01 April 2011

From Corylus to Crocus, March goes out like a Lamb

After nearly a week of galeforce, chilly winds blasting down on us, the last day of March came ambling along like a sweet, fluffy lamb; warm, and soft. The crocuses just leapt into action immediate, popping up like colourful dots all over the garden.




The heaths are mostly all preparing to open their blooms ever wider...
While the heathers are ablaze in foliar glory. This is either Cuprea or Con Brio. I have both in the back garden but their labels have long since gone walkable.
Equally splendid at this time of the year is the gorgeous scarlet, copper and gold tinted foliage of sedum 'Angelina'. This is hands down one of my very favourite ground cover sedums, just for this outburst of succulent leaf colour. In a while, this colour will subdue somewhat to more gold and green, but it's still an eyecatcher all year long.
The snowdrops seem encouraged by today's warm weather, and more are popping up daily. I neglected to put something beside this one to show its size, which is about the size of a loonie. (For you non-Canadian readers, that's our dollar coin.)
My Harry Lauder's Walking Stick (Corylus avellana, or corkscrew hazel) is doing brilliantly, and this year has a real nice flush of catkins. I also have 'Red Majestic' in another part of the garden, but it's much smaller, having only been planted last year, and I don't expect catkins for some years yet.
Last year, I got brave and purchased some winter aconite from Botanus--the being brave part doesn't come from ordering from Botanus, who have top quality bulbs. Rather, it comes from figuring the best place to plant these tiny harbingers of spring. Some years ago I had them in a spot that was far too wet in the spring, and they didn't prosper. Last fall, I put them in sunny spots with decent drainage, although having 5 foot snowdrifts melt away into the ground means things ARE somewhat sodden in much of the garden. This is the first one to arrive, and hopefully its siblings will follow suit with a couple more warm days.
I don't CARE how quotidian and predictable some people think crocus are. To me, they are all kinds of delightful, cheerily flamboyant with their Easter-egg colours and their joy at the sunlight. The earliest-bloomers are just getting going here, but they are pushing up through the ground in nice swathes, so I know what to expect within a few more days.
More funky, colourful foliage--this is 'Nifty Thrifty', which is a sea thrift (Armeria) with variegated foliage. Its more standard relatives have deeper wine-green foliage, but this is electric and delightful.
Last year, I added several species of draba to my slowly-developing alpine planting, and this one is threatening to burst into bloom with a few more days of warmth. This is another plant I don't know well but really like the foliage and growth habit of, so I'm looking forward to watching it and its relative as the spring gets going in earnest.

While I realize that it's now officially 1 April, and that I often have done a 'Poisson d'Avril' post in the past, I've resisted the urge this year. Been very busy with book stuff, and now the maybe-warming-weather has me out in the garden. In my more serious moments--yes, I do have them!--I do, however, wonder about the future of blogs, with so many people absorbed in Facebook and Twitter and so on. However, I'll keep doing this blog for some time to come, as I've noted in past posts, because I regard it as a way of giving back to the gardening community around me, near and far. I appreciate my readers, my fellow bloggers and gardeners.

And that is no joke.

23 comments:

  1. Lovely colour in that sedum, our native sedum here in Ireland doesn't seem to get as flaming red as that unfortunately. A lovely plant non the less.

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  2. Good to see some spring colour, finally, in canada. I am returning in 10 days, seems like I will be just in time.

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  3. OK I'm moving from the Eastern Shore. Clearly spring comes sooner to the Bay of Fundy area.

    I figured this HAD to be an April Fool's Post. I'm almost sad that it isn't. ;-)

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  4. Spring is coming along wonderfully in your garden. Don't you love the way Eranthis looks when it first emerges from the ground? My garden is moving beyond stage one of the gardening year (minor bulbs) and into stage 2, woodland wildflowers, daffodils and tulips. Happy April!

