Tag Archives: early spring plants

Early April Charms

The temperature is 79°F (26°C) at 7:00pm but it will cool down for the weekend about ten degrees. It has been sunny and warm this week and somehow I even managed to get a few things accomplished in the garden. There are quite a lot of weeds I still need to tackle, but I can see progress in the area of maintenance. Meanwhile plants are responding to the nice weather, putting on new growth, sending up shoots and displaying glorious blossoms.

Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox) is just beginning to open. It is planted in several locations around the garden and I just made an application with our architectural review board to put some in the “hell strip” near the street where grass struggles to grow.

I prefer the bluer hues and currently am growing Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Blue’ and the darker Phlox subulata ‘Purple Beauty’.

On the left is Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ and on the right, ‘Purple Beauty’.

Phlox subulata

This native Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine) is at about the same stage as last year and should bloom in a few days. This particular one is hovering above a thick mass of Monarda didyma (Scarlet Beebalm), also a native plant.

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

Despite being crowded out by evergreens in the back corner of the garden, a struggling Cercis canadensis L. (Eastern Redbud) is valiantly signaling another spring. This tree also is native to this part of North Carolina. The clusters of magenta flowers often grow out of the tree trunk itself.

Cercis canadensis L. (Eastern Redbud)

I pruned the Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ back to 7-8 inches in late winter and it is leafing out and forming a lot of healthy buds.

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

Spiraea is in full bloom this week in the western border.

Spiraea

Another white flower in bloom now in my garden is Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft). This can be long-lived but I have lost many plants in the last few years due in part to voracious voles and perhaps also due to wet soil. Some have survived here at least ten years so there may be a difference in the variety also. At any rate, things are moving along. So nice to see the garden awakening.

Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)

Beginnings

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A sunny, warm afternoon yesterday gave me a chance to try out my new Felco 8 Classic Pruners. They worked great and I was able to easily trim the liriope and creeping juniper in the front along with a clematis and a few other things in the back garden. So, although there is another month before spring officially arrives, my spring gardening season has begun.

As I worked I uncovered 3 hyacinths making their way out of the winter darkness. These were planted twelve years ago before the liriope that came with our home’s “landscape package” had spread so thickly. I did not understand at that time that some liriope clumps and some runs. Unfortunately this is the rascally running type, not very desirable and not so easy to contain. At any rate, yesterday I managed to trim the old leaves of the liriope without damaging these three surviving hyacinths.

Each spring I chide myself for not taking time the previous fall to plant lots of new spring bulbs. Oh well, these three little treasures will bring special enjoyment and there are lots of daffodils coming up as well.

Hyacinthus orientalis (Common, Dutch or Garden Hyacinth)

A Late April Meander

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Remembering how spring hurried in and rushed past so quickly last year has made the this year’s leisurely drift into spring all the more enjoyable. The garden’s gentle pace toward April flowering has been a gift, allowing time to watch and anticipate.

Standing in the garden yesterday, I had that feeling for the first time this year that the individual plants were coalescing, uniting to form a whole, unifying to create a balance to the garden that escapes it other times of the year. This early part of the gardening season, with its fresh growth of foliage, tender young shoots and the promise of imminent flowering is my favorite time in the garden.

Foliage

Lavandula x intermedia ‘Dutch’ (Dutch Lavender) shows a fresh flush of leaves after being cut back severely in late winter.

Lavandula x intermedia ‘Dutch’ (Dutch Lavender)

New leaves of Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood) are fresh and healthy after a hard pruning. This sits in front of white-blooming Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion).

Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood)

The early spring foliage of this Chrysanthemum complements the silvery, fuzzy leaves of Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear). Both of these are some old-fashioned pass-along plants.

Chrysanthemum

Yellows

The first Coreopsis blooms are open and colored a deep sunny yellow.

Coreopsis

Chrysogonum virginianum (Green and Gold) is a native that I have tried several times to establish as a groundcover in this garden. This one was added last spring and looks promising. Today I noticed it being used in a garden along with Coreopsis and it worked well.

Chrysogonum virginianum (Green and Gold)

Melampodium ‘Showstar’ is a reliable summer-blooming annual that tolerates the heat and drought.

Showstar Melampodium

The first tall irises to open each year are making a strong show this year, filling up the Southern side path.

Iris germanica (Bearded iris)

Blues

A long-time favorite pass-along, this year Tradescantia (Spiderwort) is on probation in the garden. Last fall and late winter I dug out untold numbers of strays and yet many more are showing up in odd places. At this time of year it is lovely though. Here it mingles angelically with an Iris without a name, also passed along by a friend.

Iris and Tradescantia (Spiderwort)

Linum Perenne ‘Sapphire’ (Flax) does not perform very well in this garden but the perfect blue color of its dainty flower keeps me trying.

