fantastic time for a Maryland gardener. Just a few days ago we were assessing the damage from killing frosts (Toad lilies and the asian Disporum are surprisingly vulnerable), but right now we are relishing the blooms. Daffodils and Tulips headline the show. For example, there is this new addition to the woods.
Narcissus ‘Precocious’
And old favorites in the front bed.
Tulipa ‘Monte Carlo’
A naturalized tulip for woodland areas.
Tulipa sylvestris
And this new addition from Odyssey Bulbs last year.
Tulipa ‘Goldmine’
But the various smaller plants always capture my attention.
Erythroniums are at their peak right now.
Erythronium ‘Pagoda’
Erythronium multiscapideum
Erythronium dens-canis ‘White Splendor’
Close by is a new Scilla relative that we added this past year (also from Odyssey Bulbs).
Fessia hohenackeri
Note the lovely blue anthers.
There are also the epimediums, seemingly delicate plants that are oh-so-hardy.
Flowers on Epimedium grandiflorum ‘Lilac Seedling’
In this case the leaves are as special as the flowers.
Leaves on Epimedium grandiflorum ‘Lilac Seedling’
An aquilegia that my eldest son grew from a Scottish Rock Garden Society seed distribution begs for attention right now (very dwarf).
Aquilegia flabellata ‘Nana’
And there is a Muscari that I got from Brent and becky last year that is growing in very difficult place between maple roots and an American Holly.
Muscari latifolium
In the camellia bed we find a lovely little corydalis that has lasted for several season now (hard to do with the blue ones).
Corydalis turtschaninovii ‘Eric The Red’
The name comes from the leaves, not the flowers.
Nearby is one of my favorite trilliums.
Trillium ‘Roadrunner’
Also in the Camellia bed is one of the tiniest Hepaticas I have seen, the result of several seedlings I planted from Hillside Nursery.
Hepatica japonica seedling
The Alpine bed features a very nice Daphne, that has all the fragrance that you expect from a Daphne.
Daphne collina x cneorum
And in small trough #2, there is the most beautiful little phlox that is doing alll that you expect from a phlox.
Phlox sileniflora
And from the greenhouse there are a couple of plants that have come into the house recently.
Hippeastrum striata
This small Amaryllis-want-to-be is also called the Barbados Striped Lily though it is actually from Brazil and it is multiplying in it’s small pot like mad.
And a south african plant originally purchased from Annie’s Annuals.
Ixia ‘Buttercup’
This is at the tip of two-foot long stalks this year.
Finally, I should mention the various flowering trees. This is right now the peak of the crossover between the various fruit trees, crabapples and cherries, giving way to the dogwoods.
Crabapple (variety long forgotten)
The apple trees in the orchard are in the midst of one of the finest bloom cycles I have seen.
Mutsu Apple covered with blossoms
These are the highlights on Ball Rd. What is growing in your garden?
Belated Garden Blogger’s Bloom Post for March 2016
Corydalis solida ‘Gunite’
It is way past the normal mid-months sharing of what’s in bloom for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day. My only excuse is that I was in Florida taking pictures of all kinds of birds. Meanwhile Maryland had warm enough temperatures that many things accelerated right through their bloom cycle while I was gone. Today we are back to cold and intermittent snow, but I did get some pictures yesterday before the weather changed. Given the hour and lateness of the posting I will try to focus on just a few of the unusual flowers and you can assume that the daffodils, crocuses, Glory of the Snow, Leucojeum, Hellebores, etc. are all doing their spectacular thing.
One group of flowers that is really shining right now is the Corydalis solida.
Corydalis solida ‘Decipiens’
Corydalis solida ‘Beth Evans’
Close by is the first of the Erythroniums
Erythronium dens-canis ‘Rose Queen’
The Hepaticas are well into bloom now, though they seem to be staggered in time. Some are ready and others just poking through.
Hepatica nobilis ‘Pink’
Hepatica nobilis large form blue shade (single flower)
One of my favorite spring ephemerals are the Jeffersonia, both the Korean and American types.
