hepaticas

The early spring that showed up last month went on hiatus as the Arctic Express roared through with six inches of snow and bitter cold--it dropped to -3F on the worst night. It's almost as if the climate had to reboot to get back on track. But that is all behind us now and each [...]

Earlier this month I visited the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, in particular the Bald River Falls. Frances of Fairegarden and I walked a trail that took us up behind the falls along the Bald River, and we saw many wildflowers as we walked. The one that stole my heart is known as Hepatica acutiloba. [...]

This slow, cold, cloudy spring is sorely trying my patience. It's taking forever for anything to bloom. But then, looking over past GBBD posts, it's really not that far behind other springs. It's just that last year, spring came earlier than usual. Somehow that became the new normal, just like that. How soon we forget. [...]

I took a look at last year's April bloom day post, and discovered that most of last year's blooms are already gone. The crocus that were in their glory last April, are completely done with this year. The squills are at the end of their bloom. The Cornelian cherry that was merely in bud this [...]

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 [...]

Kathy, Thank you for the advice about Fraser's. And the hepaticas are unbelievable! Have spent the last few days trying to cover crocus poking through the ground all around the greenhouse. Too soon, too soon! And the temps are supposed to plunge in the next few days. As I plant and sow in the signs [...]

Lynda, Fraser's Thimble Farms was offering 'Lady' hellebores at their 2002 website. While you are there, make sure you check out their Japanese hepaticas. Oo la la! Collecting them could be an expensive hobby! If you search at Google using the keywords helleborus +lady (the plus sign means lady must be on the same page [...]