spring 2019

Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

I've been moping around missing Dave's. I used to visit Dave's daily. Posted my successes and failures and enjoyed seeing other's fortunes as well. But alas things are pretty quiet around here these days. But I now figure I've been contributing to the problem by going silent as well. So I decided to go ahead and post as usual. I'm not sure if anyone will chime in or not. Though it sure still looks like winter, my spring ephemerals are doing their thing. Here are some beauties from my yard today.
#1 is Anemone blanda
#2 Sanguinaria canadensis (native)
#3 Strange flowers of Trachystemon orientalis.
#4 Anemone ranunculoides.
#5 One of my favorites, Hepatica.

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Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

More from today's yard survey:
#1 Cardamine heptaphylla - usually white but mine is lavender. Makes an ever expanding carpet in the early spring woodland.
#2 Hellebore - double pink.
#3 Chionodoxa forbesii Blue Giant
#4 Scopolia carniolica - a strange, exuberant spring ephemeral with strange nodding brownish flowers.
#5 Scilla mischtschenkoana

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Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

These winter bloomers bloomed nearly a month ago - I love planting a number of 'winter-blooming' perennials to give a jump-start to the season.
#1 is Adonis amurensis. Each year an enlarging clump. Blooms end of Feb, early March around here.
#2 is an orange-hued variety of Adonis amurensis 'Shuhou'. There are a bunch of other interesting cultivars, mostly from Japan.
#3 is Eranthis hyemalis (winter aconite).
#4 is Chalianthemum miyabeanum, a Japanese winter bloomer.

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Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

Some early blooming trees & shrubs getting started as well:
#1 Rhododendron stenopetalum Linearifolium
#2 Hamamelix x intermedia Arnold's Promise
#3 Cornus officinalis
#4 Prunus mume Fragrant Snow
#5 Dirca palustris

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Oxdrift, Canada

Happy spring Wee. Thank you for starting this up. I always enjoy all of your early spring beauties. Of course we are still wading in snow.
I did get my greenhouse fired up on Monday. I planted 48 elephant ears, 22 slow starting Cannas, and 4 Bonfire Begonias. I also cut off and restarted 2 flats of succulents that got too leggy over winter. My first seed starts were back on March 8th and I did a whack more on Monday. Those are still all under lights in the basement.
It will be some time before I have anything to post but l look forward to getting more inspiration from your posts. We have had a really tough winter so I am really worrying about all the new perennials I started last year.
Have you retired yet?
Keith

Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

Recent circumstances have likely pushed back retirement a couple years, so I'll still be a weekend gardener for the foreseeable future. Of course, now that our temperatures are better, it's going to be a rain-out this weekend. Oh, well. I moved all my overwintering plants from the garage outside yesterday after work - I'm often over-optimistic that temps will stay above freezing. But they look so pitiful in the garage, they should freshen up outside. I've done a lot of yard clean up but I'm eager to start planting.

Stroudsburg, PA(Zone 6a)

Thanks, WeeRobin for getting the ball rolling! I am also in zone 6A and I don't have a single bloom of anything. Astonishing. Some bulbs are starting to erupt and there are some buds on the hellebores but not really anything. I'm enjoying your pictures, though!

Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

Spring is moving along at breakneck speed around here. I love the floral progression from one week to the next. Recently blooming in my yard are:
#1 Paeonia japonica
#2 Paeonia wittmanniana
Both are species peonies which grow in open woodland, which is good for me, since my yard is sun-deprived.
#3 Anemone appenina Plena. A reliable returning woodland perennial.
#4 Phlox subulata Betty. Ground cover for sunny slope.
#5 Daphne genkwa.
I had a huge multistemmed shrub of D genkwa for 10 or more years but it died out a year or two ago. This is my replacement, just a couple stems so far. It's a beautiful spring show of lavender when it's a more full plant.

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Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

A few more:
#1 Anemonella (now Thalictrum) thalictroides Cameo. A palest of pink double, which is a much more vigorous and floriferous plant compared with the more showy A. t. Shoaf's Double.
#2 Omphalodes verna. It's the deepest of clear blue - I can never get a photo to show it's true blue color.
#3 Primula vulgaris Balerina Amethyst Ice. It's the only primula I've had success with in our hot humid summer climate.
#4 Aquilegia flabellata Nana. A cute little (few inches tall) free-flowering dwarf.
#5 Sanguinaria canadensis Multiplex. I had a huge stunning patch of double bloodroot for years - a couple feet in diameter. It was my pride & joy until magically disappeared one year. I suspect it got eaten but not sure. Here is my replacement, just one bloom this year. Hopefully will gradually fill in.
Hope things are starting to thaw out in more northern climes.
I'd love to see some pictures!

