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Category: Bulbs

Daffodils Poking Through the Snow
Last week I noticed a sure sign Spring is coming; Daffodils were poking through the snow where I had shoveled access for the oil delivery.

I admit, for me, January is one of the toughest months of the year. As a plant lover, I thrive on sunshine, and there is very little sunshine in January.

Luckily, by the time February rolls around the signs of spring returning start to show.

Signs of spring I’ve noticed over the years include:
- Daffodils poking through the snow.
- The sun shining later and brighter than in January.
- Falling snow is fluffier yet more sticky.
- The temperature rises to the mid 40’s more often.
- Mud, and lots of it, where the snow has melted.
- Birds singing more often, and a happier toon.
- I start singing more often, and a happier toon.
These poor Daffodils were literally growing under a foot of snow, as you can see below.

What are some of the signs of spring for you?
February 26, 2021
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) Tough as Nails

Yesterday I pulled the car over to take a photo of a grouping of grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). The temperature was in the low 40’s and by the minute the weather changed from overcast to partial sun, to rain showers, to snow showers. The grape hyacinth loved it.

When I was a kid we had grape hyacinth growing in the yard under spruce trees. It was a dry, shady spot and they would reliably bloom every spring. They never formed a clump but getting anything to bloom under those trees was a miracle. Once the bloom was done you forgot they were there.

I’ve never planted grape hyacinth because to me it’s an outdated plant, like yews and pachysandra. However, we should choose plants with the best chance of success where they’re planted while not becoming invasive.

How many plants thrive on the side of a cut in a ledge?

If you want early-spring color and have a dry spot with full to partial sun try Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). There are plenty of grape hyacinth cultivars available that range in color from whites to shades of lavender and there’s even a double flowering grape hyacinth.

April 11, 2020
Early-March Blooms

Last week, I wrote about the blooms on Arnold’s Promis Witch Hazel. It’s looking better than last week with flowers continuing to emerge.

This week I’ve got a few more things in bloom. Nothing is knocking it out of the park but need I remind you it’s early-March with temperatures going down to the twenties, and sometimes teens, at night.

My Lenten Rose has a few small flowers. I don’t remember the cultivar so we’ll call it Helleboris sp.

You have to look through the foliage to see the flowers. I had to kneel down to get this picture. There’s one flower in the middle with two other stalks flanking it.

I have a couple of clumps in the shade that aren’t as far along. They’re significantly larger clumps and put on quite the show every year. Every bit of purple you see is going to be a flower stalk. Green are the leaves emerging.

My Japanese cornel dogwood, Cornus Officinalis, is going to be in full bloom in a week or two. Even though the flowers aren’t fully open the tree has as much, if not more, color than my Witch Hazel.

The last flower in bloom is Crocus. About 8 years ago Crocus clumps started showing up in my side yard. Every year I find a few more. You have to be within a few feet to find the clumps but they give me something to look at as I wander the yard on warm days.

As I write I’m reminded of one more early blooming plant I’d like to add to the garden. Snowdrops, or Galanthus nivalis, have small drooping white flowers this time of the year. They only grow a few inches tall and form spreading colonies in humusy soils.

What are your favorite late-Winter blooming plants? Do you have anything in bloom?

March 6, 2020
Why I love Gardening

Tonight as I walked through the yard I saw a spider weaving a web. If you thought a spider carefully crafted a web over the course of days you’re wrong. I would guess it took the spider an hour or two to weave the web below.

This post isn’t about spider webs but it’s related to that moment. As I watched the spider weaving it reminded me of one of the reasons I enjoy gardening.

I enjoy watching the changes in the garden season by the season, month by month and day by day.

A neighbor often comments how he always sees me walking around the yard. I stroll through the yard in the morning, after work or in the evening and admire the plantings and enjoying the changes.

A new addition to the garden this year is my square foot garden. When I was a kid back in the 80’s I read Mel Bartholomew’s book Square Foot Gardening. I loved the concept and planted many squares back in the day.

This spring I read All New Square Foot Gardening and tried it again. My square foot garden has received the most attention of any part of the yard this year.

I’ve made plenty of mistakes growing my square foot garden. We’ll share those lessons another time.

