Breaking Dormancy

This year it seems as if plants are hesitant to do much more than break dormancy. I blame it on the cool nights. Last night the temperature was down to 33 again and the same is predicted for tonight. There is life but plants are waking up with a yawn and a stretch and a touch to the snooze alarm.

Here are some photos. Check out the vibrant, cherry-red Rhubarb leaves! Each of the three photos were taken a few days apart.

Ornamental Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum)

Ornamental Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum)

Ornamental Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum)

Earlier, I thought my 'Morello Cherry' Lupine was dead. Then I saw leaves. It's alive!

Lupinus polyphyllus 'Morello Cherry'

I love this fuzzy-leaved dwarf willow.

Salix nakamurana var. yezoalpina

Salix nakamurana var. yezoalpina

My Podphyllums are opening and looking fabulous. Apparently they like cooler weather.

Podophyllum pleianthum

Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty'

Last fall I crafted a "fern table" with mostly objects and plants I had on hand. You can read about it here. Well, it survived the winter and doesn't look too worse for the wear.

Fern table now

Fern table last fall

Interestingly, the red Sempervivums on the right of this container were not always so. Some of them change color with the cooler temps.

Sempervivums now.

Sempervivums last fall

Here are some wide shots of the garden, such as it is.

Bergenia in flower

I took out the Boxwood at the left, bottom of the photo.

The patio area

I love these Saxifrages. (Saxifraga x urbium 'Aureopunctata')

This is my still-dormant Butterfly Weed (Asclepias speciosa) area.

Here it is from the other side. My son got me the rusty bed frame. Nice, huh?

I've still got a bunch of river rock to distribute. So many projects.

More projects.

Clematis macropetala 'Markham's Pink' getting ready to pop.

The HUGE Camellia bush in the front yard by the neighbor's property.

Pretty spring color.

More pretty spring color, flowering current -- Ribes sanguineum 'Pulsborough Scarlet'

Ribes sanguineum 'Pulsborough Scarlet'

Ribes sanguineum 'Pulsborough Scarlet'

Ribes sanguineum 'Pulsborough Scarlet'

Muscari madness

The grass widow (Olsynium douglasii) is almost finished blooming and producing seeds.

While the native Shooting Star (Dodecatheon sp) is coming up.

I'm a little worried about this new Clematis I purchased from Joy Creek Nursery last summer. I'm still waiting with crossed fingers that it will show some signs of life.

Clematis montana 'Marjorie'

Finally, do you ever plant something and wonder what the heck it is? I apparently planted this guy last fall and now I'm completely perplexed as to its identity. Any ideas? 

Mystery plant! Do you know what I am?

Thank you for visiting!

A Trip North

Lately, the nights have been surprisingly cool, right around the freezing point. This means I'm still a bit tentative about doing too much gardening. To  keep busy, last Friday I drove north to attend the annual Plant Nerd Night. The next day, my sister and I hit the local nurseries. I got lots of inspiration while at Bauman Farms in Gervais.

This hanging heart-shaped planter had cute flowers.

Wood or ceramic? I had to check. Answer: ceramic.

Cute succulent table

Succulent wall art

This funky fountain was calling my name.

But I left without it.

Stuffed to the brim.

Fans are apparently all the rage right now.

I wanted this too.

Are these cute or what?

More fans or faux windmill parts.

I love rocks so these were really tempting.

I love that they brought Birch branches inside to complement the displays.

Such cool wall art

This golden Agave attenuata was gorgeous. I wish they would have had a small one for sale.

An oddity

My sister and I did a bunch of shopping. Below is my loot.

The big fern is Arachnoides simplicior 'Variegata'. 

 

From left to right, two double primrose plants, Dryopteris 'Parsley' (dormant), Chiastrophyllum oppositifolium 'Jim's Pride', Variegated Red-Veined Sorrel, Scutellaria 'Greg Starr', Iris reticulata 'Purple Gem', Saxifraga stoloniferum 'Harvest Moon', Carex 'Sparkler', Tulbaghia natalensis and Parahebe olsonii. 

And finally,

Ribes speciosum 'Rana Creek' (Now I have two. Notice the thorns. It will go at the back of the border.)

 Well, it's not quite spring yet but I say, who cares? 

Bring it on! I'm ready to putter. 

How about you?