I realize that I have fallen behind on posting about my shade garden. This has been such a busy time in the garden, not only with chores, but with things sprouting, leafing out and blooming. I'm not clear on the cause, whether it's a combination of last August's rains, the staggering about of snow and the colder than normal weather of February and March, but this April has been unprecedented in the garden. Sanguinaria have popped up all over the garden, even in places that I don't recall planting them.
They've bloomed and faded already.
It's been such a pleasure to work in the garden with the sweet scent of the Boxwood on the breeze.
The Tree Peony, which had just one bloom last year, has eight buds. On one day, all of my Daffodils, save one, were in bloom, which has never happened before.
This is the best the Bergenia has ever looked.
The Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) that failed to bloom last year are again blooming.
The Magnolia blooms are perfect and unsullied by frost.I managed to keep the rabbits from damaging most of the Tulips planted in the front. (Thank you Bobbex-R.)
And, most impressive of all and exciting for me, both of my Trillium grandiflorum bloomed for the first time.
I had given up hope that they would ever bloom.It's all so overwhelming, I can hardly keep up with my photos.
It's all too beautiful.
23 comments:
MMD - it's suppose to be in the 20's tonight. Are you planning to do anything to protect all this beautiful stuff? I wondered if i should cut all my tulips and daffodils and bring them in the house.
Is everything pretty much white in your shade garden? I'd never heard of Dutchman's Breeches. I have Dutchman's Pipe. I suppose when you smoke a pipe, breeches are a must.
Nice to see a garden that's as far along as mine. Those southerners make me jealous now through June. But not afterwards.
I know what you mean about this spring, it has been one of the best here in awhile, too. I can hardly keep up with the garden, let alone the pictures.
Let's all think positive thoughts that this bit of cold blowing through won't stop spring from continuing in the same spectacular fashion it has started with.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
So wonderful to see your trillium in bloom! It's Ontario's (my)provincial flower. I had some in the garden at my previous home, but have yet to get any in the ground here. It's on the list along with a bunch of other beautiful specimens.
Cathy
Lovely blooms. I've never heard of bergenia before; yours certainly looks impressive. I hope all your blooms survive tonight's cold--we had some hail and even a little snow this afternoon.
So very beautiful! My bergenia looks so tattered - probably due to a week of unseasonably cold nights. I'm hoping they will put out some new leaves and look more attractive soon!
MMD, It seems the garden fairies have been visiting your garden too! How wonderful everyone in our general vicinity seems to be experiencing such an unprecedented spring.
Your shade garden is wonderful. I love your wildflowers, and your pictures are wonderful. I've seen pictures of dutchman's breeches, but never really looked as closely at them as I did yours. I didn't realize how similar they are to bleeding hearts. They are amazing, unique little flowers with beautiful foliage.
Your trilliums are beautiful. I planted two just a little over a week ago. I don't really know quite what to expect of them. They're totally new to me, and you're the first person I know who has them. I'm looking forward to learning more about this lovely plant. After reading your post I think I'll move mine. I think they and I will be happier with them in a less prominent spot, or I'll find myself getting impatient with them, when I'd rather be surprised and delighted when they decide they're ready to bloom.
It has been a bountiful spring and it looks wonderful in your garden! I know what you mean, there is so much going on in a spring garden to look at, to do and who remembers the camera!
They are talking frost here in middle TN and I can't believe it...out come the sheets to cover it all up.
Gail
It would be interesting to find out exactly what it is that has caused this perfect spring condition. I was so ready for spring and this one has been an absolute delight. I just hope the light freeze passes us by without any damage.
Wow you have a lot blooming!!! Everything looks really pretty(-:
Your flowers are lovely. And your bergenia is blooming?! Mine isn't and is looking a ittle sad. I love the trillium-flower and foilage. Will have to look into those. Hope the frost stys awawy!
Isn't this time of year such fun. New things popping up all the time. It is difficult to keep up with just viewing the garden. I hope you don't have a freeze out with this cold front blowing through. I need to get bergenia. I just love the look. They sort of remind me of Ginger on steroids. They liked all the rain and snow in your garden this spring and winter.
Hi MMD, your garden is wonderful, no photo yet of the tree peony? I want to see it in bloom. Ours are over and done for another year, I will have to remember them through yours, as is done with the daffodils and wildflowers. That sweet little dutchman's breeches is so cute too. My bergenia has not bloomed, new last year, so I guess since we are several weeks ahead of you that we have missed its flowers for this year. Your sanguinaria is lovely and bountiful, great envy here for your shady piece of heaven.
Gina - sorry I couldn't get back to you last night, but my computer access is cut off most nights. (DH always brings work home.) I don't bother protecting anything against the freeze, with the exception of a couple of the Tree Peony buds. The wildflowers evolved to deal with this sort of thing & the Tulips & Daffodils can handle it as well. It's too much heat that's a problem for them.
Jim - it's funny you should ask about white in my shade garden. I don't like white flowers generally, but so many of the native wildflowers are white (Polyganatum, Smilacina, most Anemonella/Thalictrum thalictroides). I figured out a couple of years ago that I had too many white Daffodils, so I got some 'Honeybird,' that's the large yellow. When April turns to May, the colors of the shade garden will be much less white.
