Snowdrops

The snowdrops in our front flowerbeds have just started to open. While petite in size, these small bulbs are one of my favorites. Their simple white bells are are so crisp and clean in a world that is still made up of mostly browns and grays. They are also amazingly tough for their small size. While they might be temporarily flattened by a February snow or ice storm, they quickly bounce right back.

Snowdrops On Wordless Wednesday

Late Winter Sunshine & More Spring Promises

Now that March has arrived, the flower beds are really starting to come alive with color. It might still be Winter on the calendar but it looks like Spring outside.

We have a couple of different clumps of crocus. They haven't completely opened up since we haven't had any full sun but they are still beautiful closed up tight. I love the purple veining against the white petals.

The Iris Reticulata are always the first iris to bloom each year. They are small in stature but have wonderful, vivid colors.

This group of snowdrops are fighting their way out from underneath a grass clump.

A perfect clump of "tete-a-tete" daffodils.

We also have lots of bulbs growing in pots. Another pretty variety of iris reticulata.

Bright red cyclamen and sunny, yellow pansies.

Who Put That there ?

As I walked around the flowerbeds this weekend, this scene caught my eye. Somehow, we have two snowdrops that have come up right through an overwintering perennial. No one remembers this happening last year. Hmmmm? It does make a pretty display.

Snow, Sun-breaks, Hail, and Planting the Peas!

Today was certainly an interesting weather day. It started snowing in the early morning hours. The snow actually stuck and accumulated a bit, but then began to melt as the sun broke out around 9:30 AM. All morning and early afternoon dark clouds kept rolling through the area, bringing another round of snow showers. During one of the sun-breaks, I decided it was time to get my pea plants in the ground.

Last Monday, at the monthly Avid Gardeners meeting, Alice Doyle of Log House Plants brought a wonderful selection of Pea plants for sale. Since the meeting was held on Presidents Day, the traditional day to plant peas in our area, Alice was selling the Peas for just $1.00 each. How could I walk away from that deal? There were many varieties to choose from but I went with a new-to-me one - "Blauschokker Purple Pod".  The tag describes it as " an open-pollinated, shelling variety. Beautiful ornamental edible. Red & violet flowers are followed by dark violet 3" pods with sweet, tasty brown-grey peas. Use peas fresh or dried in soups & casseroles. 80-90 days from transplant." Doesn't that sound interesting?!

Each 3" pot had 5 healthy plants. I set in the ground one of my bean towers from Gardener's Supply Company. On each of three sides I planted 5 of the young pea plants. The wind was gusting off and on, and the poor plants kept getting pushed to the ground. Fortunately peas are hardy and it won't be too long before their tendrils will have wrapped around the tower for the first time. Then they will be off and running.

After I planted the peas I pulled back the remay cover on my garlic bed. The garlic is looking good. The growth pattern on the hardneck variety "Chesnook Red " pictured above, is certainly different than the softneck variety "Nootka Red", pictured below.

After getting the peas planted I turned my attention to the front flower bed. It is slowly getting overtaken by young bitter-cress plants. I know from experience that if I don't get them pulled soon, the mature plants will fling seeds all over the bed. And then I will have the same situation next year. I had been weeding for 1/2 hour or so when the sky darkened and the roof started making popping sounds - hail! I ducked under the eves of the roof and watched the hail pour down.

When the storm had passed, my poor little snowdrop cluster that I had just plated earlier in the day was surrounded by hailstones. Fortunately, snowdrops are one of the many tough, spring bloomers and they showed no signs of damage. A quick walk back to the kitchen garden revealed that my peas were just fine too. Who know what the rest of the day will bring! Gardening in February isn't for sissies!

Snowdrops

One of my joyful discoveries this last weekend was the emergence of the snowdrops! So far, four of the clumps that we transplanted from our old house have started to push up. They are so very tiny at this point and are dwarfed by the grass, moss, and leaf debris that they are growing up through. But there is no mistaking those fat, white flower buds no matter how small they might be.

A Late Winter Walk-about

Last night it began just pouring rain around 5:30 PM and continued raining hard until at least 10:00 PM. The storm had cleared when I woke-up and in the afternoon I took a walk around the property. I hadn't been up to visit the Crab Apple Tree for awhile and was really pleased to see that it had broken dormancy and the buds have begun to swell. Its branches were just covered in beautiful, deep red tips. This will be its second Spring at our house after being planted Mother's Day of 2009. I can't wait to see the show it puts on this year!

I also found hiding in the grass this sweet little snowdrop. When we moved to this property, we moved six large clumps of snowdrops from the other house. Well, we obviously aren't gifted at moving snowdrops! This year we have a whopping 2 blooms to show for our work! Well, maybe this little guy will set seed and start to naturalize. We can only hope!

Because of all the heavy rains that we have had the last week or so, the creek is really running strong right now.The water is muddy brown and it is making a lovely roaring sound.

The "February Gold" daffodils are just about to open. The sad reality is the deer, who aren't suppose to eat daffodils, have munched off the top of every bloom but two! So, ta-da. here is this years display. I am starting to see a trend here.. two "February Gold".. two Snowdrops....

The Hellebore on the secret path are also blooming. They are a pleasant shock of color in an otherwise shady spot.

And the Shooting stars on the secret path continue to grow too. I love their chubby, fat leaves.

And I had to post a picture taken down at the big garden. Here is one corner of my garden, the day after a heavy rain. Only about 2" of standing water. Can you tell that I garden in a wetlands area..Yikes!

More February Color

When we woke up this morning, last night's snowfall has all melted but it was still cold with a biting wind. We were up early because today was the first day of the Hellebore Open Garden Days at Northwest Garden Nursery. Located just west of Eugene, Northwest Garden Nursery is owned by Ernie & Marietta O'Byrne. While the O'Byrnes grow many unique perennials, they have become famous the last few years for their hybridizing efforts with Hellebores. They have greatly increased the color variations available as well as expanded the blooms from singles to doubles and beyond. We attended the Open House last year, but arrived on the second day only to discover that they were already sold out! This year we arrived right at 10 AM when they opened and hit the hoop house first to do our shopping! Once we had picked out 5 beauties to take home, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the garden.

Besides Hellebores, the gardens are filled with lovely trees and plants. Even though we are still deep in Winter, there was bursts of color everywhere that you looked. I really loved this big drift of snowdrops.

And how beautiful is this large clump of Cyclamen.

I really like the contrast in color of the slate blue/grey with the blood red on this Agave.

A bamboo screen used to define the back of the garden.



Some pretty mottled foliage.