Signs of Spring

"Tommies" (Crocus tomasinnianus) in the front yard.

Clumps of Tommies

The past few days have been unseasonably warm, and the crocuses in  my yard are popping up everywhere! The mauve "Tommies" (Crocus tomasinnianus) have formed lovely clumps in the front yard under the cherry tree--a sight to cheer any winter-weary heart! There's even one tiny bee in the first photo, gathering pollen from the open Tommies!

 

Tommies under the cherry tree.

 

The yellow crocuses down slope of the dogwood in front are coming up, next to some snowdrops. Those were planted last fall, and I hope they'll multiply quickly. I haven't spotted the 'Orange Emperor' crocuses I planted yet--I've forgotten just where I planted them and didn't mark the location. I expect to be pleasantly surprised any day.

 

White and purple feathered crocus

Yellow crocus

 

The hyacinth bulbs are starting to poke out of the ground too. It's been a dry winter, and we really need some rain to bring out more of the spring bulbs.

 

Hyacinth buds emerging.

 

The foliage of the early daffodils is also breaking ground. The 'February Gold' are u sually the first ones to bloom.

 

Daffodil foliage emerging.

 

On the east side of the house, in the "woodland garden" one Hellebore bud is showing; hopefully more will emerge soon.

 

Bud of Hellebore 'Flower Girl' emerging.

Hellebore 'Flower Girl'

A couple of  yellow crocuses have popped up in the back bed, but no signs yet of the Winter Aconite. And more snowdrops in one of the other beds in the back yard.

Yellow crocus in back bed.

Snowdrops, 'Elwesii' variety.

The witch-hazels are also in bloom, both the native southern variety and the hybrid 'Diane'.

 

Southern witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

Witch-hazel 'Diane'

Here's hoping for some rain today, and more signs of an early spring!

February 2025 Bloom Day

Yellow species crocus

 

On the 15th of very month Carol Michels' May Dreams blog hosts "Bloom Day" where we gardeners share photos of what's blooming in our gardens. Today is cloudy and cold in my Zone 6B garden in Virginia. We were expecting a bit of ice and/or snow earlier this morning, but that didn't materialize, so now it's probably going to be rain this afternoon and tonight on through tomorrow. I took my outdoor photos yesterday when it was sunny and warmer.

The species crocus in my front yard began to emerge about the beginning of the month, with the flowers opening on the few warm sunny days we've had. There is a variety of them: white, yellow with feathering on the outer petals, and the pale violet "Tommies." 

I planted some 'Orange Emperor' crocus in the back bed, but those have yet to show.

 

White species crocus

Violet "Tommies "(Crocus thomasinnianus)

Assortment of crocus in the front yard.

The snowdrops I planted two falls ago have also popped up, but they have yet to start forming clumps. Oh well, next year there should be more. The foliage of the early daffodils is also emerging.

 

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis 'Elwesii')

Foliage of early daffodils emerging.

 

The buds of my two witchhazel trees have started to open--the native Southern Witchhazel blooms at this time of the year, and the hybrid 'Diane' also.

 

Hybrid Witchhazel 'Diane'

Southern Witchhazel

The Japanese Pieris has a number of flower buds, but these won't open until later in the spring. The buds of my hybrid Hellebores nearby are still buried beneath a blanket of leaves.

 

Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)

 

Indoors, I have a few surprises for you: a lovely yellow Hibiscus flower opened this morning--the first since the beginning of the year.

 

Hybrid yellow Hibiscus

 

The Miltassia orchid in the master bath has a couple of flowering spikes and a few other Phalaenopsis have developed spikes too. The large-flowered white one below will probably open in a few more days.

 

Miltassia orchid.

White Phalaenopsis about to bloom.

 

 

I've cared for this particular miniature Phal for seven years--that's how long it's taken to produce this one flowering spike. I'm curious to see what color the flowers will be.

 

 

This other miniature Phal faithfully blooms once and sometimes twice a year--this year it has two flowering spikes developing.

 

Miniature Phalaenopsis flower spikes.

 

Lastly, the African violets treated for mealybugs seem to be recovering nicely.

 

Optimara African violets

Bearss lime fruits.

 

The fruits of the Bearss lime are increasing in size, and my Gardenia tree still has a few blooms, but that's about it for today, I hope to have more to show next month. Happy February Bloom Day!

Beautiful Snow

Snow on Jan. 19.

 

It snowed again on January 19, an all-day snow that stuck to the branches, just as I'd hoped. The back yard still had quite a bit of snow left from the previous snowfall on the 6th. I wasn't motivated to go outdoors to photograph the falling snow, so contented myself with taking shots through my windows.

