My bulb project, Before picture #1

My Bridal Crown behave the same way, I think it must be normal for the variety. Once they start blooming the foliage catches up and they look normal.

Hi Nancy, I have never grown Bridal Crown so I am glad Neal answered as he has experience with it :-) I do know lots of different varieties can have interesting behavior, to say the least.

I am really excited about the oncoming of spring :-) Thanks for the eye candy, Nery and Nancy!

gemini_sage, I appreciate your sharing that reassuring information about Bridal Crown. I'll stop freaking out about mutant buds pushing out of the ground..

thanks again!

You're very welcome :-) Is this your first year with them? I'm thinking mine showed that behavior more prominently their first spring. Seems a lot of bulbs will exhibit odd tendencies their first year in the garden.

Steve, if BC is a good choice for the south, I believe you'd enjoy them. They're early for a double, and have a lovely fragrance.

gemini_sage, Yes, the Bridal Crown daffodils are new this year, along with all the rest of what I planted. With the wedding coming up, I couldn't resist ones with names like Bridal Crown, Sweet Love, and Romance (crocus). Ha.

Thanks, folks. I just planted some Bridal Crown last fall, and now I'll know what to expect.

I took some pictures of the Bridal Crown, two of the buds coming out of the soil, and one showing how they look with a little growth.

another of the bud.

oops. Here it is.

Here is a paperwhite, Winter Sun.

That's really interesting. I'll have to be very careful when I'm walking through the beds now, so that I don't step on any. Thanks for the photos NLaw.

Here is the Bridal Crown, with taller foliage and the buds still closed.

Very nice planting, Nlaw.

thanks so much. I really love those pansies with the ruffled edges.

A couple of weeks since my last update and photo, and I've got a lot of Ice Follies daffodils fully open and lots more are close.
One week ago,between times, we had a snow that broke the all time records for this area. 12 1/2 inches in one day-- unheard of! I'll post the snow picture,then one taken today.

Ice Follies, 2/18

Maybe this one will come out right-side up....

The grape hyacinths are looking pretty cute. I don't know how long they stay in bloom. Can anyone tell me what theirs have done?

The bulbs under the Mexican plum trees have finally started getting some growth, though there's still not much to see. They are Spanish bluebells, summer snowflake, and iphieon, mostly. There is a heavy layer of mulch they had to grow up through.

The Avalanche narcissus are still looking good. Last time I posted a photo was on Jan. 26th, so I consider this really nice "staying power". The Winter Sun paperwhites are also having a long-lasting bloom period. Having that big snow did not bother them in the least. They probably liked it better than when our temperatures can spike up to the 70's this time of year.

More crocus are showing, down below the hydrangeas. Still not fully open, but it won't be long.

One lonely scilla! Where are all the others I planted?

Those all look awesome, Nancy! My stuff is not nearly so far along for some reason. I might have one daffodil starting to open, though lots have sent up leaves and buds.

Thanks so much, Steve. I should have kept records of when everything was planted.

The Ice Follies are blooming earlier than I expected-- based on the bulb trial records put together by the Dallas Arboretum. Have you ever looked at their "Bulb Historical Data" ? It's an amazing piece of documentation-- years of records about many, many kinds of tulips, daffodils, etc.

I think my Ice Follies might have been planted a little too shallow..

Nlaw, they are all very beautiful. Everything is relative about the snow. That is an awful lot for you. Mine are still buried under 2 feet and most years we don't even get two feet.

It's so nice of you to share your photos.

stormyla, thanks so much.

My grape hyacinths do very well and are quite prolific one established so they should do well for you in time. Looking good. We have more snow here too although thankfully not as much as 12 and a half inches! Longing for spring now!

Thank you, Galanthophile. I can't get enough of that bright blue, so I'm looking forward to many Springs to come with the grape hyacinths.

I've seen bright Spring green growth starting on my spirea-- just the kind of sign we are all looking for. On the recent threads here on Dave's Garden, the "longing for Spring" feeling, and the excitement that it won't be long, are both so strong! It jumps off the screen almost!

More Ice Follies daffodils are popping out every day.

My husband just read the weather report, 1 to 3 more inches of snow this coming week. If the temperatures stay just around 32 and more than a degree or two lower, I'll feel better about it. But not a lot better. ( Yep, I'm whining. Better go look at the daffodils again.)

That's gorgeous, Nancy! Wow - for some reason I am not nearly as far along as you are and also not as far along as last year on the same date. I think it's because our winter is much colder this year than last. Aren't your Ice Follies newly planted? Mine tend to sometimes come up later second year rather than first.

I took this yesterday:

And here is last year, Feb. 18th

Hopefully this week's snow won't be anything like the last one. This was taken AM of Feb 12th before I had to get help from my neighbor to get me out of my driveway so I could get to work.

Steve, I was thinking the same thing about the Ice Follies, that maybe they've bloomed earlier this year since it's their first year--- even in spite of the colder than average winter. I think we planted in early to mid November. That thing about sometimes getting odd behavior in the first year is all I can attribute it to. Plus one variable -- we had some help with these and I believe some of the bulbs they planted were put in rather shallow. The ones we planted ourselves are just up with about 4 inches of foliage and no buds. Even a little shorter than yours are now.

Thanks!

It seems most daffs bloom earlier their first year for me too.

Spring is coming later here too. I had Daffs and Crocus blooming by the end of January last year (which is exceptionally early for this area), but this year I've just got little sprouts now.

Enjoying the early show.

The grape hyacinths are growing and showing up better in the bed.

Those are pretty, Nancy....I will be really cool when they multiply over time and form a "carpet". I have some in a couple pots and last year and I found some about a hundred feet away under a tree - I think they go to seed as well as reproduce by bulb...

Still almost nothing for me. I do have a handful of daffs starting to open up front.....and some hyacinths sending flower stalks up.....and one of my peonies is sending up shoots....but I have never in the ten years I have lived in TX seen everything as late as it is this year. I am literally almost a month behind last year bloom-wise. I might have four flowers in bloom right now outside of a few crocus. Something better bloom soon or I'll be depressed, LOL.

The weather this winter has been a roller coaster for sure. Maybe the bulbs think it's safe to come out now!

I finally have a few St Kevernes blooming. Weather is beautiful today - 64 currently and sunny. I didn't think we were ever going to have highs above the 40's.

LOL I know all the northerners are rolling their eyes at my whining. Especially bad since I used to be one:-)