Jeffersonia dubia
We also have a new snowdrop with very exotic markings that came to us from Lithuania last year.
Galanthus ‘Dionysus’
The same source, Augis Bulbs, also sent us a big flowered little tulip (i.e., big flower for a dwarf tulip)
Tulipa hissarica
I have to spend some time with the Adonis as they continue to fascinate me. For the first time we have Adonis vernalis (also from Augis Bulbs).
Adonis vernalis
The foliage is quite different from the ferny foliage of the other Adonis that we have. Note how even when the flowers are gone the Adonis amurensis ‘Fukujukai’ makes a very pretty clump.
Adonis amurensis ‘Fukujukai’ flower clump
The Adonis amurensis ‘Sandanzaki’ continues to flower and to give a sense of it’s flowering habit let me share the picture of both the overall plant and then the individual flower which began opening almost a month ago.
Adonis amurensis ‘Sandansaki’ flower clump
Adonis amurensis ‘Sandanzaki’ near end of triple bloom showing the full lion’s mane
Adonis amurensis ‘Sandansaki’ bud still starting it’s second stage
We also have the last part of the flowering of another unusual Adonis that mostly flowered while I was in Florida.
Adonis amurensis ‘Beni Nadeshiko’
There are a couple of nice Drabas flowering in the troughs right now.
Draba aizoides
Draba acaulis
Also in the small trough is the first bud for a pasque flower
Pulsatilla patens in the small trough
Well, there is more on the outside but let me finish up with a few plants from the greenhouse. The Spiloxene is pretty special right now.
Spiloxene capensis
And there are a couple of other related South African plants flowering too.
Gladiolus tristis
Freesia grandiflora
And last but not least is the first Ferraria that inspired me to grow these ultra curled flowers.
Ferraria ferrariola
Joyful Moments
Eranthis pinnatifida opening
My granddaughter raised a question in a video-chat dinnertime conversation the other night which was something along the lines of ‘what would you be doing when you are happiest?’ For me it is somewhere between lying on the grass in the warm sun contemplating the leaves overhead and the discovery of ‘new’ plants that are the result of what I planted last year and have completely forgotten about. The latter has been happening a lot lately. Either because I forget more than I used to or I was really busy planting last year. Day after day I am finding delightful new additions to our garden and it makes it really rewarding to explore the yard as though it were a new place each day. Last week it was Scolliopus biglovii (how’s that for a mouthful), a Christmas present from last year that I had quite forgotten about. Probably no flowering this year, but still a nice surprise.
Foetid Adders Tongue (Scoliopus bigelovii)
And now this week the Eranthis pinnatifida.
Eranthis pinnatifida
I discovered this little gem in an issue of the International Rock Gardener that focused entirely on Eranthis. I hadn’t any idea there were so many variations of the Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) which we have grown for forty years. We imported the Eranthis pinnatifida from England last year. At the same time I ordered a creamy yellow cultivar of Eranthis hyemalis from Lithuania and that was visible for the first time this week as well.
Eranthis hyemalis ‘Schwefelglanz’
Yet another new arrival this week was a rather unusual Fritillaria that we also obtained from Augis’ bulbs.
Fritillaria stenanthera ‘Ihnatshai’
This promises to be a very interesting flower as it opens up.
The small species Iris are also showing up in the Monument bed just now.
Iris danfordiae
And then there are the three yellow flavors of Adonis — plain, special, and extra-special.
Adonis amurensis
Adonis amurensis ‘Fukujukai’
Adonis amurensis ‘Sandanzaki’
In the greenhouse the Ferrarias are continuing to open up. Here are three flavors of Ferraria crispa.
Ferraria crispa
Ferraria crispa ssp.nortierii
Ferraria crispa
The wonderful Scilla peruviana has flowered extravagantly and earned a spot inside the house.
Scilla peruviana in pot
Also in the house right now is a pot of Freesia.