Carol - I got out this morning to look around & everything seems fine. But I did have to bring in all my plants in pots waiting to be planted out.
Cathy (2Greenthmbsup) - get those Trilliums sooner rather than later. It appears that they need some time to settle in the garden.
Rose - no hail here, fortunately, but we did get some big, fluffy flakes. Bergenia has some major fans, but I'm not one of them. I've struggled with it for years & almost ripped it all out last year. I have 5 of them, but only 1 looks this good. Blackswamp Girl grows them well. If you want to see what they should look like, go visit her blog.
Amy - I know that frustrated-with-Bergenia feeling. Last year I moved most of them to more inconspicious places because they usually get frost damaged.
Thanks, Garden Girl! Have you ever seen Squirrel Corn (another native Bleeding Heart relative)? Its flowers are even more like white Bleeding Hearts. I don't have that (yet). Make sure your Trilliums don't get overrun by other groundcovers when they're dormant. I nearly lost a Trillium sessile that way. My T. grandiflorum probably took so long to bloom because my soil is not moist, so these are the ideal conditions for them.
Gail - here in Chicagoland, we're in danger of frost until the middle of May. It's hard to hold back on planting tender things til then, but I hate trying to protect things. I hope your frost/freeze didn't cause any damage.
Robin - I think I'm going to submit a question about this Spring to a local meterologist, who has a whether blog & answers questions. No damage here, so I'm guessing that your garden escaped unscathed as well.
Thanks, Cindee! I actually have even more blooming than shown in those photos. I just couldn't fit it all in.
Beckie - only 2 of the 5 Bergenia plants are blooming (1 doesn't count because it is a tiny piece accidently left following transplanting). I just don't understand Bergenia or what it wants.
Lisa - "Ginger on steroids" is a great description of them. I decided to keep mine because I like to rub them to hear the pig noise. Have you seen the new variegated Bergenia from Plant Delights?
Frances - I'm not expecting the Tree Peony to bloom until the middle of May. I find it hard to believe that you could be envious of my garden! (It's the other way around.) Would you like some Sanguinaria seeds? I have more than I need.
Hi! What a beutyfull and interesting blogg you have!!!
I love your photos! My trillium will also flowering for the first time this spring.
Linda
And here I thought you were going for a Sissinghurst kinda' feel. Whites are not my favorite flower color, but for a shade garden I would make an exception to get bright colors in the shade.
hi mmd u have the most awesome flowers , i hope to have someday , something like urs i know it must hae taken lot of hard work and commitment from your side to have such wonderful nature make its presence felt .. i have couple of questions for u
1) i went to a nursery and they had these huge nos of geraniumum's and each was so pretty but so expensive like 5 bucks a plant my question is can i grow them from seeds , are they annuals .
2) don't be appalled by my request but i want to grow 2 particular weeds one is goosefoot and black nightshade their leaves make a real tasty stew so where can get them i now both grow wild in Illinios but have no clue how to get them can u please tell me if u have any idea about these
Solanium nigrum -black night shade
chenopodium album -lambsquarters/goosefoot..
thanks
siri
I love the daffodils popping up in good-sized clumps. How cool is that - your Trilliums are in flower. They are beautiful as are the Dutchman's breeches and the Bloodroot.
The tulips look so brave blooming in the face of rabbit adversity.
Your new blooms - and tree peony buds - are all so exciting -- doesn't it make winter seem altogether worth it? Everything here is popping all at once - bigger and brighter than ever too. I can't keep up!
Linda Lunda - thanks for visiting! Have you been taking photos of the Trillium every day? I almost did when it was budding.
Jim - I prefer chartruese for shade. Most white flowers don't age well. (I'm so practical.)
Siri - I'm no good at seed starting, so I can't advise about annual geraniums (Pelargoniums). It would be worth it to buy 1 plant because they can be brought inside to over winter & they are easy to propagate from cuttings. As for growing weeds, my advice is try to grow it in a pot to keep it from taking over the garden. You could try The Natural Garden in St. Charles to see if they sell them.
Kate - I'm amazed the Tulips had the nerve to sprout at all after last year's Tulip carnage.
Kris - I don't know if it makes winter worth it, but it definitely goes a long way towards making up for that snowfest.
It is so lovely to see so many blooms in your garden MMD! Gorgeous Trillium, I must buy those too.
A shade garden really comes into its own in Spring, doesn't it? Enchanted April it certainly is in your garden. BTW have you seen that movie too? It's one of my favourites.
Just stopping by to ooh and ah over your spring flowers. I was going to ask about the yellow daffodil - it looked to me like Lemon Glow - but now I know it's Honeybird. I really like the pale yellow daffodils lately.
There was a movie of Enchanted April? From the book by Elizabeth von Arnim? I loved that book.
Yolanda Elizabet - yes, I love that movie. I have to watch it every year in March when the rotten weather really gets me down.
Entangled - It's funny how our tastes change. Now all I want are the pale yellow Daffodils. I really should read the book 'Enchanted April.' The movie came out in 1992. Really beautiful.
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