Spring is here.....what made it, what didn't?

In about 2 weeks now.....

"Its a jungle out there"

I just noticed 7 buds on my tree peony, it's coming along.

Still shuffling.......

So far so good. Looks like the Grace Ward Lithodora didn't make it thru the winter... I'm wondering if I thought they were weeds and pulled them????

guilty here.

me too

that's great deb - i only have 3 or 4 buds on mine and i think 2 on another.

Been there done that too. No sign of mine yet either. Trying to resist the mad weed purge until I am sure everything is up and out enough that I can recognize it.

I am very happy to see my Sienna Sunset Coreopsis has made it through winter. Also very happy about the Crocosmia sending up two little shoots of growth now.
Agastache cana which I grew from seed, that did not overwinter the last try.
All my Torch Lillies,including Nancy's Red, a Blue Leave one from Seneca Hills and a bunch I grew from seed. Also from Seneca Hills my Clematis texensis which I thought was a goner at the end of the season last year. Must have just gone dormant thank goodness.
High Country gardens - Hardy Verbena 'Annie' and a Ornamental Oregano are also showing signs of life which I am thrilled about because they didn't amount to much the first season. Still waiting for signs of the hardy Salmon colored Glad I got from them.
Oh and my Mesa Veda Ice Plants, very happy about those too.
Unfortunately one of my new Irises from Schreiners rotted, Apricot Drops. Sad about that but I have so many things to be happy for that I guess I can get over it! lol :)

Woops I have a sticky space bar today, thought I caught them all!



This message was edited Apr 10, 2010 10:54 AM

Just back in from a short walk about. Soil wet again from yesterdays rain will need a few hours of sun to dry out a bit before any work can be done on extension out back. Noticed the penstamon 'Stapleford Gem' plants are not showing any growth yet but the agastache 'Heat Wave' and 'Black Adder' are growing and the last two echies I was waiting on 'Ruby Giant' and 'Purity' are also up and growing. So no loss in the echie department so far. Nothing yet on the late starters butterfly weed or Balloon Flowers yet that I can see. Also no sign of joe pye weed yet.

DH was weeding & wondered why he felt cold. Well, temp is 49 & according to weather on TV boston wind chill makes it seem like 39°. I think that he should find something to do indoors.

DL's and Orientals are up, iris up, bleeding hearts are blooming, lobelia is up, centaurea montana is up, geraniums are up, peonies are up, pieris pulled thru, JM's good, Rhods and Az's good. One rose took a beating but still alive. Kerrias are really good, malvas are up. Lost one Lewisia. Trilliums are up. Enkianthus made it (planted last year). Still have a couple of beds to uncover so probably a lot more to come. Peace

The dumb hot weather made all the beautiful cherry trees drop their blooms already!

That stinks! I lost Tulips the day they opened last year!

I was out walking around and I remembered my lavender has made it through winter too. I grew them from seed last year and I haven't seen them bloom yet.

Small white flowered trillium are in bloom. They are very cute--source is a friend who propogates their own plants

I like trillium.

I do too. I hope we don't miss them! They are very early, it seems.

Frank - You have so many things up and blooming already! I can't believe you have bleeding heart blooming already! wow!!!!

Trillium are so pretty, I wish we had some around here in the woods. Also meant to mention the jacobs ladder 'Stairway to Heaven' has come through and all four are growing very nicely. This was one I was worried about due to not so good results from others that have had it. They are on a slope so maybe the extra good drainage is the trick to getting them to return. Happy gardener here. ^_^

I have maroon trillium here in the woods growing wild, I recently planted a white one and see that it has sprouted. ^_^
I can share the maroon trillium, but they do not like to be moved....it's iffy at best.

Celeste, is it true that it takes 7 years for a trillium seedling to bloom? I think I read that somewhere, but can't recall for sure if it was the trillium. We have the tricolor trillium growing wild in the same area where we do the lady slipper count every year.

17 years if they're pollinated by cicadas!! ^_^

This message was edited Apr 10, 2010 8:38 PM

I have no idea.....I planted mine 18 months ago, this is the first i've seen of it and it's only one leaf! LOL

I have a few white trillium buds up too, does seem early. One of my favorite flowers.

And I bought a jacobs ladder (small) last fall, and it is looking good now, I'll have to check which one, but it is variegated and some red in the foliage. Very pretty right now. I hadn't had luck with the variegated ones in the past.

Here is a website that gives some info on the trillium. This is not the source I was thinking of, but it discusses the developmental stages to bloom. Celeste, your single leaf may suggest yours is in the second year?

" Gardening with trilliums teaches the rewards of patience: after seeds germinate roots grow the first year, a single seed leaf the second and the first true leaf the third year. The familiar three-whorled leaves often do not develop until the forth or fifth year and may require 2 or 3 more years to bloom. Trilliums are long-lived, spreading slowly and taking several years to form a significant clump. Do not remove old flowers but let the seeds develop; ants will disperse them around your garden to start new clumps. Great white trillium grows 8 to12 inches tall, and over several years can become a patch up to 18 inches in width. Trilliums are poor competitors, do not to plant aggressive plants nearby."
(http://www.easywildflowers.com/quality/trillium%20grand.htm)

I guess i'll be waiting awhile ^_^

I worry about our best one as we have lily of the valley in the area which is a vigorous spreader.

Lily of the Vally UGGGGGH
I love the flowers but am not about to put in any plant that doesnt behave.
On the other hand There are plants that dont come back ,like my coriopses.There's a disapointment too.

i have a BIG patch of wild lily of the valley over by the shed - love the smell and the area is full of white pine roots clay and rock so it nice to have it there.

Perfect it wont interfere with real soil.

exactly!

I love LOTV, reminds me of my Grnadmothers camp...she had them planted with forget me nots and I never have.^_^

So do I. Never saw the problem. Was always annoyed that it took so long to spread.

I have LOTV in dry shade and they have not spread as much as I'd like them too, love the smell and they make cute bouquets.

Just realized my Woodstock Hyacinths never came back. Short life span? 4yrs.

Donnie - my plants are up but not to the bloom stage yet except for dicentra and helebourse and pulmanaria.

As for LOTV's I have a gazillion of them. One whole slope is covered with them.

Celeste - a better way to look at it - as to your trillium - is that you are already into the second year and it is not easy to get there from a trillium seedling. I think you are very fortunate and that is exciting! Imagine how you'll feel when it blooms!

Hank's mother planted LOTV in our meadow in the 50s and the patch now stretches all the way up to the top. Hank mows paths through it, but it is so pretty when it is in bloom. I, too, love the little miniature flowers in a small vase. It does spread into other things around the house pretty quickly though.

Frank - you must be excited to see the lovely blooms now! I hope my bleeding hearts hold on for another couple of weeks before they start blooming.

Donnie - the season's going to be over before you get back up here!!!!!

Frank - believe me, I'm feeling that way down here! I'm just itching to get moving. Today we went to Sanibel to Ding Darling Preserve to see all the birds at low tide. There weren't as many as we usually see and the alligator areas were all fenced off because it is too dangerous now in mating season. The day was lovely and we had lunch at the Bubble Room which is always fun. Patti - did you get down here at all this year? I thought about you today when we were on Sanibel.

lost a zenobia