Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, March: the daffodils have it

Please forgive me for being late to Bloom Day hosted by Carol of May Dreams Gardens. I apologize. I was laying sidewalk from the potager to the back door. It is nearly finished, and my poor shoulders and elbows feel older than their years.

March in my north central Oklahoma garden is all about the bulbs, those darling, deer-and-rodent-proof daffodils and their friends, the crocus.

Support staff for the narcissus blooms in the form of flowering shrubs like Spiraea ‘Ogon’ a/k/a Mellow Yellow. I hate the tradmark name Mellow Yellow. Although it trips off the tongue quite well, it sounds silly. Even with its silly name, I have three of these beauties which give me color three seasons of the year.

Other daffs which have long ago lost their tags still bloom prettily. This is an early white one with a large, school bus yellow cup. It blooms beneath a pink, deciduous Jane magnolia which is just starting to unfurl her petals. At the daff’s feet, are dark blue violas planted last fall at the same time.

The pure white narcissus have yet to bloom. They all grow together under a large oak tree, where I planted them over twenty years ago.

Although I find violas perform better for me, where pansies and violas are concerned, I am often a sucker for a pretty face. I was driving by a local nursery where I saw these Viola x wittrockiana ‘Dynamite Pink’ pansies. Such gorgeous color, they may supplant my love for ‘Imperial Antique Shades.’ By the way, I can find very little information on this group of pansies, so although I listed it in single quotes, Dynamite Pink may be a trademarked name. They do seem to be a seed strain since, as you can see in the photograph, there is so much variation within the group.

Although the bulbs steal the show this time of year, I can’t forget the hellebores, some of which are really coming into their own. ‘Red Lady’ and ‘Blue Lady,’ which I planted three or four years ago, have grown into nice clumps and are so pretty in the morning light.

I think the front garden is the prettiest this time of year, but as I was loading this photo, I found another of the same garden last year.As you can see, the nandinas were burned from the cold weather both years, although last spring seemed worse. Also, none of the bulbs were blooming so the pansies had the whole show to themselves. Because of Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, I have comparisons from year to year. Thanks Carol!

This weekend, if you haven’t already made plans, the Tulsa Garden Center, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Horticulture Society, is hosting Tony Avent, owner of Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, NC,  for two lectures. He will speak in Tulsa on March 19, at 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, March 20, he will speak at the Oklahoma City Zoo on “Landscaping in Drifts of One:  A Focus on Plant Combinations” at 1:00 p.m. I will definitely be in the audience Sunday.

Also, the Central Oklahoma Hemerocallis Society is having a meeting this Friday at 6:00 p.m. I hope to see you there.