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  5. You really do have some wonderful plants in your garden and you seem to see them with fresh eyes all through the season. That is just something I am starting to "see" as well, notably, because I started blogging. Interesting you should mention blogging at the end of your post.(I would hate to think you would give it up). Also, even though our snow was gone quite a while age, you are ahead of us in our South Shore Nova Scotia garden...that's interesting too eh!

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  6. I love the post with all of the wonderful photos...the color of your Sedum 'Angelina' is much, much richer than I have ever had.

    Thanks so much for sharing....and continue to blog...it's appreciated..Fran

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  7. And now it's snowing again.

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  8. Hi Jodi. It is good to know that at least some areas have that "lamb" thing going on.LOL! Those brilliant yellow crocus do bring a smile to my face.I think I will plant some all around the yard this fall just to prepare myself for next season. My heath is blooming though so all is not lost.

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  9. Dear Jodi, It is hard for me to believe that you have more spring things going on in your garden in Canada, than I seem to have in mine. If only the snow would go away, here! Your heathers are gorgeous! P. x

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  10. Great photos of some really interesting plants. I hadn't seen the 'Nifty Thrifty' before. Might have to look for that one at the next plant sale.
    While I do Facebook and Twitter, I prefer visiting blogs for my gardening fixes. It seems so much more personal and cozy to me than FB or Tweets. Thank you for continuing to blog. Yours is one of my favorites to follow.

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  11. Great pics on here. I agree with other comments re blogs - fb & twitter are ok for short snippets but the blogs are more calming, get away from it all experiences. Hope you keep blogging!
    http://greenfingersmum.blogspot.com

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  12. I am thankful March has left since April seems to be giving way to spring finally (I hope) here in NY...I love that Nifty Thrifty and will have to look for it..the foliage is magnificent...glad to see your garden popping....

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  13. Great colours! I'm just waiting here for Spring to happen - it sure is taking its time...

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  14. I love crocuses. Tough little buggers and such a splash of color in a cold, wet, brown and white world. Thanks for the photo.

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  15. Oh Jodi, please don't even think of discontinuing your blog. I've come to depend on it in the last year, whether it's what plants I shouldn't let my cat eat or what I should be planting in my new beds. Speaking of which, mine are covered in snow. I'm awful jealous that you have some colour appearing in your garden.

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  16. Thanks, everyone, for your fun and thoughtful comments. And now I gotta tell you all...it's been snowing since Friday afternoon, off and on, courtesy of a typical nor'easter. So our April Fool weather joke came a bit late, but it's staying longer to make up for being late. Sigh...

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  17. Jodi, Draba is a new one on me. I like it's unique habit and will have to learn more about it. ... I don't think blogs are going anywhere fast. A lot of people I know think Facebook is awful and won't touch it with a ten foot pole. That said, I was completely fooled by your goutweed cure post. Tee hee.

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  18. Living in a much snowier part of Canada (Alberta), its great to live vicariously through your garden. Your blog as always is useful and entertaining and I'll keep reading it for as long as you post!

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  19. Looks like spring has made it to Nova Scotia! Your heather is so gorgeous; I wish we could grow it here. I do have a small 'Angelina,' however, but I didn't know until I attended a plant seminar this weekend that it turned this amazing color. Mine stayed green all winter--I wonder if it's because it's in shade?

    As for me, Facebook will never replace blogs--I learn so much from reading blogs like yours, Jodi; short Tweets and Facebook comments just don't do it for me.

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  20. Hi Jodi, now finally your much awaited spring has come, and the blooms following through! Warmer hearts too.

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  21. March and lambs, not here... snow yesterday and 90 on Sunday. What a change. Your garden is really showing well. Nice photos too.

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  22. Jodi, I'm glad to know that March went out like a lamb somewhere. In southern Pennsylvania, the last day of March brought cold winds and a coating of snow. And my home in Maine got a foot of snow for April Fools Day. (I'm happy to have missed that one!). Your flowers are looking wonderful. (How could anyone cast aspersions on crocus!!) -Jean

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  23. Do hope April is treating you kindly, dear Jodi.

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