spring 2014

It seemed like it would never get here, but spring is erupting throughout my woodland.
Here's what I found on a survey of my woods today.
#1 is winter aconite (eranthis).
#2 is Adonis foliage bursting into spring.
Another early spring woodland bloomer with neatly dissected foliage.
Unfortunately, it hasn't yet bloomed for me, despite healthy foliage each year.
#3 is a double galanthus. I can't remember which one.
#4 is a double hepatica just starting to open.
I discovered him as I was clearing away the winter leaf cover today.
Since it's supposed to snow tonite/tomorrow, I covered him back up - after taking his picture, of course.
#5 hellebores getting started. Only takes 1-2d of decent weather and they start blooming immediately. They won't be fazed by expected temps tomorrow night in the teens.
It''s always exciting to start the annual spring ritual.
Can't wait to see what's coming to life next weekend.
What's blooming in your neck of the woods?

Beautiful, can't wait to see more of your little jewels.

Weerobin, I love seeing your spring woodland blooms - it is becoming an annual ritual that I look forward to!

The only thing to bloom in my garden so far is 1 lone hellebores foetidus that started a few weeks ago, and now within the last 2-3 days the little patch of snowdrops galanthus nivalis. I've added a few hellebores over the last two seasons - have about 25-30. Most of them have buds starting at the base, but it will probably be a few weeks before they bloom.

We had beautiful weather here in Northern Virginia yesterday, but today was much colder and snow is expected again tonight/tomorrow.

I'm limited with my camera options right now, just the camera on my cell phone. All my plant pictures come out horrible so I don't have any to post. I've been researching DSLRs and will be purchasing one in the next week or two. I'm really hoping I can get much better pictures this season.

Aspen, I suspect those hellebores will pop any minute.
The first mild day or two and they spring to life.
We were supposed to have snow today, but nothing came of it.
Supposed to be warmer the rest of the week.
Looking forward to the progression of spring ephemerals to continue next week!

Woke up this morning to 10" - 12" of snow. This is crazy - it was so mild on Saturday! Washington DC Federal Govt is closed, so at least I didn't have to attempt the commute.

I'm hoping to get that camera this week, so if the hellebores pop I can practice taking pictures on them. I have two winter blooming daphnes odorata shrubs that I put in last season. In theory they should bloom soon, but I'm not sure if they survived the winter. Do you know if the deer target those? I'm looking forward to the progression of blooms from your garden!

Amazingly enough, my deer haven't attacked the daphne odora's.
About the only plant they leave alone.
But alas, what the deer left alone,
mother nature killed with this winter's low temps. Murphy's law, I guess.
Should have known better, but zone denial is in my DNA.

How fun to play with a new camera! I'm eager to see your pictures!

Only thing I see here are the tips of hyacinths and star of Bethlehem. Hellebores flattened by constant snow cover for 2 1/2 months. Ground is either still frozen where snow was deepest (but melting) or slithery mud on top of frozen ground. Not wanting to damage anything, I stuck to mainly pruning clematis today although my fingers were itching to start the spring cleanup. Keep posting those photos to give us in the frozen north some hope of spring.

Spring marches on... though highs just in the 40's today doesn't sound very springy to me.
If you gaze outside from the window, still looks solidly like winter.
But if you get outside and scout around on the ground, things are definitely popping.
#1 is the double hepatica I showed above, 1 week more developed.
A beauty, if I don't say so myself.
#2 is obviously a crocus, though I don't ever recall planting crocus. I guess a volunteer.
#3 is one of the generic reseeding hellebores which are blooming throughout my woods.
I have no idea which one, just reseeds itself around.
#4 is a hellebore called 'party girl', I think.
#5 is a corydalis just getting started
Aspen, have you got that camera going yet? Let's see the pix!

I bought the camera yesterday after work. Last night all I managed to do was get the battery charged. Today the weather here is wonderful - high 60s and sunshine, so I've been outside all day just doing general cleanup. Temps are supposed to start dropping again tomorrow and snow is predicted Tue/Wed.

I've been getting the matted and collected leaves out of the hellebores and trimming them up, picking up downed branches and everything and anything that got blown down in the woods over the winter, etc... Still just snowdrops here, but I'm hoping to start using that camera tomorrow to get a pix of them. I hope I can start getting closeups as sharp as yours are.

That double hepatica is really nice, and I'm a big fan of the hellebores. Never had much luck with corydalis here, but I keep trying... I need to plant some crocus one of these days just to have early winter blooms to look forward to.

I had a surprise plant delivery earlier this week.
So I spent a chilly day out planting some bare root beauties.
It's just in 40's here today and supposed to be mid-20's overnight.
I got 8 guys in the ground, incl 2 species of paris and a couple beautiful miniature polygonatums (hookeri & prattii).
All tucked in ready to withstand the chill tonight.
Felt good to put a shovel in the ground for the first time this year!
Hope you get that camera going; always fun to play with a new toy!

