Thursday, April 8, 2010

Blink and You'll Miss It

It is dark, gloomy, rainy and coolish. And, I couldn't be happier. On the glorious days we've had over the past week, I've been on garden clean-up duty - stopping only when I've got my daily 5 Costco brown bags filled. I'm sore, but so delighted to find that I've got more than Hamamelis blooming away in my garden. So, here's what's happened so far:

When we got our hot weather, everything exploded out of the soil - especially the tiny spring bulbs. It was a race to help free them from last year's leaves.Ahhhhh, much better. When I first started to garden, my first and only early flowers were Hepatica. Their tiny sweet blooms always make me think that spring is finally here.
Dragging a bag around the side of the house, I almost missed the Leucothoe in bloom.

This isn't quite what I had in mind for the other Leucothoe I planted when I had hoped to hide the water meter. Pathetic. Will put this on the garden revision list.
Podophyllum peltatum looking nothing like a Mayapple.

Oooooo - little early primula.

Crocus planted by Mr. Squirrel Nutkin.

And, the last of the Hamamelis, with just a couple of chartreuse shreddy coconut bits hanging on.

Cue the neighbourhood magnolias....someone told me that they last for a month in England? Look how they start to shed here even as they're opening - if it's hot, this one will last for no longer than a week.
The scent is grand.

Here's the Abeliophyllum distichum. It started to blossom the very day the Hamamelis was done. Every now and then it looks as if I know what I'm doing.
It loses its pink quickly, living up to its name of white forsythia.
Can't remember planting these, but like their graphic novel sort of quality.
In time for the Masters almost....buds on the earliest Rhodo/Azalea - don't know which.

Much more buds on the Quince thanks to resident squirreler Bart.


Sanginaria canadensis harvested last year from building site. Think they look quite happy here.

Took this on my walk yesterday....can you imagine waking up to this? It was nice and green the day before. Skunks, racoons - who knows? At least the home owners know they won't have grubs this year.....


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Barbara~~ Your podophyllum looks otherworldly. I think you should keep it handy for a photo contest.

You've named your squirrels. I love that.

My Star Magnolia, [M. stellata] has been in bloom for well over a month. Sounds like I'm bragging doesn't it? Truth is, this is the first time it's ever done this. In years past the petals turn ugly brown and scatter all over. It's got to be a weather thing...

Your Hepatica are rescued from a building site??? WOWZERS. Nice going!! Successful plant rescues always thrill me.

I hope your sore but happy muscles heal quickly.

Anonymous said...

Ouch to the mad diggers in that last shot! That would be quite upsetting to say the least. Your spring has sprung so quickly. I love when the bulbs foliage pierces the dried leaves, it almost seems impossible but happens a lot. You have given a good sales pitch for the Abeliophyllum, I have never seen one except in catalogs. I agree with Grace the mayapple shot is prize worthy! :-)
Frances

Barbarapc said...

Grace, OVER A MONTH...that's just fantastic. Such gorgeous flowers - what an absolute delight to be able to enjoy them for four whole weeks. Just heard the forecast that we're expecting cold tomorrow 39F - snow about 3 miles north of here expected - fingers crossed that it's just rain here - one more day of recoup and then hopefully back in the garden for Saturday and Sunday.
Frances - spring has come at a fierce pace - most unlike other years. The Abeliophyllum has a pretty scent too - nice and light. Its form is very much like forsythia, so I'm inclined to let it do its vase-like thing rather than cube it. It also is very ordinary during the rest of the season - but I forgive it everything because it's so lovely this time of year.

Gail said...

I so want a Star Magnolia~the scent alone is enough to woo me, but aren't the flowers lovely! In Nashville ,the blooms are often cut short by frost~~

You have some beauties in those wildflowers..I've rescued many from future builds and they must love us for it, 'cause they thrive!

OMG...I would resort to traps if I had those tunneling creatures! Gophers? Moles? Pests!

I hope the snow stays well north of you~~gail

Deborah at Kilbourne Grove said...

I have wanted a white forsythia for years, maybe now, after seeing yours, I will get my act together and buy one.

Barry said...

Barbara:
How refreshing to see Spring making an appearance in our Ontario gardens. I too love Hepatica and noticed this morning that mine are about to burst forth. The Podophyllum is most intriguing. I brought Abeliophyllum distichum 'Roseum' in to the annual house at work this week and it sold within an hour. A beautiful plant - much preferred to the garish yellow common Forsythia! Spring is here..... even if they are calling for snow tomorrow in my neck of the woods!

Barbarapc said...

Gail, it was most likely a racoon -and ours are large enough to furnish 3 small children with coats and mitts. I'm sure the home owner is looking for an arms dealer at this point. Am going to check to see if those trilliums I liberated made it - it is nice to be able to keep at least small native populations percolating in the 'hood.
Deborah - they can be quite slow to be established - mine looked like junk for about 3 years. But now, it's earned a spot in the garden.
Teza, I was so pleased to be able to show, that yes, we do indeed have gardens and spring here too. I think I must have the record for the most photos of Hamamelis for the whole of Blotanical. So glad to know that you carry some of the more unusual varieites of plants - great idea to bring it in to show folks what's in store - it really is lovely.