Plant of the Week: Crocus

The other day I asked my sister if she had any crocus blooming and she replied, "No. I don't like them. They remind me that it's cold." Or more specifically, "No, they just remind me that's it's fricking cold out."

I get that. But what I like about crocus is that they remind me that the worst of the cold is behind us and that spring is coming. And they make the bees happy.

Here are random crocus photos I've taken over the years. 

Yes. That is dandelion foliage.

 

Look who the sunshine woke up!

They're reliable. They come back every year, despite my neglect. 

This one is protecting itself from the rain and waving at you!

 They do have their charm, don't they?

The Proof is in the Banana!

If it weren't for this monster:

Hardy banana, (Musa basjoo) after a hard frost

...one would think we didn't even have a winter here in the Pacific Northwest. I mean, unlike the hardy banana's foliage--sad and brown from a cold snap in December--most plants haven't died back at all this winter, so far anyway. Next week's temps are predicted to be in the sixties and the more time that slips by, the less likely we are to have more cold weather. Fine by me. Spring? Bring it on!

Today's temperature on my patio.

Here are some bloomers in my garden:

Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Ruby Glow'

I admit I'm not a huge hellebore fan. I bought this one because of these delicious leaves. They always look fantastic.

Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Ruby Glow'

My 'Freckles' winter blooming Clematis has grown so high in the Viburnum that it's difficult to get a decent photo. But I'm not complaining.

Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles' on Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn'

Can you see the honeybee in the lower flower?

 

 These tiny flowers pack a powerful, delicious fragrance. 

Chimonanthus praecox -- oh so fragrant!

Chimonanthus praecox

And speaking of fragrance, the Daphne odoras are fixing to bloom!

Daphne odora

 Daphne odora 'Marianni'

 

And the Skimmia is also about ready to pop.

Skimmia japonica [Male]

My Sarcococca has been blooming since early January. It is so beautifully fragrant. 

Sarcococca ruscifolia

Sarcococca ruscifolia

This pretty Camellia sits outside in my courtyard and I see it every time I look up from my computer screen. I just love those summery-winter, bright pink blossoms.

Camellia sasanqua 'Shishi-Gashira'

Some of the early Crocus are blooming too!

Crocus and opportunist.

Crocus with emerging Galanthus

The Oxalis are super early. Most of them are like this one, still in full-leaf mode. 

 

Oxalis crassipes 'Rosea'

 

 With Viburnum tinus, the buds are as pretty as the flowers. 

Viburnum tinus buds

Viburnum tinus flowers

 Under my covered patio, my potted Farfugiums continue to look gorgeous.

Farfugium japonicum 'Argenteo Marginata' flowering!

Farfugium leaves...aren't they yummy?

I've had this Brachyscome overwinter for me several times. It's a tough "annual." 

Brachyscome 'Radiant Magenta'

A tiny fragrant Violet

Euphorbia 'Blackbird'

Primulas

This Polygala is late. Last year it started blooming in November and continued all through winter.  

Polygala chamaebuxus

 

 And here is my purple flowered Polygala not far behind, which is right on schedule for the late-winter bloomer. 

Polygala chamaebuxus 'Kaminski'

This amazing hardy geranium is already looking fab. 

Geranium x oxonianum 'Katherine Adele'

And finally, if you're still with me, all of my Allium schubertii are up and look promising. 

Allium schubertii

Thanks for visiting. I hope to get back to reading blogs this year 

to see how your garden is growing.

I Saw a Bumblebee Today!

Funny how when your a gardener, little things like a bumble bee flyover can raise the ole endorphins. 

Although those of us gardening here in the mid-Willamette Valley fared better than points north and south of us, the garden is still an abysmal mess and it's causing me consternation. I am just not my typical pre-spring gung-ho self.

Wait. I figured it out just now by going back to look at last year's mid-February photos. Interestingly, many plants that are still sleeping this year were already breaking dormancy. And the Pulmonarias were actually blooming already. 

And just to further that ah-ha insight, Matt Z., a Portland weather guy just commented that last year at this time we had already had six, sixty-degree days! Six! I don't think we've had one this year. He went on to say that this is the difference between an El Nino winter, last year and a LaNina winter this year. 

So, it's not all in my head. Whew. 

Now on to plants. My Sarcococca has been blooming since early February. The fragrance is intoxicating and here's a hint: if you leave the cut flower stems in water, they'll root so you can have more plants. 

Sarcococca ruscifolia

The first winter bloomer for me was Winter Sweet or Chimonanthus praecox. It too is a feast for the nose with a delicious scent.  

Chimonanthus praecox

I found this Daphne last year at Bauman's in Woodburn while my sister and I were plant shopping. It's done really well so far. The buds are just beginning to pop. And the fragrance is lemony-sweet.

Daphne odora 'Marianni' 

Daphne odora 'Marianni' 

Despite the torrential rain last week, my early Crocuses seem unscathed and happy to see a reprieve.

Crocus

Crocus

Crocus

A very humble clump of Crocus

Yellow Crocus

Ditto the snow drops...

Galanthus or Snow drops

Galanthus sp. or Snow drops

This might sound sacrilegious to fellow gardeners but I am not a huge hellebore fan. If I buy one, it's because I like the foliage. Last spring, Lowe's had this eye-catching variegated hybrid on clearance so I bought three of them. Who can resist those leaves? 

Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Ruby Glow'

Now I'm seeing the flowers for the first time.

Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Ruby Glow'

Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Ruby Glow'

Here are the flowers. Despite not being passionately in love with them, I find the inner circle really fun. Observe how they fan out as they mature.

Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Ruby Glow'

Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Ruby Glow'

Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Ruby Glow'

Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Ruby Glow'

I'm so impressed with how Gardenia 'Frostproof' handled the winter cold. There are a few tips that were frostbitten but for the most part, all is well.  

Gardenia jasminoides 'Frostproof'

After losing my Podophyllum pleianthum during the second half of that horrid 2013-2014 winter cold, I found a baby plant for cheap last year. See it here, starting to take on the world. It's way ahead of my in-ground P. 'Spotty Dotty.' 

Podophyllum pleianthum

My yellow-flowered Polygala has been blooming since December-ish and there are still lots of buds. Unfortunately though, the leaves took a hit from Old Man Winter and look like crap.  

Polygala chamaebuxus

My purple and yellow spring-flowering Polygala 'Kaminiski' seems to have handled the winter better. And it has buds. 

Polygala chamaebuxus var. grandiflora 'Kaminski'

Another plant that I'm really impressed with is evergreen maidenhair fern. I had to have it after seeing it growing in several gardens last summer. My plant is still small so I put it in a pot for now. It sailed through winter on my covered patio.  

 Evergreen Maidenhair Fern or Adiantum venustum

Moonglow Sedum also stayed on my covered patio and looks like perfection.

Sedum confusum 'Moonglow'

Ever so slowly a few plants are starting to wake up. I love the swishes of pink on my baby Sobaria leaves.

Sobaria sobarifolia

Sobaria sobarifolia

And an illustration of last year versus this year: 

Pulmonaria 'Reginald Kaye'  2016

Pulmonaria 'Reginald Kaye' 2017

Finally, on warmer evenings, the frogs are croaking which is a sure sign of spring. And, look what I spotted in the pond the other day. 

 

Tadpole eggs!

Are you seeing signs of spring?