Freesia leichtlinii
And soon to be arriving is this Tulbaghia that is just opening up.
Tulbaghia simmleri
I was busy photographing the water droplets on the Aeonium in the greenhouse when a surprising visitor popped in front of my lens.
Waterdrops on Aeonium
Jumping Spider (Sitticus pubescens?)
I’m just guessing at the species from web photos. There are a lot of spiders in the world. Anyway, that was another joyful moment…
Hello Springtime!
Adonis amurensis ‘Fukujukai’
Is it just me or has spring been incredibly slow in arriving this year…
Anyway, with a few warm days it looks like all the normal players are contributing to the daily walk around interest in the yard. Key for me are always the Adonis which got a little bedraggled from the back and forth of snowstorms and freezing ground. But even the special Sandanzaki is beginning to bud out.
Adonis amurensis ‘Sandanzaki’ just opening
The little species crocus have been popping out in the lawn where I scattered them years ago
Small mixed species crocus in the lawn
And there is an especially nice tommassinianus that I would recommend to anyone.
Crocus tommasinianus ‘Roseus’
Just today the little histroides iris that has been threatening to bloom since December has finally opened up.
Iris histrioides ‘George’
Another standard for the early garden is the primrose that dots the spring pastures in England.
Primula vulgaris
With things starting to pop outdoors it is ironic that some of the most fascinating flowers right now are in the greenhouse. There’s a spectacular Moraea that opened up today.
Moraea elegans in bud
Moraea elegans
And a little Romulea that is the first of its clan to flower this year.
Romulea monticola
A couple of years ago (thanks Dick) a friend gave me some peruvian scilla bulbs that I potted up for the greenhouse. Mine were in the outside garden and have since perished from two really cold winters in succession. Anyway these squill have chosen to flower out of the pots this year and they are spectacular. There are 5 bulbs in each pot and this what just one of them looks like.
Scilla peruviana
There’s a another Oxalis that I got from Brent&Becky last fall.
Oxalis adenophylla
It has lovely crinkled foliage and is said to be hardy as well (I put a few in the flower bed so we shall see).
We have three good sized Clivia and they are flowering now as well. Nice enough that they earned a spot in the house.
Clivia miniata
Everyone should have clivia, they are so carefree and reliable.
And last but surely not least the first of my Ferrarias has come into bloom.
Labeled as Ferraria uncinata but I think it is more likely one of the crispa forms
Starfish lily is another of the names that the Ferrarias go by. It is hard to imagine a more complex curling of the flower petals (claws) than on the Ferraria. This was another acquisition from the Pacific Bulb Society’s Bulb Exchange. I don’t know of any other way to get these little jewels. Can you picture what a field of these looks like in South Africa?
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day February 2016
Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)
A few days ago it looked we were finally overcoming the 40 inches of snow that absolutely clobbered us at the end of January. You could see finally see little spring delights like the Winter Aconite peeking through. The first daffodil was unhappy but it was at least about to open up.
First Daffodil (probably Rijnveld’s Early Sensation)
But such was not to be for very long. We got more snow this weekend and once again the flowers are pretty much hidden. Even the redoubtable Hellebores are looking pretty shopworn for this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.
Hellebore in the snow
Some things look pretty good in the snow like the holly and the witch hazels.
Blue Holly in the snow
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’
But I can see lots of damage from the volume of snow. Several small shrubs (camellias and daphnes) have badly broken branches just from the weight of that snowfall.
You can imagine flowers like this snow covered Clematis seedhead.
Clematis ‘Waterfall’ seedhead
But once again we turn to pots in the greenhouse for more colorful flowers. The potted daffodils are continuing to flower and the lachenalias are all coming into bloom right now.
Lachenalia namaquensis
There is a very pretty little star flower that blooms right now.
Ipheion uniflorum ‘Charlotte Bishop’
And a wurmbea that I think is flowering for the first time for me.
Wurmbea stricta
And a Tritonia that flowered in February last year as well.
