But first, a word from our sponsor, MayDreams Gardens, who hosts Garden Bloggers Bloom Day (GBBD) the 15th of every month.
Last GBBD, I was out of town. When I returned what I had in bloom were crocuses, and there was snow here and there in my yard. To paraphrase the cliche "what a difference a month makes!" Especially if you live near Binghamton, New York, where spring sometimes takes its sweet time.
For Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, we are supposed to show what is blooming in our gardens or in our homes on the 15th, but I have a little confession to make.
Some of these pictures were taken on Sunday, although all pictured plants are indeed blooming today. So, why pictures from Sunday? Well, yesterday, I twisted the wrong way, and there went my back. It's been worse, but it's also been better.
There went my ability to take pictures of anything that isn't at my waist level or higher, not unless I wanted to spend the rest of the day on the ground. Fortunately, I had spent Mother's Day (Sunday) taking pictures of my yard so I have something to show you besides pictures that look like they were taken from a helicopter.
Today, I would like to ask you to solve a couple of garden mysteries for me.
Last year, I bought a viola columbine, charmed by its tie-dyed blue and white flower and its compact shape. And I even paid more than I normally would for a plant- in some ways, I tend to be a cheapskate. This year, the plant came back (I even still had the tag on it, which, for me, is amazing), and I thought it was a viola columbine, until it started to bloom.
But, I do have a garden full of more reliable plants.
Dead nettle.
My bleeding heart started to bloom today, but my back just wasn't up to it.
I close with two pictures of my indoors orchids, taken today.
Now that you've gotten a taste for spring, please visit May Dream Gardens and click the links for other garden blogs from all over the world. Stop for a few minutes and smell- or, at least read - the flowers.
What's blooming for you?
I'm baffled by your viola columbine. The foliage looks like Epimedium. The flowers remind me of erythronium.
ReplyDeleteWell, you were correct in your ID (one of several) and I thank you. I blogged about it some more on Friday to thank everyone.
DeleteI must confess that for GBBD posts I sometimes use photos that are a couple days old. Shhh! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteNot at all "cheating". I agree there are a lot of times when you really need to take photos ahead of time (weather, commitments, travel out of town, etc.). Have a good weekend, too.
DeleteThat first one looks just like my Epimedium 'Sulphureum'. I've never heard of a viola columbine. That is the trouble with "common" names, you can never be sure of what you got without the Latin. If it is Epimedium, I think you will learn to love it.
ReplyDeleteIt is Epimedium and I will grow to love it. The flowers are gone now but the lovely leaves remain.. I agree the Latin names are superior, although I chuckle when a friend who is quite knowledgeable about plants complains about "they" (whoever "they" are) changing the Latin names. It's happened to her several times recently.
DeleteI agree with Jason. It is an epimedium, perhaps Epimedium sulphureum. They are supposed to be slow growers, and you seem to have a fairly large patch of it. Are you sure you've never had it in your garden before?
ReplyDeleteKathy, well, you were right (for about the zillionth time). I did buy it, but I have no idea when or where. But I have it and a lovely plant it is indeed.
DeleteYou have a beautiful garden. I live in GA and we are in full spring time bloom. The most wonderful blooms we have here, I think, are azaleas and dogwoods. It's such a great time of year. Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteI've seen dogwoods and azaleas in bloom in Savannah, and, with the Spanish moss, it is like nothing you can see here in upstate New York.
DeleteYour flowers are all so lovely! I wish I had a green thumb. This year, the kids and I are planning to plant a couple of simple vegetables. I hope it works out.
ReplyDeleteIf you start small, you should have success. Read whatever you can and don't give up. I used to have a total black thumb!
DeleteI enjoyed scrolling through the pictures of flowers. Nature has a habit of surprising us. I have some mystery plants growing in a shady corner. By the leaves, I'd judge them to be either comfrey or foxglove, both of which could have self-seeded. I'd put my guess on the latter--I hope.
ReplyDeleteMy mystery was solved. I've never had foxglove, for whatever it is worth. I used to grow comfrey many years ago, when I lived in Arkansas. Thanks for stopping by! I'd offer to try to ID your mystery plants but, as you can see, I'd probably be worthless.
DeleteI enjoyed your yellow lilac. i had similar experiences with a "red' phlox, "sky blue" hyacinth, and "blue" allium.
ReplyDeleteRay
Yes, indeed. I also had an experience with a "blue" petunia one year. Never again!!
DeleteI thought you got an epimedium, too, instead of a viola columbine, whatever that is.
ReplyDeleteYou are one of the several people who ID'd the plant correctly. We actually found the tag the next day. How this other tag got on the plant is still a mystery. But on Friday, I did blog about the viola columbine, which is a poorly named type of perennial viola.
DeleteWow! I love the euphorbias. Mine are not nearly as far along as yours. And the primrose makes me wonder if there isn't a spot for those in my garden...
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Garden337!!!
Thank you for commenting and stopping by. Primroses come in so many colors and both single and double flowers. If you have the right conditions to grow them in, I think they will delight you.
DeleteGlad to see someone has already identified your epimedium; I thought I had never heard of a viola columbine before--it's pretty, no matter what it's called. As for the lilac, sounds like a mistaken tag to me; this has happened to me quite often. Love your euphorbias--you've reminded me I want to add some to one area of my garden. Happy Bloom Day!
ReplyDelete