I got some bare root trillium erectum planted a few weeks ago, and more are coming (trillium grandiflorum, undulatum, and catesbaei). I've only tried bare root one other time with maidenhair ferns from a co op - didn't have a high success rate. Hopefully, the percentages will be better with these trilliums. In the 40s today compared to high 60s yesterday.

Here are the first shots from my new camera. Everything is in auto mode for now.
#1 and #2 - snowdrops
#3 - hellebores 'Pine Knot Strain'

Wow, congratulations on your new camara.
I don't use 'auto mode' since my auto mode never focuses
well on up close subjects. But yours look great.
Maybe technology is improving (my camara is just a few years old).

As for bare-root trillium, I've had good success with them.
And much cheaper than buying plants.
I particularly love t catesbei.
You can put your camara to work again when they're up & blooming!

Wow-loving these gorgeous spring blooms. I love my hellebores too and would like to add many more since the deer don't mess with them. I have a new Mac Pro--first real computer here in this household and will be getting a camera soon. I so hope to be able one day join the fun here. This is one of my very favorite forums. Plus, you all have inspired me to plant some woodland beauties--those you've mentioned throughout this forum are just gorgeous. Yesterday was good here--mid 60s but 40s today and worse to come. Planted peas in a new garden spot and it sure did feel good, Weerobin, to get some dirt on me. At least it was sunny today. Bought this guy early in the week just because I needed something new and green. Will go in a container eventually. kim

Yesterday was annoyingly cold (40's) but today 60's - beautiful. Finally!
Here are some of the guys starting to stir in my woods.
#1 Hepatica nobilis.
#2 Chionodoxa forbesii. I don't know how it ended up in the middle of a thread-leaf chamaecyparis ...
#3 Jeffersonia dubia - first bud just opened. You can see many more coming up, so it will be a beautiful display in a few days.
#4 is front-on view of jeffersonia - really pretty.

And a few more...
#1 is the first anemonella thalictroides of the year.
You can see the reddish new foliage just behind the blossom.
#2 is a somewhat bedraggled hacquetia epipactis.
After last winter, I'll take anything resembling a bloom.
#3 is a bloodroot. They naturally colonize my woods.
The flower emerges before the foliage has unfurled.
#4 Cardamine heptaphylla.
It will form drifts of lavender blooms in the woods within the next week or two.
Spreads a little, but not invasive.
Hopefully today's beautiful temps aren't just a tease, but here to stay!

Absolutely beautiful!

I'm like the Cardamine. Reminds me a bit of my native Virginia waterleaf but the flower color isn't as deep and the flower form is different.

I love your gardens Weerobin, they give me ideas for mine! Your hepaticas are beautiful. I just bought some this spring. I got bare root ones last spring but they never worked out...same with bloodroot. This time I'm getting them in pots so they should have a better chance.

I really like the hepaticas too. I don't have any in the garden yet, one of the things on the perpetual "list". That is so cool that you have bloodroot colonizing the woods. Looking forward to what you have blooming this weekend!

Unfortunately, I'm missing this weekend (out of town).
It always kills me to miss a spring weekend!
But Friday before I left I found a few beauties blooming & took some pics.
You know I'm never shy about posting pictures,
so I'll be sure to post them when I get back in town tomorrow!

Can't wait! I was at a native plant sale on Saturday and bought my first two hepaticas. I think they are already past blooming, so I'll have to wait for next year. I also bought two trillium erectums and three dodecotheons. Still only the hellebores blooming here, but lots of things are emerging.

Just got back in town. 4 boxes of plants waiting for me on the porch!
Nice homecoming! Here are just a couple pictures of plants blooming last Friday.
The one I was particularly interested to see is a pink bloodroot.
I had a 'pink' bloodroot a few yrs ago; only the faintest pink if you used your imagination.
This one was supposed to be more clearly pink, so I decided to give it a try.
Here it is; a nice pink on the outside, but still white interior.
My native bloodroots are also blooming (#2).
I have broad swaths of native bloodroot which have naturalized extensively in the woods.
My puschkinia was just budding, probably open now. I like the striped buds (#3).
Finally, a couple more corydalis. #4 is c. solida transylvanica.
I'm not sure which corydalis #5 is - as usual, lost the tag. A nice rich purple.
I'll get to a garden survey in the next day or two to see what's new.

Gorgeous Wee...I'd love to see your gardens sometime.

Nice!!!

Wee beautiful photos. I do some shade gardening but do not have anything like your gorgeous plants. Although last year my double bloodroot was spectacular. It has grown into a 12 " plant and was simply covered with flowers

Gary

My double bloodroot is just starting to blossom - should be spectacular in a day or two. I hesitated initially to buy it due to expense, but now many years later, I'm glad I did. Like yours, mine has expanded nicely, is tough as nails (grows with intense root competition under the shade of a red maple) and blooms reliably. It may be the plant I most look forward to every spring - though, come to think of it, I suspect I say that about other plants, too! ...

Wee, do you think bloodroot would be able to handle intense root competition from galium odoratum?