Tritonia dubia
Dubia for those who wonder about such things means ‘doubtful’ as in not conforming to standard. Anyway, it looks pretty nice to me. It’s another South African native that looks like a miniature glad.
Lastly, another plant flowering for the first time for us is a little Scilla from Turkey that has the most marvelous dark purple stamens. It is said to be hardy in Michigan so it will probably go outdoors this year.
Scilla ciicica
All of these five plants from the greenhouse came from seed distributed by the Pacific Bulb Society in 2013. They constitute a pretty good example of what you can obtain by joining the Pacific Bulb Society. Despite the name, the society is inhabited by bulb experts from around the world and they are most generous in sharing their seeds, bulbs, and expertise.
Oxalis in Motion
Oxalis asinia
Oxalis species have wonderful variety in both flowers and foliage. There are more than 800 species altogether, most from South Africa. One of the characteristics that I’ve seen in most of the varieties that I’ve grown is a strong responsiveness to light. Both flowers and leaves can be responsive to light, but the unfolding and refolding of the flowers is particularly lovely to watch. Rather than just opening and closing they actually twist at the same time so that when closed they take on the aspect of a very tight cylinder.
Oxalis asinia wrapped
To illustrate the process I made a time-lapse video of Oxalis purpurea ‘Skar’ over a 4 hour period one morning in the dining room.
httpv://vimeo.com/145508167
The flowers come to life as they greet the sun each day. Notice the untwisting.
Here are some of the other Oxalis that we are enjoying right now.
Oxalis pardalis
Oxalis cathera
Oxalis purpea ‘Lavender & White’
Oxalis polyphylla var. heptaphylla
If you are interested in Oxalis I suggest a visit to Telos Rare Bulbs. Diana Chapman, the proprietor, has an exquisite collection of Oxalis (among many other bulbs).
Another south african that is fully open right now is Polyxena ensifolia.
Polyxena ensifolia
So many buds packed into a very tight space.
One other item to mention today is the arrival of Daubyena stylosa. When we were visitng the Brooklyn Botanic Garden last Thanksgiving I noticed a marvelous Daubyena Stylosa plant in full flower. It was the first I had ever seen of that species. However I had just that august planted a few seedlings that I had obtained from a Pacific Bulb Society exchange. And now the first flowers have arrived on one of those seedlings.
Daubenya stylosa
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day August 2015
Gentiana paradoxa
Well I have very mixed feelings for this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day. There are a few flowers like the beautiful gentians in the alpine bed. But it is also the dog days of August with over a week since the last rain and no rain in the immediate future. On top of that we returned from vacationing on Cape Cod to find that the water pump had stopped a week ago and all the elaborate water timing I had set up was a total fail. It was bad enough for the outdoor plants surviving the drought-like conditions, but the worst casualty was the greenhouse. With no water the greenhouse becomes an oven. I can’t even bear posting the picture of what the greenhouse looks like. The bulb things will survive but the alpine seedlings that were painstakingly started this year were devastated. Focusing on the positive, there is a splendid Cyrtanthus hybrid which found the desert-like conditions just to its liking.
Cyrtanthus elatus x montanus
Another little bulb in flower right now is a Barnardia from Japan.
Barnardia japonica
Out in the very dry yard, the first thing that strikes you as it hangs over the porch is a lovely Limelight Hydrangea.
Hydrangea ‘Limelight’
In the perennial beds there are two very striking lobelias that capture one’s attention.
Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Lobelia x speciosa (Compliment Deep Red)
This one was brought up from Plant Delights this spring.
There is also a cute little Rosularia from Wrightman Alpines that I noticed flowering on one of the pieces of tufa.
Rosularia sedoides
There are lots of annuals that give us picking flowers for inside the house. I noticed a clearwing moth hanging on one of the verbenas.
Clearwing Moth on Verbena
For the annual flowers in the garden the Mexican Sunflowers have totally dominated over the zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, etc.
Tithonia dominating annuals
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia)