Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day April 2009

– Posted in: What's up/blooming
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The second wave of crocus washes over the Crocus Bank. (c) Cadence Purdy

The second wave of crocus washes over the Crocus Bank. (c) Cadence Purdy

Looking over last year’s April Bloom Day post, I see the same things blooming at pretty much the same time. The smaller-and-earlier species crocus are on the wane, but the later-and-larger Dutch crocus are definitely making a color statement. I’m thinking about getting more of these and extending the crocus bank further towards the road and maybe wrapping around. I don’t have to make up my mind now, but I need to take a picture of the area in question, print it out, and mark exactly where I want them to go, because if I do choose to plant more, I’ll need some way to remember where they currently end.

These Siberian squills have self-sown.

These Siberian squills have self-sown.

I planted these Siberian squills at the base of a dry-stacked stone wall, and they are thriving, multiplying by seed as well as by bulb.

apr09daffodilsThe earliest daffodils are blooming, but there are plenty more to come. This particular clump came from bulbs that were already growing here, and I lifted them and divided them. I have no idea what variety they are.

Pink Splash corydalis from Odyssey BulbsThis pink corydalis is larger than last year, but the color seems more washed out than last year. Maybe that 16F night we had earlier in the week changed the color.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

This ‘Spring Glow’ cornelian cherry seems to have a more upright habit than others I’ve seen. It is in full bud, but most of the individual florets are not yet open, just like last year.

The New Jewel in the Spring Garden

I have one flower blooming for the first time in my garden:
apr09hepatica_blueThis is Hepatica nobilis. I bought it from Seneca Hill Perennials with the unremarkable name of Mixed Blues. There is actually more of a violet cast to the flowers; they are not quite as blue as the photo makes them appear, but they definitely are dramatic. When I ordered this one, I mistakenly thought it was the native species. It’s not, but it’s still a great plant for the early spring garden.

Inspired by the words of Elizabeth Lawrence, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year,” Carol of May Dreams Gardens started Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. On the 15th of every month, garden bloggers from all over the world publish what is currently blooming in their gardens, and leave a link in Mr. Linky and the comments of May Dreams Gardens.

About the Author

Kathy Purdy is a colchicum evangelist, converting unsuspecting gardeners into colchicophiles. She gardens in rural upstate NY, which used to be USDA Hardiness Zone 4 but is now Zone 5. Kathy’s been writing since 4th grade, gardening since high school, and blogging since 2002. Find her on Instagram as kopurdy.

In its own way, frost may be one of the most beautiful things to happen in your garden all year . . . Don’t miss it. Like all true beauty, it is fleeting. It will grace your garden for but a short while this morning. . . . For this moment, embrace frost as the beautiful gift that it is.

~Philip Harnden in A Gardener’s Guide to Frost: Outwit the Weather and Extend the Spring and Fall Seasons

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Craig @ Ellis Hollow April 16, 2009, 8:10 pm

Ken in Sweden has some great hepaticas: http://kenschill.blogspot.com/2009/04/hepatica-nobelis-flora-plena-nu-blommar.html

Save some seed for me.

Craig @ Ellis Hollow’s last blog post..Snowdrops in NY Times

Lori April 16, 2009, 2:03 pm

I also really love the picture on the upper right hand corner of the swath of daffodils. Sometimes I really miss living in WI where spring bulbs stole the show!

Lori’s last blog post..Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day – April

Lori April 16, 2009, 2:01 pm

Oh, your bank of crocuses glowing in the sun is GLORIOUS!

Lori’s last blog post..Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day – April

Cadie April 16, 2009, 11:57 am

I can’t remember for sure if I was just leaning over the crocuses to get the picture, or if I was laying on the grass. I think I was actually just leaning over them, but holding the camera down low so that you get a straight-on view. I took quite a few pictures of them from this close-in perspective, trying to show the swathe of beautiful blooms in a way that makes it feel like you’re looking at them up close. I always look forward to the crocuses blooming, and we all always take pictures of them every year, but to me they seemed especially striking and beautiful this year. They’re especially beautiful when the late afternoon sunshine is slanting down and shining through them. I tried to take pictures so that you could see all the colors of the blooms extending downward, giving you the feeling of lots and lots of crocuses blooming, but also so that you can see them up close in detail as well. I fiddled around with the manual focus on my camera to get that effect–nothing carefully calculated, mind you, I’m not good at that, just making the focus range go up and down to what looked about right. If I get around to it, I’ll post more of the crocus photos on my Flickr account.

Town Mouse April 16, 2009, 10:36 am

Lovely post! How did you get the crocus at an angle like that? Really tells the story…

Town Mouse’s last blog post..GBBD: Late bloomer

Carol, May Dreams Gardens April 15, 2009, 11:40 pm

You sure saved the best for last… that Hepatica is a beautiful flower. And I like Annie’s idea of using golf tees to mark where spring flowers are blooming. I might try that.

Thanks for joining in for bloom day!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens’s last blog post..Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – April 2009

Sweet Bay April 15, 2009, 10:33 pm

I love Hepatica. That one is just beautiful. And the crocus shot is truly wonderful!

Sweet Bay’s last blog post..Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

salix April 15, 2009, 9:56 pm

There IS nothing like spring flowers, is there? I have a special weakness for the scillas – my mom used to have lots. I’ll have to make a note to plant some in the fall.

healingmagichands April 15, 2009, 7:08 pm

I’m with all the rest of them, I LOVE that hepatica. I am wondering how it would do down here in the miserable frying heat of August, though? I might try it anyway.

What I like best about GBBD is the opportunity to see what is going on elsewhere in the gardening world.

Your crocus bank is delicious. I have one too, but not nearly so well populated. The squirrels think the corms are a delicacy.

Phillip April 15, 2009, 6:27 pm

Wow, the hepatica is beautiful! I’ve never seen anything like that.

chuck b. April 15, 2009, 5:42 pm

A big “Yes” to what everyone else is saying about that Hepatica! And I love the drift of crocus. I wish I had room for that.

chuck b.’s last blog post..GBBD

Gail April 15, 2009, 2:43 pm

Kathy, Fantastic blue/purple I think you ought to christen it~~”Noble”! Hepatica nobilis Mixed Blue just doesn’t do it justice! The crocus is fantastic…that is what crocus ought to look like…a bank of it! Happy GBBD. gail

Gail’s last blog post..Going Native~~GBBD April 2009

Muum April 15, 2009, 1:54 pm

love the hill of crocuses (crocii?)! mine are sparsely scattered, and need to be put in one spot, I think. and love love love the new Hepatica!!! wow.

Muum’s last blog post..Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day – April 2009

Dee/reddirtramblings April 15, 2009, 1:43 pm

I love the angle of the shot of the daffs. Very cool. All that yellow. That last one is a stunner, and your entire garden appears to be waking up. Happy Bloom Day, Kathy.~~Dee

Dee/reddirtramblings’s last blog post..Dear Friends and Gardeners Week Six

Mr. McGregor's Daughter April 15, 2009, 1:35 pm

I’m wondering if you should extend that Crocus bank – I’d hate for you to get sued by people who crashed their cars while mesmerized by it. ;^D That Hepatica is just a stunner. I sure hope I didn’t get any drool on my new laptop.

Mr. McGregor’s Daughter’s last blog post..April Bloom Day (Now With Ephemerals!)

Leslie April 15, 2009, 12:50 pm

I just love that crocus bank! What a wonderful swath of color!

Leslie’s last blog post..Garden Bloggers Bloom Day April 2009

Tessa at Blunders with shoots, blossoms 'n roots April 15, 2009, 12:36 pm

That Hepatica looks fake almost- the colors are so striking! Just beautiful! I think I may just have to look for that :). The first photo, on the crocus, just jumped off the screen at me- great photos!

Tessa at Blunders with shoots, blossoms ‘n roots’s last blog post..Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day- April ‘09

commonweeder April 15, 2009, 11:25 am

Kathy, You have answered my Bloom Day question: do scilla’s self seed? I have some blooming amidst dense weeds and they surely were never planted anywhere near there. I thought it was a beautiful mystery. thanks for the solution.

commonweeder’s last blog post..A Thrifty Herb Garden

Cindy, MCOK April 15, 2009, 10:36 am

Kathy, I’m swooning over the Scilla AND the Hepatica … oh, to be able to grow those!

Cindy, MCOK’s last blog post..Through the Garden Gate: Monday, April 13th

Kathy Purdy April 15, 2009, 11:14 am

Cindy, they are both such tiny blooms, too. I wish I had included a coin in the photo to show the scale.

Annie in Austin April 15, 2009, 10:22 am

The shimmery boss of stamens on the Hepatica are utterly charming, but the self-sown Scilla is the flower I miss.
Did you ever try using different colors of golf tees as markers for your bulbs? You push them in so you can mow over them but still find them with your hand when fall planting time arrives. I’ve only had moderate success with this idea but it’s cheap to try.
Happy Bloom Day, Kathy!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Annie in Austin’s last blog post..Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, April 2009

Kathy Purdy April 15, 2009, 11:13 am

I just might try the golf tees. I’d read that tip before, but had forgotten it. Thanks for the reminder, Annie.

Darla April 15, 2009, 10:15 am

Crocus’ are so pretty and that last photo is to die for!!

Darla’s last blog post..GBBD 15th of the Month!

MA April 15, 2009, 10:01 am

Outstanding photo of the crocus. And yup, hepatica is sensational!

MA’s last blog post..Dear Friends and Gardeners, Week 6

emma t April 15, 2009, 9:59 am

The Hepatica is stunning! thanks for the tweet. Amazing. My mind boggles.

emma t’s last blog post..TO MONETISE, OR NOT TO MONETISE

Kathy Purdy April 15, 2009, 11:14 am

Emma, thanks for stopping by. I hope to check out your blog later on today.