Some may say this is a late spring, but compared to last year I think it's fabulous. At this time last year I barely had a few irises and tulips peeking out of the ground, but this year the daffodils are already in bud!
Peonies are showing their hot pink shoots, and my great blue lobelia (L. siphilitica) has formed its mat of early green growth.
A number of columbines are gracefully unfurling themselves...
...including this tiny little guy! (Sorry it's so blurry.) This is one of last year's seedlings that has so far survived.
Here is one of my favorite examples of the resiliency of plants in the face of my stupidity:
I laugh out loud every year when I see this tulip bravely pushing through the oregano plant that I plunked on top of it three years ago, obviously in the summertime when the tulip had long been dormant and forgotten. This is a perfect reason to utilize plant tags!
I've noticed a number of natives in the back gardens also coming to life, including wild hyacinth (Camassia scilloides), nodding wild onion (Allium cernuum) and prairie smoke (Geum triflorum). My trout lilies, 'City of Haarlem' hyacinths and 'El Cid' tulips are, for the most part, conspicuous in their absence, and my 'Ruffled Velvet' Siberian irises are nowhere to be found! I am positively aggravated about that last one, but I'm hoping they're just late starters. Has anyone had experience with Siberian irises coming up later than bearded irises (which are robustly growing in the front garden, as seen in the top photo)?
Ominously, we're expecting a late winter snowstorm this weekend and I'm concerned about all the fresh young growth that could get killed. The columbine seedlings are a particular worry. But that's life in a Midwestern garden! I already have a number of seedlings to replace any that might not make it this spring, which is the best insurance policy!
6 comments:
Spring here we come!
You're not the only one to plop a plant on top of a bulb. I think we're pretty much right on schedule around here, unlike the Mid-Atlantic and the South. It's so exciting to see those little green shoots. Don't worry about the Columbines in the snow, they'll be fine.
Don't worry about the trout lilies; none of mine have started emerging yet. They sprout a bit later, but bloom so quickly. It seems the Siberian Irises also take their time sprouting, but I don't seem to have any new growth on my bearded Irises, except for the ones by the dryer vent.
I frequently manage to slice bulbs when I am planting...the hazard of having a few choice sunny spots in an other wise shady garden. I love all the wildflowers you have coming in...gail
Your tulip coming through the oregano made me laugh, Rose:) I do this kind of thing all the time, especially in the fall when I plant more bulbs. No matter what method I use to remember where last spring's bulbs were, I invariably dig up more of them trying to plant some new tulips or daffs.
I've been gone for the past week visiting my daughter in Arizona and was so surprised when I returned to see how much is coming up already in the garden. I think Spring may actually be ahead of schedule this year!
Hopefully nothing in your garden was hurt by the cold this week Rose.
Everything here is fine. My siberian irises haven't sprouted yet. The toad lilies have little buds, but I think they may have heaved a little over the winter and that's why the buds were showing.
It's so exciting seeing all those pretty young shoots!
I just began some garden clean up today. Bearded irises are up, and no, no sign of my Siberians. But I have no fear; they have not failed me in the past, I do believe they are later arrivals, so you should be fine! (I am zone 4)
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