I don't know. I'd hate to risk a pricey double bloodroot, since I suspect galium likely wins the fight.. Might be worth trying a native bloodroot to see how it does?
Speaking of which, my doubles are just starting to open (#1).
I showed a clump of jeffersonia dubia previously - they're in full swing now.
I love the rich color (#2&3).
But our native jeffersonia diphylla (aka twinleaf) is not too shabby (#4&5).
All are pictures from today!

I have always coveted the double bloodroot. I've had the native one for years and it's moved to other places in the garden from where it was originally planted. Must be ants carrying seed as some are 20+ feet away.
Does anything compete with Galium and win the contest?

More woodland plants blooming today:
#1. Anemone blanda. It scatters itself around the garden, but never invasive.
#2. Pulsatilla georgica. Blooms much earlier than the more common p. vulgaris. Requires sharp drainage. Also requires more sun, so it's on western edge of the woods w/ baking afternoon sun.
#3. Anemone x seemanii. Reliably comes up through the thickest winter leaf cover.
#4. Gentian verna. Again requires more sun, but thrives at eastern wood margin, afternoon shade.
#5. A clump of trillium lancifolium. I'm pleased to see babies at the perimeter of the clump.
It has very narrow leaflets, which you can't really tell yet. Quite distinctive.

#1 Chloranthus japonicus. Blooms are already intact within the emerging foliage. These are just starting to bloom; full bloom is a cute spire of white bristles. I really like this one. Slowly enlarging clump. Typical woodland setting.
#2 Leucojum aestivium. Bigger/bolder than typical bulbs. Easy.
#3 Pachysandra procumbens. This is the native species, not the more common Japanese p. terminalis. Not invasive at all. Flowers are clustered at center of last year's wilted leaves.
#4 Isopyrum biternatum. Similar to anemonella.
#5 Cardamine heptaphylla spreads gently to form a purple carpet in the woods.

Last few for today:
#1 Pachyphragma macrophylla. A nice white-blooming woodland perennial. Reseeds gently.
#2 Anemonella thalictroides. I think they've changed the genus back to thalictrum, not sure. At any rate, reliable spring bloomer with white flowers against dark reddish spring foliage. Foliage turns green later in summer.
#3 Corydalis solida George Baker still going strong.
#4 Puschkinia scilloides libanotica. I posted picture of it's striped buds last weekend; now opened to reveal beautiful pale striped blue blooms.
Spring is so remarkable in the rapid development of all my woodland plants,
it's hard to keep up. I'm sure more are getting ready for next week!

Oops! Forgot to post the pictures!

What a nice set of photos to wake up and find this morning. They are all gorgeous - I especially like the double bloodroot and the corydalis.

I noticed some trillium lancifolium on my walk about yesterday - I'll have to take the camera down to the creek today and get pictures. I have a friend who has a 500 acre farm nearby, and there is a strip of woodland along the Potomac River that has many more natives than what I have on this side of Lucketts. It is hard to get to - down and then up a steep ravine, but for several years in a row I went and collected VA bluebells - he has them by the 1000s there. I also dug a few of the trilliums and transplanted them by my creek - they have doubled/tripled in quantity, although it is slow going when you only start out with 3-5.

Wow Wee, very nice collection! Thanks for the pics :)

Some more pictures of spring blooming woodland plants.
First is my double bloodroot again - looking great.
#2 is anemone blanda. It's usually deep purple, but occasionally color variation.
#3 is the cutest trillium you'll ever see, trillium pusillum.
#4 is anemonella thalictroides. Colors evolve as blooms mature giving it a multicolored look.
#5 is a spring blooming gentian. It needs to be on the sunny woodland edge with morning sun.

#1 is a hybrid erythronium from Collector's nursery. Interesting bloom
#2 is an odd fritillaria uva vulpis. Yellow tipped dangling blooms.
#3 is another odd flowering woodland groundcover, trachystemon orientalis. Strange blue flowers.
#4 is celandine poppy (stylophorum) with Virginia bluebells in the background just trying to get started.
#5 is pulmonaria.
Edited to add that the celandine poppies, bluebells & pulmonaria are all volunteers. They pleasantly scatter themselves around the woods, not invasively. You can see from the leaf litter in the pictures, these aren't cultivated beds, the plants fend for themselves and can push through pretty dense leaf debris without a problem.

This message was edited Apr 17, 2014 6:45 AM

Wow, your gardens put mine to shame! Very beautiful!

My early spring bloomers aren't performing very well. Not sure if it's because they were covered by snow for so long or what. Just a couple of blooms on my older hellebores and even the Jeffersonia and Anemonella are sparse. Wondering if I should give them a feed or not (I usually don't).

I've never bothered feeding mine.
I presume you're just a little late this year - you're a zone colder than me.
I suspect everything will jump into gear pretty soon. Hope so!
This is the high point of my gardening year, early spring woodland flowers.
For the rest of the year, I'll be a spectator drooling over all those summer garden borders everyone else seems to be able to create.