Tulips kissing. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
Spring is in its full glory.
The forsythia and the early blooming spring bulbs have come and gone. Fortunately, the temps have dropped a bit, which preserves the mid- to late-season bloomers.
Eastern U.S. native dogwood flowers about ready to open. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
Daffodils (Narcissus), tulips (Tulipa) and Leucojum are beautiful right now. Redbuds (Cercis) and serviceberry (Amelanchier) also are blooming, and coming soon will be the dogwood (Cornus florida), which I need to show a photo of now because it may be done blooming by May 15.
The ground cover sweet woodruff (Galium odorata) and Epimedium are blooming, as are the forget-me-nots (Brunnera macrophylla). I don’t have a ‘Jack Frost,’ although I’d like to.
Mother Nature's color combo. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
Also looking good are the pots of ‘Ultima Morpho’ pansy (Viola x wittrockiana), an All-America Selection and one of my very favorites. Mother Nature has provided just enough dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) to compliment the blue grape hyacinths, too.
My Judd viburnum (Viburnum juddii) doesn’t look like it will have as many flowers this year. The Japanese kerria (Kerria japonica) has all but disappeared. Both have been affected by the terribly cold winter. I’m going to miss the kerria because it worked so well with the hundreds of Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginia), which are just coming on.
The ‘Blue Mist’ Fothergilla also bit the dust. This was one of the first shrubs I planted when I moved here. And, I think my ‘Cool Splash’ bush honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia) may not have survived its third winter in the nursery pot. Even four hellebores (Helleborus) made it through winter in nursery pots. The ones in the garden finally have some size and mass to be showy this year.
'Northsky' blueberry (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
The ‘Northsky’ blueberry (Vaccinium) did survive winter in the nursery pot piled with mulch and is ready to bloom. It’s called a ‘half-high’ blueberry. I bought this plant October solely because of the beautiful deep red fall color. Most of the other plants I wintered over under heaps of mulch seemed to fare well.
Work has picked up at the garden center and so has my public speaking opportunities. I’ve also gained a several new garden coaching clients and have my clients’ pots to pot. A busy time of year in nature and in life.
Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for getting us in touch with what’s going on in our environment at least once a month and to report on it.
Love, love, love the Taraxacum with the Muscari, an inspired combination! (Ha!)
One of my Kerrias looks bad, too, and the Fothergilla are definitely not happy. Some were moved last spring and with the drought and the winter, they are done, I think.
My Judd Viburnum looks like it will be blooming this week.
Thanks for joining in for bloom day. It’s nice to compare with gardens around the world, but I really like to compare mine with yours on the other side of town.