Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’–sometimes seeing a flower from above or below gives you a completely different perspective.
Welcome to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, March 2014. From 2012, I can see we are behind schedule. I guess I didn’t write a post for March 2013. Is anyone surprised we’re moving in slow motion after the winter we had? Snow, snow and more snow. Our weather is only now cooperating, and we have a lot of spring to get through before we can declare ourselves frost/freeze free by April 20 or so. So, hang in there folks, enjoy each day as it comes and try not to worry about your peach crop and apple trees let alone the roses. Oh, about the roses, go ahead and prune and feed them. It’s time, a little past actually, but don’t feel bad . . . I’m right there with you.
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-tete’ with small violas I planted yesterday.
Is a late spring all bad? No. If spring unfolds slowly over the prairie, we might have an apple and peach crop this year. We can hope anyway. My trees aren’t even showing signs of blooming yet. One sad thing about last winter is that violas and pansies didn’t fare very well. Most of mine died almost to the ground and look like hell. So, I went and bought four flats of violas and planted them yesterday. I hope to find a few more to fluff up the bulb parade.
Crocus vernus ‘Jeanne d’Arc’
Crocus vernus ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ are a welcome sight in my small lawn out front. Normally, the fescue grass is green in March. This year, it needs a lot of tender loving care. I’ll be spreading compost and more grass seed next week to plump it up. Winter wasn’t kind to my small lawn either.
Here are the crocus in the yard with the green chairs.
There wasn’t much to photograph, but I did my best. Without further ado, here are more stars of our bloom day show.
Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’
Another narcissus. I don’t know the name.
Thanks for visiting. If you’d like to see more Garden Bloggers Bloom Day posts, head over to our lovely hostess’ blog, May Dreams Gardens. There’s a list of everyone participating there.
Well, I would have thought you’d be more advanced in your spring than this, being so much farther south. But here in Columbus Ohio, we aren’t too far behind you! This winter has wreaked havoc on everyone, hasn’t it? I thought I’d never see flowers again, but the first day of spring brought me iris reticulata, and so it all begins…
Envying your spring blooms- we are just now warming up and I haven’t caught sight of any blooms yet. It sure was a winter to remember.
Dee some lovely early spring magic in your garden!!
Love my little iris reticulata. They are a fresh breath of air after a long cold winter.
Linda, they sure are. I didn’t grow any for years, but now, don’t know how I’d survive late winter/early spring without them. Such cheerful little faces. ~~Dee
Crocus Jeanne d’Arc is lovely , do you grow any of the species ones? They flower earlier. I love your Iris and Viola combination.
Chloris, I do grow the tommies. Is that the species ones you mean? They are blooming now too. I tried to get a good photo of them, but alas, nothing much. I love the Crocus tommasinianus, especially ‘Ruby Giant.’ It’s my favorite. I have a few of the smaller ones in the yard too behind the white crocus. Thanks for visiting!~~Dee
Dee, you seem to have loads of things in bloom. Love your Irises, and taking them from above is an interesting shot – that is how we see them most of the time! Roll on 20th April, so you can breathe a sigh of relief that all chance of frost is behind you!
Yes, I know it seems that way from photos, but they are all closeups. Not much really. We’re normally consistently much warmer than this. Today is only 45F. I know that sounds warm to someone up north, but not here. The wind is howling this morning. So, we are so cold. Ready for Spring! How about you?~~Dee
I do like that viola iris color combo. This fall I swear I am putting in drifts of I. reticulata. They are a horticultural no-brainer.
I think I might put in more this year too. I love the dark grape-colored one too. I can’t remember its name right now though.~~Dee
I don’t have daffodils yet, but like you I’m enjoying the crocuses and irises. I just trimmed back some roses and the local greenhouse is holding five flats of violas for me. Spring is nearly here!
We just have the tiny dafffs, but the others should burst into bloom in a week or so. I see their blossoms tightly curled.~~Dee
Well, I’d say you have several things to celebrate. All your spring blooms are lovely. I don’t have anything blooming outside yet (just Cyclamens inside), but of course it won’t be long now. Thanks for sharing this preview for those of us who live a little further north. Happy spring and bloom day!
It will soon be a chorus of spring for all of us. Hallelujah!~~Dee
Hoping the best for your apples this year! Those iris are just lovely as are the narcissus with the violas.
Love the Violas and Irises together. How do you get your dry leaves to look fetching and well placed? Mine just pile up. Happy Bloom Day.
Mine too Nell, and the Magnolia leaves are so big. Just happy to see anything come up and rise above them.
Nell Jean, you’ll laugh, but all of this was completely covered in leaves. I just removed piles and piles of them. I think these are just the stragglers, and I did remove a leaf or two that were hanging onto the daffodil’s leaves. Happy Spring . . . well, almost. ~~Dee
That really is a spring show. Nothing prettier than crocus popping up through the lawn. Why can’t we grow them here? Of course if we get more winters like this last one we will be able too. Happy GBBD.
Yes, if you do, you will be able to grow lots of things. Peonies, anyone?
Here, in Norman, my crocus’ are up but not yet blooming.
Annie, how odd that mine are blooming so far north. Still, y’all have those winds in Norman, and my land is more protected. Do you think that’s possibly why?
Gosh, you have daffs and irises blooming! So pretty too. I always think of your area being colder than ours. I only have a FEW crocus blooming. It is too weird. I haven’t even seen any pansies for sale around here yet. WHINE… Happy GBBD anyway. 🙂
I think we’re a bit warmer than you Lisa. I’m Zone 7a, but then, who knows. I can barely find pansies and violas too. We’ve had snow every week so no one stocked them this year. I have to buy some for my church’s garden too.~~Dee
A long slow spring is not a bad thing. Of course, slow is relative. We are still waiting for the snow to melt. I hope you do get a good apple and peach harvest.
Yes, Kathy, slow is relative. If I still had snow on the ground, I think I would lose my mind.~~Dee
Your spring may be late, but you are so much farther along than we are! I don’t even have a single crocus blooming. All your blooms are a feast for these winter-weary eyes, but I especially love the Iris Reticulata. Such a beautiful shade of blue. By the way, I took your advice last fall, Dee, and wrapped my pot filled with tulip bulbs with some bubblewrap. I’m waiting to see if they survived the winter, fingers crossed.
Rose, I hope my advice worked. My tulips and other bulbs are starting to come up in those pots. I did have one terra cotta pot start to crumble a bit which was irksome. Thank you for the link love.~~Dee
Your iris are gorgeous shot from above. A change of perspective is fun in the garden. Your blooms are beautiful! Happy bloom day to you!
It is fun. All that drama from above. I love those little iris. Thanks Laura for visiting.~~Dee