Blooming Early Spring 2012

This clump of Pushkinia scillioides var. libnotica is almost always the first thing to bloom in the garden in the spring. When it first comes up it is quite white, but gets a bit of the blue color after it is out for awhile. Doesn't seem to be bothered by rabbits which can't be a bad thing.

Shortly after the Pushkinia is in bloom, the Iris histrioides 'Katharine Hodgkin' will come out. The color is just so unusual. Only about 5 inches tall and will multiply if it's happy.

About the same time, the Iris danfordiae will come up. This is not even quite as tall as the last one, and much more delicate. Things that come up so early shouldn't really be so frost sensitive, I think. We enjoyed it for quite awhile this year since the weather has been unseasonable warm.

Actually, the snow drops (Galanthus) are the first things out, but since they can be a month or more ahead of everything else, sometimes even in early January, I mostly consider them winter flowers, not spring ones. These are the double flowered variety which is most of what we have. They do increase and spread with great abandon.

Not a Crocus, but very Crocus-like, these Bulbocodium vernum are funny little things; with no real stem, the flowers seem to open right on the ground. Another one that increases freely if happy.

And then there are the Crocuses. These striped ones are some of my favorites and we have them all along the walk up to the house along with some white ones.

And this is always the first Daffodil to bloom. Rijnveld's Early Sensation. Sometimes one of the tee tiny ones will come close to beating it, but rarely does. It was so nice the other day to be able to pick some fresh flowers for the table after a winter of dried ones.

And despite the name, the Daffodil 'February Gold' really never blooms in February, though this year it came close. Some years it doesn't bloom until April.

I can't believe how nice the weather is for the middle of March, and it's supposed to be in the 70s for the rest of this week. There will surely be many more things blooming by then - and I'll surely be taking some pictrures of them. Tomorrow, though, I'll post pictures of the shrubs that have started blooming already. Sure hope we don't get a frost soon. Things are just getting soooo pretty. I'd hate to have them ruined.

Jane