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Oxdrift, Canada

Won't be any pictures from here for a while unless you are interested in looking at some of my winter hobby work. But I sure enjoy seeing yours. Beautiful! Keep them coming.
Keith

Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

Nice to see you are still posting a little here. I only pop in once in a while now. As usual, WR, your photos are exquisite. That double pink hellebore is gorgeous!
Things have been blooming here since March not counting snowdrops and witch hazel. Here are just a few without going too far back.
1 Epimedium - Pink Elf?
2 Epimedium - 'Roseum'?
3 Quince - Double Take Scarlet
4,5 Checkered lilies

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Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

Nice pictures Loretta. I particularly like the white fritillaria. Why don't you have any weeds? My yard is a jungle.

Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

Here are some more from last weekend.
#1 Phlox pilosa ('downy phlox')
#2 A groundcover wallflower, Erysimum kotschyanum. This is its 2nd year and it looks like it's thriving. I hope it will make a nice yellow-blooming carpet.
#3 Glandularia canadensis.
#4 Paeonia rockii

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Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

WR, you always have something new. The specie peonies are all beautiful. So are the Anemonella and Anemone.
The weeds are coming in unbelievably thick! It's just that the area where the fritillaria is planted is shady, dryish and mulched. Actually I was just thinking that I better get wood mulch down before I lose complete control. So much self sowing! Too much!
1. Muscari Valerie Finnis
2 Forget me nots
3 Brunnera - hard to see the blue here too
4 Bellevalia pycnantha
5 Muscari Helena or Grape Ice


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Oxdrift, Canada

Very nice guys. I am super jealous. Maybe I can join in by July. Very slow spring here. Loretta, that was an absolutely superb closeup shot of the forget me not. Such vivid colour. Photo Contest material!

Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

I agree w Keith about that blue color - my pictures never show the deep blues well. Same problem with bright reds. Anyway I also loved that bellevalia shot. Your hands must be steadier than mine to get such a focused close up.
Here are a few more from last weekend.
#1 A pretty purple iris relative Herbertia lahue ssp lahue. I didn't realize it won't be hardy here, so I'll keep it in a pot and overwinter in garage.
#2 A groundcover veronica with handsome but small blooms, Veronica petraea Mme Mercier
#3 Speirantha convallarioides. A woodlander.
#4 Anemone hortensis. A tall spring-blooming anemone.
Still raining here.
It's been raining nonstop for the past week with more to come.
Last week was a rain-out also.
Need a dry weekend to start tackling those weeds.

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Oxdrift, Canada

That iris relative is beautiful. It's a shame it is not hardy for you

Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

They're all beautiful! I love the colors of the anemone.
How does the veronica compare to 'Georgia Blue' and 'Waterperry'? I always liked those groundcover veronicas. They come and go for me but I replace them when I see them. This year, they got nibbled. Everything is getting nibbled since my neighbor moved away with their two cats.
Thanks about the photos. I was surprised about the blue forget-me-not too. I kept retaking the brunnera which is just as blue but I couldn't get the color. It looked washed out in every picture. Go figure. Must have been the lighting. As for steady hands, my phone has some kind of stabilizer. And WR, you take many gorgeous shots plus your subject matter is always interesting and beautiful.
1 & 2 Claytonia at the park today. Should I take some home? My neighbors will probably kill me.
3&4 Geum
5 Forgot the name but the native groundcover that gets confused with cinquefoil but in scale looks more like a geum. One of the names starts with a 'W'. First overwintering - so far so good.

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Oxdrift, Canada

Again very pretty Loretta. Still nothing coming here. Our snow is gone but staying very good. I moved a sedum and a euphorbia that were planted too close together. I usually try to plant the vegetable garden around May long weekend but ground is going to be way too cold this year.
Even though it is cold we have had a lot of sun so the greenhouse is doing well. I guess I could contribute dome greenhouse shots. Not many perennials in there though.

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Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

I'm good with anything blooming on this thread. It's not like the other forums are active.
Those flats look great! I love all the succulent cuttings. Are the petunias propagated by you or did you save them. It must be tough to keep a greenhouse warm in Alaska all winter.

Oxdrift, Canada

Those are actually calibracoas rather than petunias. I purchased those at a greenhouse in Winnipeg. I have only been heating the greenhouse since April 1st. Up until then all the warm zone succulents were under lights in the basement. I rescued the sempervirens as soon as the snow melted around them before the deer got them. You have to be very quick for that

Oxdrift, Canada

Those are actually calibracoas rather than petunias. I purchased those at a greenhouse in Winnipeg. I have only been heating the greenhouse since April 1st. Up until then all the warm zone succulents were under lights in the basement. I rescued the sempervirens as soon as the snow melted around them before the deer got them. You have to be very quick for that

Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

Looks like everything's ready - you obviously just need a little warmth.
If it's any consolation for you, I've been enjoying spring gardening for a couple months already but I know the sweltering heat is coming. So when my yard is too miserably hot to enjoy, yours will be in its prime and I'll be the jealous one.

Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

And Loretta, I love that last yellow groundcover but I need you to jog your memory about it's name. Your picture sent me googling yellow flowering groundcovers to no avail. Surely you can come up with a name???
Also, I love Claytonia - I have several (naturally occurring) patches of it in my yard. I don't find it aggressive.

Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

Of course its still raining. So no yard time for me today so I figured I should post some pictures. These are all from the past week.
#1 A very free flowering dianthus with a rather gruesome name D x Joan's Blood.
#2 The flowers of podophyllum pleianthum - the plant has huge octagonal leaves with big bulbous flower clusters underneath. Quite strange.
#3 Calceolaria John Innes. It's cute as can be, but won't last in our climate more than a short while. I treat it as an annual.
#4 An onion relative with very pretty flowers Nectaroscordum tripedale. Flower stems are about 3ft tall.
#5 An unknown peony which was already at our property when we bought it 20 years ago. It is now in complete dense shade but cranks out beautiful blooms regardless.
Hope it stops raining at some point!

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Oxdrift, Canada

Wee you have so many rare gems! Keep them coming.
Today was probably our warmest day yet. I have had little hope for any of the new perennials I planted in the fall but I was doing a little snooping late this afternoon and discovered that one of the three irises that are practically frost heaved right out of the ground is greening up so anything is possible yet! In had planted one each if red, yellow and orange but if course didn't labelnthem so if will be a surprise

Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

Surprises are sometimes good. I try to label things but somehow I can't seem to find the label once its blooming so I end up having to google it to figure out what I've got. Hope spring is popping for you soon.

Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

A few more from this past weekend
#1 Icelandic poppies
#2 Amsonia hubrichtii
#3 Krigia biflora. A native in these parts.
#4 Trillium vaseyi. A very large trillium with equally large red flowers beneath the foliage
#5 Pimpinella major Rosea. Looks like a pink Queen Anne's Lace. Very pretty native but the deer love it. Bummer

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Oxdrift, Canada

Love that red trillium. We get the wild white ones in the bush behind the house but don't grow any in the garden. The white one is Ontario's flower.

Oxdrift, Canada

Love that red trillium. We get the wild white ones in the bush behind the house but don't grow any in the garden. The white one is Ontario's flower.

Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

WR, I think the yellow ground cover you asked about 10 days ago is Waldsteinia fragarioides. The Nectaroscordum tripedale is very pretty. I have the usual N. bulgaricum. I remember when N. tripedale was offered a couple of years ago but I don't see it anymore. I see Pimpinella major Rosea is already blooming. Again I didn't start those seeds. I wonder if it's too late.

Oxdrift, Canada

We are waking up slowly. We have some rain in the forecast that will hopefully bring it on.

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Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

Pretty!
The geraniums are starting to open here. I picked up a few on clearance last fall and they overwintered well. I actually had a horrible winter and lost a lot of perennials. To top it off, there is a groundhog going to town eating down what survives of my echinacea, rudbeckia and other similar plants. Surprisingly it is also eating down all my milkweed supply. It bit down the baptisia and so much more. Areas that are full are empty. Right now it gives me more room to plant but I'm sure I'll be disappointed when I compare the inventory to last years pictures.

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Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a)

Waking up for real. It's been a couple months since our daffs put on their show.
We're winding down our spring progression and sadly will soon enter the summer doldrums. So during the summer-swelter lull of my yard I'll be interested in seeing the action at your place.

Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

1,2 First Roses Blanc Double de Coubert and Rosa Glauca
3 Ninebark
4 Astrantia - one of the new ones that came around two seasons ago. I don't normally see it for sale
5 Cyclamen persicum - Do you buy these little florist cyclamen? I always try to find the scented ones. This one is two years old with me and is smelling up my front porch. I recommend you look for one if you haven't yet. It could be hard to find. Usually they are this color or white but once in a while other colors show scent. Only the small flowered kind.

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Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

WR, I'm sure you have some interesting foliage to share during the summer months.

Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

First clematis of the year. I don't really like it but it is the only large flowered type that stayed around plus it climbed the shrub it was supposed to.
2 I planted all my allium karataviense in the wrong spot. They all look like this.
3 A White Allium
4,5 Valerian original plant was white and some of the seedlings are pinkish.



This message was edited May 22, 2019 8:32 PM

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Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

Last post for today, the irises are coming on too.

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Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

The one thing about your late garden, Keith is your yard is always so pristine and fresh when mine is going to the weeds and running over itself.

Oxdrift, Canada

Thanks Loretta. That is quite the assortment of irises!
We had a nice all day rain today so I should soon be able to tell who's alive and who croaked over winter. I have already had a few surprises on some new perennials that I was sure would have succumbed to the winter but are hanging on.
Keep yours coming Wee. You have plants I never even heard of!

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