Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Daffodils brightening our border

Last year I worked on refining the long flower borders along the main path into the garden.  I was very happy with the results throughout the season with the exception of April when it looked bare and lacking life.  See my past posts  here and here.

 I made a mental note to add more spring bulbs in the fall (which I did).  



The first variety just bloomed for Easter: Tete-a-Tete which is a cute miniature yellow blooming variety brightening at least one side of the path. 


Narcissus "Tete-a-Tete"

On the other path border I added early and late season blooming tulips which the rabbits had for breakfast.

Look at the difference between last April and this April. 
April 16, 2013


April 21, 2014

More to come as more varieties of bulbs will bloom soon.

Other blooms that started since last week are:
 Lungwort or Pulmonaria (zone 3-8)

Depending on the location in the garden, some clumps have more pink and some more purple. These early spring blooming flowers resemble ‘Virginia blue- bell's. 
Cut-leaved toothwort (native ephemere bloomer)  or Cardamine concatenata  (z. 3-8)
This is an Ohio spring ephemeral which blooms in early spring before the leaves emerge on deciduous trees and goes dormant by late spring to early summer.  I relocated it from our woods so that we don't miss its delicate bloom and placed it near a late growing perennial  by the house; it apparently likes the new home because it multiplied since last year.
This plant is still sold by nurseries as Dentaria lancinata. Although the leaves are toothed, the common name probably is in reference to the tooth-like projections on the fleshy rootstock. The toothworts are sometimes called pepperroots in reference to the spicy, radish-like flavor of the rhizomes which can be cut up and added to salads.

5 comments:

  1. Isn't it simply gratifying beyond belief when the garden starts to come alive again. The daffodil 'Tete-a-Tete' is adorable and fun to tuck in different places to add that happy color of early spring.

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    1. Thanks Michaele! You are always so nice unlike Sue my gardening "friend"

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  2. Two clumps of mini daffs is all? What about snowdrops, scilla, chionodoxa, bulb iris, muscari and primrose? They can all live happily between the perennials.

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    1. Ouch! I have a little of all the bulbs you mentioned in this border with the exception of chionodoxa. Some bloomed already and some are to bloom. There are 5 more clumps of late blooming daffs, 3 clumps of grape hyacinths and one large clump of mini irises which bloom later. I spent a lot last year in perennials, shrubs and trees, so I guess better some spring bulbs than none at all as long as I can hide the spending for the bulbs in the grocery bill. Now the bulbs need to do their job and naturalize and make my spring garden look like yours (:). Some day!

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    2. Now, now. Don't be hurt. You know I love your garden. Just saying that I saw lots of available space there for more spring bloomers. Good to hear there are more than were in the photo. Adding a few more bubs every year is a great idea. And, having these photos showing where the previous bulbs are planted will help when you plant them in the fall when the border seems jampacked.

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