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?

Wakey, Wakey!

The garden is starting to wake from its winter slumber and guess what that means. The gardener is responding accordingly. What a mess to tackle! 

Raise your hand if this looks familiar.

As I tackle the clean up nightmare, I'm moving plants. Several that got too big last year needed better placement. The soil is a bit muddier than I prefer for such an undertaking but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, right? 

Here's a few plants that don't look too bad, all things considered.

Hebe 'Shamrock'

I wish it would keep that pretty pink blush all summer but alas this is its fleeting winter finery.

I finally got a halfway decent shot of an Edgeworthia blossom. Why is this plant so challenging to photograph? 

Edgeworthia crysantha 'Nanjing Gold'

Thanks to a very mild winter, we're headed for an early spring! I usually start seeing Honeysuckle buds in early May but there are actually a few already forming. 

Honeysuckle Lonicera japonica 'Halliana' 

And thanks to that mild winter, the foliage on Geranium palmatum is gorgeous! I'm really hoping it'll bloom for me, finally. I sowed the seed last winter and since it didn't bloom last summer it's going to be either a biennial or perennial. Time will tell.  

The older leaves are as flushed as the aforementioned Hebe, see?

Geranium palmatum foliage

But the new green foliage is equally captivating in its design and markings. I'm thinking that even if it doesn't ever bloom, it's an acceptable foliage plant. 

Geranium palmatum

And then with the Sobaria, we've also got a pink blush, but this time it's not on the older foliage but on the new foliage. 

Sobaria sobarifolia 

I love the bowing heads of the Euphorbias. They're fixing to bloom!

Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae

Euphorbia x martinii 'Red Martin' (I think)

Crocus 

A very rare "hooded" Crocus waving to the camera (Smile)

Pulmonaria 'Reginald Kaye'

Observing deciduous plants breaking dormancy can be so delightful. It's really quite miraculous when you think about it. 

Ribes sanguinium 'Pulsborough Scarlet'

Ribes sanguinium 'Pulsborough Scarlet'

Thanks to the mild winter, all but one of my Clematis vines are budding out on their stems. Even the vitacellas and texensis species clematis that typically die back to the ground. 

Clematis 'Ernest Markham'

Ditto for the hardy Fuchsias!

Fuchsia magellianica

And, the Berberis is so bright and cheery! I love those bazillion tiny yellow leaves.

Berberis thunbergii 'Aurea'

Berberis thunbergii 'Aurea'

Finally, my daughter Beth and I went to the woods and dug up a fresh clump of native grass to pot up for our indoor cats. They love it. The things we do for our furbabies. The pot is almost too heavy to lift. I think I went a little overboard. But that's how I roll. 

"Cat grass" Yummy!

Please tell me you're seeing signs of spring in your garden too!