A gardener spends a lot of time on the ground in early spring ~ weeding, checking to see what's coming up, and getting pictures of those ground-hugging early flowers and brand new foliage.
White Wood Aster makes an amazing spring ground cover. Later the dark stems become more prominent and add a surprising sculptural component, even at ground level. In late summer the plants are covered with a thick scattering of small white flowers with yellow centers that change to burgundy after pollination and which the tiny bees love.
Celandine Poppy is the same yellow as daffodils but with a daintier texture and wonderful scalloped leaves. The leaves stay beautiful until the summer heat hits, by which time they are hidden by other things.
Woodland Phlox, a heavenly color and with fragrance to match.
I was happy to see this Peony 'Raspberry Sundae' come up, as I bought it at Plant Delights last spring after coveting it for a long time. The blossoms look like some sort of amazing confectionary creation come to life.
The big bed is currently covered in swaths of Lamium purpurea. It's a naturalized weed and I'm keeping it from engulfing the iris this year, but do the bees ever love it. Two thirds of the Lamium in this picture is on a path through the garden, not yet mowed.
Lamium has also paved the ditch in front of big bed this year.
The newly emerged iris foliage is a beautiful sight.
Even more so because they hold the promise of flowers.
These are the buds of 'Nightfall', often the earliest iris to bloom here. It may open today after being in a holding pattern for several chilly wet days.
Another 'Nightfall' getting ready to bloom, along with Narcissus 'Trevithian'.
The native Jacob's Ladder has been blooming for a couple of weeks already.
Eastern Columbine will probably open today, which means the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds will be here soon.
The flower buds of Baptisia alba look like purple asparagus. Baptisia takes the cake for an unusual style of beauty.
The beauty of early spring echoes the beauty of very new Baptisia ~ beautiful but a little gawky, a little awkward, and always inviting a closer look.
Happy Friday, and join Katarina at roses and stuff for Blooming Friday, where the theme this week is "on the ground".
I love seeing your garden coming to life with new lovely growth and flowers. Thanks for sharing the beginning stirrings of your gardens for this year.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
So many lovely photos. Iris germanica is one of my favourite flowers. Would love to see more of yours! Have a nice weekend.
ReplyDeleteWow, you've got a lot going on already. I think the chilly weather has slowed down progress around here. Carla
ReplyDeleteAs you say it is a time for getting down on your knees and seeing what is there (or what has disappeared!). Easier to make decisions too at the beginning of the year.
ReplyDelete"That plant has to go"... is easy in April but a lost cause by June :-)
I love all the wildflowers you have, they are so beautiful. You seem to have a lot of blue, is that your favorite color? When I saw your shot of Baptisia buds, I thought too that you grow asparagus, it is certainly a very unusual plant. I am looking forward to more iris pictures, it looks like they are almost ready to begin.
ReplyDeleteHoly cow, sweetbay, that's a lotta blooms for April 1st! Nothin' like that is goin' on around here! I love seeing the buds just about ready to burst open! As always, lovely photos;-)
ReplyDeleteForgot to mention, I have Jacob's Ladder and Celandine Poppy (both new this year, from an online nursery)! Neither has any signs of blooms yet but they look so pretty;-)
ReplyDeleteI have been absent from your garden, being back the transformation from winter to spring has taken place in a spectacular manner. Many plants I can not grow but the colours are similar.
ReplyDeleteThe garden looks splendid.
Are all of these pictures from right now, this season? How nice to have so much going on at ground level.... blooms, foliage emerging, buds opening! I am jealous as I sit here in brown landscape coated in an inch of white snow today! The white wood aster is a favorite of mine; not showy, but sweet and interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou must be at least two months ahead of us, beautiful colourshow today :)
ReplyDeleteIt's fun to see your garden coming to life. I'm always amazed by the variety you have growing there.
ReplyDeleteSpring is the *worst* time to be a northern gardener, seeing everything else in bloom for everyone else, which is still weeks away here! P.S. Yes, the petunia bloomed last summer!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your comments!
ReplyDeleteMasha, I do love blue... and purple, and pink, and white... well, you get the idea. :) I love that family of colors together.
Laurrie these pictures are current. Much of March (except for the past week) has been sunny and warm and brought a lot of stuff to light.
I have liked White Wood Aster after reading descriptions at Niche and seeing it at the JC Raulston Arboretum over 10 years ago. I'll have to do a post on it. Kim Hawks wrote great descriptions, and they were exact. I'm always surprised by how much I'm charmed by this plant, especially when it's happy. It likes the north side of my house under the hydrangeas.
Jan yes, Celandine Poppy and Jacob's Ladder both have such lovely and interesting foliage don't they?
ReplyDeleteYour gardens decided over night that it's Spring! A lot happening...looks great.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Baptisia flower buds do look like purple asparagus. I luv that photo.
ReplyDeleteI'll be looking for hummingbird photos on your blog. They won't be back here until May. I think even the robins are regretting that they returned so soon. I'm a fan of Columbine.
It's almost painful for me to see all your April 1 blooms, but I enjoyed it all the same.
Thanks for the nice comment you left on my blog.
donna
I have lots of wood aster! I love it! My columbine have put out foliage, but no flowers, and now that I think about it, I think my native columbine is still asleep! I have a baptisia Starlight Blues on order! Hooray! Beautiful photos!!
ReplyDeleteLove the phlox, what a pretty plant.
ReplyDeleteI will have to check my Jacob's Ladder to see if it is coming along as far as yours.
So many lovely blooms, Sweetbay! This is the time of year when every small bloom is appreciated. Glad to see the "asparagus" buds of your baptisia. I was worried something had happened to mine, then I spied some purple buds popping through the soil, looking much like these. Thank you for reassuring me it will return!
ReplyDeleteOh, I think your iris buds look so promising! One of my very favourite buds - they are elegant and seem to shimmer just a little bit. Mine are still under much snow, but it is melting fast now so the thrill is starting. :)
ReplyDeleteFrom your photos, I think you're nearly a month ahead of me, but your Phlox divaricata is blooming just liked mine. Just shows how one climate can be a little different from another. I love everything you showed, and I think it's sweet you let the lamium bloom. Bees do adore it.~~Dee
ReplyDeleteBeautiful soft colours and some plants I don't know at all. Christina
ReplyDeleteAll so lovely! I have many of these favorites in my woodland garden like celandine poppy, Jacob's Ladder, columbine, etc. but you are way ahead of me. Happy April :)
ReplyDeletereally lovely pictures. Love them all. Have a nice day/Gela
ReplyDeleteI hug up the Hummingbird feeders and within 5 minutes, I had a Ruby hummer! As if that little sucker was perched somewhere just waiting for me! I am sure they have been on the blooms but I have not been out to see them with a soggy yard under my feet....
ReplyDeleteYou were spot-on with my hawk identification! They are Sharp Shinned. Cooper's are a bit reddish. Thanks for your help! :o)
ReplyDeleteThe Woodland Phlox has such a lovely colour!
ReplyDeleteIt must have warmed up considerably ~ you have so much in bloom. The azaleas are gorgeous. I like how you changed the font for the plant names too. I always try to italicize mine (just to make it stand out) but a different font is a better idea.
ReplyDelete