Ledge and Gardens

Crocus, Scilla, Eranthis - Three for Thursday

The little bulbs, Scilla siberica, Crocus, and Eranthis hyemalis have been up for a while but they fail to unfurl when the temperatures are cold. (I did sneak in the snowdrops). It is generally around 50F when the flowers open.  We have had very few days with temperatures over 50F.  Yesterday was the perfect spring day for working in the garden.  You might disagree.  I like it cool when pushing a wheelbarrow of compost and dragging leaves raked from the gardens. I noticed the flowers wide open while cleaning beds.  It is very hard to stop raking and dragging and compost spreading to pick up the camera.  It breaks the rhythm.  I did force myself, i.e. needed to stop in order to rest the weary muscles, to run in and get the camera.  The ground is fairly dry which is a good thing since photographing small flowers requires the prone position.  Bright yellow is harsh this time of year and I must remember to put the Eranthis next to the scilla.  A mixed bed would just be glorious.  There is nothing so blue as this little scilla.  Even the pollen is blue.  One lone purple striped crocus is blooming in a corner of the garden.  It is difficult to notice just one crocus especially one that is white and purple.  It called to me begging to be noticed.  It deserves better placement and more added.  The small bulbs are a good way to start the spring season.  They would get little attention if they bloomed at the same time as that showgirl, the herbaceous peony.   What is your favorite small bulb.  I cannot choose. I just can't.  Thanks to Cindy of My Corner of Katy for her inspirational 'Three for Thursday'.    

The blues of spring!

High 83 F
Low33 F

Another beautiful but very warm day.  It is hard enough on the plants but we humans are not quite acclimated to this temperature change either!  After record rain the weekend previous to this one, I am now hearing that fire danger is high!  Well,  enough of that and on to more interesting items.  The blues are out!  This is the first spring that I can remember  that the Glory of the Snow, Chionodoxa forbesii, have not bloomed on Patriot's Day!  Here is a picture of these little beauties!  It is a true blue which should be planted  en masse in the fall when the bulbs are available.   Lovely , don't you think? 

One of my favorite blue flowers in the spring is the Siberian squill, Scilla siberica.  It is a bulb and should be planted in the fall in large groups which will give a good show.  I have this under a crabapple tree with Blue plumbago planted in the same bed.  The blue plumbago, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, is a great companion plant as it does not emerge until the scilla  are  done blooming.  One interesting note on this scilla is that it does readily reseed.  I have a path of it across the lawn to the woodland border just where I rake the bed out.  It is sparse but discernible.  The blue plumbago blooms in late August and is also a good, true blue.  The only blues necessary in the spring are a few of these lovely bulbs!