This spring I visited the White Flower Farm and bought a Dinner Plate Dahlia. I’ve always wanted to try one of those giant flowers and figured, “Why not?”

The extent of my soil preparation was digging a hole 10 inches deep, placing the tuber in the hole and filling it half way with dirt. All I’ve done since is water the plant and give it some liquid fertilizer. A couple of weeks ago I filled the hole in the rest of the way and today I staked it.

About 2 1/2 months later my Kelvin Floodlight Dahlia is three feet tall with a yellow flower ready to pop (see image at top of post). I’m in shock at how easy dahlias are to grow and how much fun it was to watch.

You can see the yellow bloom of the dahlia just to the left of the purple coneflower.

Why do you garden?

July 29, 2018
Jack Frost Exceedingly Bad Day

Yesterday we had snow, then rain, then ice and then snow again. When I woke this morning it was a frigid 26 degrees.

You’d think I’d be used to spring snow. I’ve lived in southern New England all my life where the weather is anything but predictable.

I’m not.

Every time Jack Frost lays waste to the landscape I’m surprised. Yesterday Jack was having an exceedingly bad day.

While the pictures below show plants at their worst I assure you they’ll be fine. In a few day they’ll look as good as when it was in the sixties last week.

Hellebore (Helleborus sp.) thrives in weather like this. In a few days you won’t know the plant was under half an inch of ice and snow.

Can you can see the layer of ice on this Japanese Cornel Dogwood (Cornus officinalis)?

This pansy is in for a rough couple weeks. Most of the foliage will turn brown and die. Growth deep inside the plant will survive. It’s going to take time. I should have brought the plant inside BEFORE the cold weather arrived.

These poor Daffodils (Narcissus sp.) were laid out on the lawn. I can’t say the flowers will look as good as they did before the snow. However, they will right themselves and shine again in a few days.

Mr. Science Guy how does water run and freeze at the same time?

The first thing I did this morning was get wood to build a fire. The twine holding the tarp is surrounded by thick ice.

What’s the weather like where you live?

April 5, 2016
Crocus Flowers Blooming

This morning as I waited for the bus with the kids I spotted my first Crocus in bloom on the edge of the drive. I live in USDA Hardiness Zone 6A.

A little while later I spotted some growing in the middle of the lawn.

The weird thing is I never planted crocus in the lawn. I barely have any crocus on the property.

Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me.

March 10, 2016
Plants Want to Grow

Plants amaze me.

I spend a lot of time and effort making the best possible environment for my landscapes. Then, I’ll be walking through the woods and see a tree growing out of a boulder.

You almost have to go out of your way to kill a plant.

These onions growing in my kitchen are a great example of a plants wish to live.

Bonus photo: This red Amaryllis graces my kitchen counter. If you’ve never grown an Amaryllis pick one up. They’re a lot of fun to grow and hard to kill.

January 15, 2016
Spring Begins in Fall

This morning as I waited for the school bus I noticed my daffodils emerging. It’s been a mild fall and they’re just poking through the soil.

New growth on Sedum called buttons.

Plants set bud in the fall so they’re ready to go when the warm weather arrives.

The old foliage on my Iris died back leaving miniature Iris plants. The new growth won’t look this good in the spring after repeated freeze thaw cycles.

Flower buds on my Lenten Rose (Helleboris sp.) are ready to go. Lenten Rose blooms in April often while snow is still on the ground.

Don’t think your plants are the only thing growing in the garden. There’s a class of weeds called winter annuals that germinate in the fall. Now is a great time to pull them.

Chickweed is one of the most ubiquitous winter annuals. Chickweed is remarkably easy to control if you get it while young.

If the weather stays mild take advantage and do some weeding. It’ll make a huge difference in the spring.

December 2, 2015
April 16, 2014 Snowstorm in Newtown, CT

This morning I woke to an inch of sleet and snow on the ground. The thermometer read 27 degrees and the wind was whipping. Naturally, the first thing I did was grab my camera and run outside.

Snow brings out the best in plants. It adds interest, creates contrast, and reminds every one of the winter holidays. Below are some photos I took laying prone on an old comforter. Anything for my art!

Lenten Rose will shrug off the snow and keep blooming. It enjoys the snow.

The thick fleshy foliage of Sedum protects it from the snow.

By John Holden

April 16, 2014