Before I head north today for the plant excitement of the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle, It's time to take stock of my own modest bloomers for this month.
Like last month, Arctostaphylos 'Austin Griffiths' takes first prize for a beautiful sight. Huge bumble bees and Anna's Hummingbirds are making good use of its nectar.
Also hanging in there from last month, Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' keeps up the show.
All the Mahonia repens blossoms are coloring up nicely, though not yet very far open.
In contrast to the many floriferous Loropetalum chinense I saw in Southern California two weeks ago, mine here in the Pacific Northwest manages only the occasional bloom this time of year.
Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance' is slowly but surely becoming "Daphne Eternal Bloom". It just goes on and on.
New this month are several NOID Hellebores. I finally cleared away an accumulation of leaves and discovered them in flower.
I was amazed to see a tiny Galathus nivalis 'Pewsey Vale' poking up from the middle of a bed that sustained major trauma during last summer's path project. I'm sorry this picture's not clearer, because it's a little darling.
Lastly, we arrived home from two weeks away to find the house wrapped in the intense fragrance of Sarcoccoca hookeriana var. humilis. What a wonderful greeting!
Check out the flowers of February over at May Dreams Gardens, where Carol faithfully celebrates Bloom Day each month.
Happy Bloom Day!
Like last month, Arctostaphylos 'Austin Griffiths' takes first prize for a beautiful sight. Huge bumble bees and Anna's Hummingbirds are making good use of its nectar.
Also hanging in there from last month, Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' keeps up the show.
All the Mahonia repens blossoms are coloring up nicely, though not yet very far open.
In contrast to the many floriferous Loropetalum chinense I saw in Southern California two weeks ago, mine here in the Pacific Northwest manages only the occasional bloom this time of year.
Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance' is slowly but surely becoming "Daphne Eternal Bloom". It just goes on and on.
New this month are several NOID Hellebores. I finally cleared away an accumulation of leaves and discovered them in flower.
At this past weekend's Yard Garden and Patio Show I saw lots of Hellebores, and some newer hybrids with more upright flowers. Mine are the older, shyer varieties.
I was amazed to see a tiny Galathus nivalis 'Pewsey Vale' poking up from the middle of a bed that sustained major trauma during last summer's path project. I'm sorry this picture's not clearer, because it's a little darling.
Lastly, we arrived home from two weeks away to find the house wrapped in the intense fragrance of Sarcoccoca hookeriana var. humilis. What a wonderful greeting!
Check out the flowers of February over at May Dreams Gardens, where Carol faithfully celebrates Bloom Day each month.
Happy Bloom Day!
Beautiful!! These pics brings back fond memories of CA winters growing up. Snow and ice here but that's ok, too. :o)
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to see what the mow-blow crews do to the Loropetalums here, and sometimes homeowners too. I have one that creates a large cube and another that goes for the bon-bon look. Needless to say the blooms are sporadic ! Happy Bloom Day ...
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you commented in the huge bumble bees...they're crazy! There have been so many of them in my garden it's distracting, especially the way they fly about like they're a little drunk.
ReplyDeleteI've yet to see any bumblebees in my garden, though they should be all over the erica blooms. Maybe I missed them since I spent that sunny weekend in Portland. This last month has been the only one so far that my Eternal Fragrance daphne hasn't bloomed, though it has lots of buds ready to open. That arctostaphylos is amazing! What I'd give to have a mature arcto in my garden already!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty, i love the delicate little flowers of late winter, early spring. Enjoy the show!
ReplyDeleteThat Arctostaphylos is so striking! Want!
ReplyDeleteI hope the Seattle show is a good one.
Arctostaphylos really looks like a fabulous shrub that makes for a bright February.
ReplyDelete