While it is far from spring and we need more winter (as in lots more rain) no one told the plants. So the garden is celebrating and one of the biggest shows is the narcissus of various design.
Narcissus Erlicheer |
Narcissus "Ice Follies" |
There are also quite a few hellebores of various shades of pink for the most part. I have one white variety but it just doesn't show up as well as the pinks.
Helleborus Berry Swirl |
The loropetalum is in full bloom earlier than normal as well.
loropetalum Razzleberry |
Leucojum, which I grow in place of snowdrops, are everywhere.
leucojum aestivum |
This sweet abutilon, whose name escapes me, has gotten scraggly and will need a bit of pruning but I am waiting until it really is spring. In the meanwhile it has quite a few hummingbird attracting blooms at the ends of long branches.
Sugar Magnolia snap pea has the prettiest blooms and makes me a bit less sad that I think all my sweet peas got eaten.
The camellias are covered in buds and were it not for Bloom Day I might have missed the fact that some have opened!
Camellia Jordan's Pride |
Up on top of the arbor I noticed the evergreen clematis blooms (above) from inside the house. This plant got cut way back in building the new arbor so it is not as floriferous as some years but it still brightens up the side path. Meanwhile, the verbena lilacina 'De La Mina' (below) brightens up the back path.
Fern Leaf lavender is a workhorse here. I used to baby it but, maybe thanks to climate change, it seems to bloom a huge part of the year and never more vibrantly than in winter. I have taken cuttings and it is now in several places so I think it is pretty safe here. Although, if we ever get back to a good freeze like the olden days I will definitely cover at least one of them!
Elsewhere more abutilons, narcissus, hellebores, pelargoniums, pansies, and the stray mutant iris (that have bloomed all winter) add to the color party. For more blooms in other gardens visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens and follow the links there. Thanks to Carol for hosting Bloom Day year after year so that we remember to check our gardens well and not miss those blooms!