Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Budzapoppin'!

Sunday was about the best spring day you could hope for here: temp right at 60 degrees, sunny, no wind. So I did what any gardener worth her salt would do: I got myself outside and worked all afternoon.

I did a rough clean-up of about two-thirds of the garden beds, and as I cleaned, I noticed many small signs of emerging life.

This is striped, or Lebanese, squill (Puschkinia libanotica).

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It’s a pretty little thing if you can get down low enough to see it. It’s much smaller than the package photo would lead you to believe. If all 25 of them had sprouted, they might make a better mass impact, but only a handful got past the squirrels (or maybe they don’t like the soil under the white pine?). They’re supposed to naturalize well, but I only planted them two years ago. It could take a while…

I think this may be another variety of squill, though I didn’t plant it:
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I think it hitchhiked its way in with a passalong daylily from a friend. I hope it stays and raises a large family.

These are Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) just popping forth under the crab tree in the front:
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After three or four years, they’re beginning to fill in nicely. I’m hoping they will eventually make a thick blue collar around the tree.

I also found lots of new shoots on the dwarf, bearded, and Siberian irises, as well as all the daylilies. And I was delighted to see the tiniest leaves of Corydalis, Dicentra, and Tradescantia, still too small for a decent photo with my cheap camera and mediocre skills. I even noticed a few hosta nubs here and there. Many shrubs have buds as well, including this young ‘Excel’ lilac:
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Of course, the daffodils are ready to burst forth in all their golden glory…
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This is Alchemilla mollis ‘Auslese’. It’s hard to improve on Mr. McGregor’s Daughter’s description of these as ballerina wanna-be’s. Don’t they look just like frilly little tutus? A few drops from a gentle, early morning rain make a pretty pearl trim.
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Not to be left out of the show, the red maple’s plump buds stand out beautifully against the water behind her.
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Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima ‘Splendens’) is still sporting her winter blush, but I think there’s some green in there too.
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From here on out, I’m sure there will be something new to discover every day. I hope you are enjoying many pleasant surprises in your own garden. (Don’t worry, Jodi! Your glaciers have to melt eventually, and you’ll catch up before you know it!)

11 comments:

  1. What a beautiful show. I absolutely love daffodils and you are about to have a nice mass of the pretty yellow babies. I have never heard of Lebanese squill but those stripes are gorgeous. I agree, if all had come up it would have made a nice showing. Have fun.

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  2. Wow, you found lots of spring in your garden. Sounds like you had perfect weather to be out working! I really like the squill. Lady's mantle is such a pretty plant, the leaves look pretty with drops of water, and I like the comparison to ballerinas!!

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  3. Hi, Becca--I think you're right about those daffodils. They're in the sunniest part of my yard, and the only ones with buds on them so far. Can't wait for them to open!

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  4. HI, Catherine--Yes, all of a sudden it feels like spring is here! After weeks of looking and finding nothing, it's so fun to finally see all these little signs. Thanks for stopping by!

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  5. Wow, I never heard of that flower before, Squill
    It's just beautiful, thanks for sharing.

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  6. Sounds like a perfect afternoon! Love those squill!

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  7. Thanks for the link love. I swear I looked yesterday & there was nothing, but today my Dicentra has leaves sprouted. Great shot of the Pushkinia. I don't know why more people don't grow this (myself included). I planted some out at the cemetary, & it makes a cheerful little show. Your mystery squill is Scilla siberica. They do eventually spread. To see some making a sheet of blue out of a lawn, go drive around Elgin on the west side of the river. It's fantastic.

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  8. Love the striped squill or Scilla siberica as MMD (above) so aptly pointed out. Love the maple buds... it's all pretty.

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  9. Hi, Cathy--Glad I could introduce you to something new and different, though it kinda surprises me, with as many unusual plants as I've seen on your blogs! :)

    Hi, Town Mouse--It was a WONDERFUL afternoon--the first of many, many more, I am sure. Hope your garden tour preparations are going well!

    Hi, MMD--Thanks for the i.d. on the Scilla. I kind of thought it might be, but was waiting for all of them to open to be sure. Funny, I lived on Elgin's east side for about 3 years. I was a distracted new mom though and wasn't paying a lot of attention to flowers back then. I'll have to find an excuse to take a little ride out that way.

    Thanks, Grace! We had a rainy day yesterday, so I'm sure lots more will be popping up soon!

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  10. Lebanese squill...how lovely that one is! I bet it will look nice when your Siberian squill fill in around the tree. Things are lookin' like spring in your neck of the woods
    ;-)

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  11. Hi, Jan--Yes, it is definitely starting to look like spring. They're predicting a little snow for this weekend, but that's to be expected, I guess. It IS only March, after all!

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