Linum Perenne ‘Sapphire’ (Flax)

Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’ was blooming by this time last year. There are two other Baptisias in the garden.

Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ opened it first flowers this week as did a striking Batik Iris, Iris ger. ‘Batik.’

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

Iris ger. ‘Batik’

Other Notables

Ants have found the Paeonia ‘Pink Parfait’ and presumably are enjoying the nectar. Looking back I see this Peony is at the same stage as it was this time last year.

Peony Paeonia ‘Pink Parfait’

Overall the garden has filled in quite a lot in just a few weeks and the Meditation Circle plantings are growing well.

Meditation Circle

Garden View With Meditation Circle

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine) is everywhere.

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

Iris ger. ‘Raspberry Blush’ is getting lovelier every day.

Iris ger. ‘Raspberry Blush’

Early April Color

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At mid-afternoon and mid-week, it is a sunny 54°F. There is a freeze-watch for tonight, but the plants in the garden seem emboldened by the moderating temperatures of the past few days. In these first days of April spring is inching forward, bringing deep, rich color.

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ (Spurge)

Phlox subulata ‘Purple Beauty’

Spring Arrives!

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Though the sun later broke through, the early morning was cloudy and cold when I walked through the garden looking for blooms. Forecasts warn of lows near freezing tonight and temperatures will dip into the twenties later this week. But here it is, March 20, 2013, and today is the first day of spring. The vernal equinox occurred at 7:02 a.m. EDT.

The early blooms of Helleborus have been a highlight since the first week of January.

Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)

The garden is waking up but shows no sign of hurry. Among the several patches of Phlox subulata a lone flower is open.

Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’

A few little Muscari flowers began blooming this week. These were planted over a decade ago and barely bloomed at all last year, so it is nice to see them again.

Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)

Diminutive white flowers are beginning to fill the branches of a Spiraea I brought from my previous garden.

Spiraea

Iberis Sempervirens filled the meditation circle last year but most of what was planted there has died out. I blamed moles but also realize the site may not drain well enough for this plant. Fortunately it is tucked around the garden in other spots, a cheery little plant.

Iberis Sempervirens (Candytuft)

Last fall I finally remembered to add a few more daffodils to the garden. Just opened today is the first flower of the miniature Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete.’ The garden was so overgrown when it was time to plant these bulbs, it was hard to find a good place for them. They were relegated to an old terra cotta pot, which worked out just fine.

Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ (Tete-a-Tete Daffodil)

Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’ has been blooming beautifully for a few weeks. I love the milky white streak that marks these blossoms.

Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’

Happy Spring!

Sunshine and Weeds

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Today was ideal for being in the garden, even if the task at hand was to weed a long strip along the fence on the north side. It was sunny, temperatures in low sixties and peaceful—no mosquitoes, no air conditioners running yet and only one neighbor mowed his lawn.

There is nothing new blooming at this time, but the daffodils continue to add brightness and cheer.

Daffodil

Recently there have been some very windy days, sending drifts of lemony fragrance around the yard from the Daphne odora (Winter daphne) The Winter daphne has been blooming for weeks. Most of the flowers are browned, damaged by cold weather, but the delicious scent lingers.

Daphne odora (Winter daphne)

Progress in pulling weeds today was slow as I have injured my left hand and doctor’s orders are to rest it and not lift more than a few pounds. The hand seems to be improving, but slowly. I could not waste the beautiful day so I weeded with the other hand. This was highly inefficient but it allowed me to enjoy being in the garden, thinking garden thoughts.

One thing I contemplated is where are all the early spring plants I added last year? There is no sign that Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebell) will return—I think it should coming up by now. It was among a group of natives I added to the garden last March. From that group at least the three Rudbeckia fulgida (Orange Coneflower) and three Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox) have survived. Others which I believe likely did not make it are Chrysogonum virginianum (Green and Gold), Geranium maculatum (Wild geranium), and Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot). There is no sign either of Polemonium ‘Bressingham Purple’ (Jacob’s Ladder), which was crushed by a neighbor’s broken pine tree mid-summer. I hoped somehow it was tough enough to rebound.

It is too early in the gardening season to be discouraged I think. Tomorrow should be another nice day for gardening. With plenty more weeds awaiting, there should be ample time to ponder the fate of these lost plants and to work out how to fill the void, yet again, left by their absence. Better still, perhaps the plants will turn up.

pbmGarden

Sense of place, purpose, rejuvenation and joy

Tag Archives: early spring plants

Early April Charms

Beginnings

A Late April Meander

Foliage

Yellows

Blues

Other Notables

Early April Color

Spring Arrives!

Sunshine and Weeds