 

The back yard from my studio window.

The front yard from the porch.

The following day was extremely cold, but the snow looked so lovely that I suited up to go take some outdoor shots. The record cold in the past week has been incredible, with my thermometer hitting single digits every night and recording -8 degrees in the wee hours of the morning on Thursday. I'm hoping that my plants all survive, but with these temperatures, some may not.

Hah! Some maps still show this as USDA Zone 7, but this is clearly not the case--as I was told by long-time gardeners when I moved here, the west side of the Blue Ridge Mountains is definitely in Zone 6!

 

Back yard on Jan. 20 from my studio window.

Lilac bushes in back yard.

Redbud and Seven Son flower tree in back.

Back yard with snowy veggie pagoda.

I saw many animal tracks crossing and criss-crossing the back yard, all; the way up to the front yard, where I'd set up the bird feeders.

Nelly Stevens holly and hydrangeas.

East woodland garden.

East woodlamd garden with deer barriers.

 

All the trees and shrubs draped in snow looked so beautiful, it was hard to decide what to photograph. Here are some of the best shots, in no particular order. It looks as if the snow will continue to cover the ground until the end of the month.

Little Indians bed with Buddleia bent over.

The west yard looking towards the back.

Green Giant Arborvitae.

West yard garden.

Front of house from the street.

Front walk.

West front yard with Natchez crape myrtle.

 

 

 

Thus far this January has been one of the coldest in our area in quite a few years--let's hope we'll get a good thaw in February!

January 2025 Bloom Day

 

Miniature orchid Epidendrum polybulbon in bloom

Today is Bloom Day for garden bloggers, hosted by Carol Michel's May Dreams Blog. The temperature outside my Virginia home is about 21 degrees, and my yard is still mostly covered with snow, though the south and western exposures have gradually been melting during the past week. Some ornamental grasses and evergreens are about the only notable things in my garden at the moment.

 

Rhododendron 'Ana Rose Whitney' and Wavy grass (Nassella tenuissima)

The leaves of my Rhododendrons are drooping, which they do when temperatures drop into the 20's. The wind blew down a few of my deer barriers so the deer have been creating havoc devouring the Arborvitae and anything that was accessible--the tracks reveal the activity of all the wild creatures roaming in the yard during these cold days.

Herb's bed with ornamental grasses.

Potted azaleas and evergreens in the front yard.

But, my indoor garden has a few lovely surprises--the miniature orchid purchased last year at the Virginia Orchid Society's show started to develop two flower buds around Christmas, and this morning the first one is opening! The flower is about 1/2" and its pseudobulbs not much larger than that, but I'm so thrilled to have been able to keep it alive and thriving!

Epidendrum polybulbon in flower.

My gardenia tree (Tabernaemontana divaricata) produces flowers several times a year, mostly during winter and spring. I bought it for its heavenly scent, which lasts only for the first six hours when the flower opens. But new flowers open every few days, releasing their wonderful perfume.

The Cattleya orchid on the windowsill has yet to produce any flowers, despite growing well for going on seven or eight years. I've tried everything I can think of to coax some flowers, with no luck.

 

Gardenia tree in flower (Cattleya orchid below it)

 

In the upper balcony of our two-story foyer I have a collection of houseplants, among which are two Mamey trees (Pouteria sapote) sprouted from seeds a friend gave me. I don't expect that they will ever produce fruit, but I'm growing them as specimens for a painting that I hope to do sometime if I can find some fruit for sale next summer.

Mamey is my favorite fruit--there's an old saying that a Cuban will walk a mile for a mamey... I still remember the artistic displays of fruit in the vendors' carts in Havana, and my mother stopping to buy. Mamey season was the best, when the vendors cut the mameyes to display the delicious orange-red flesh with its single shiny black seed!

Mamey trees with other houseplants.

Episcia flowers

 Downstairs, my collection of houseplants threatens to take over the foyer, but I love the illusion of an indoor tropical forest! It needs a good bit of housekeeping--the leaf drop and insects are hard to deal with, it's a constant battle.

 

The foyer

 

The Bearss lime tree is still producing some blooms, but it's now mostly setting fruit. I've grown this tree for over twenty years, and wonder when it will finally get too old to bear fruit. Last spring I bought another Bearss lime to replace it when the time comes.The smaller tree is right next to the biggie.

Bearss lime tree.

Fruit on Bearss lime tree

 

Here's a Kalanchoe that managed to rebloom, and more houseplants.

Kalanchoe flower.

Assortment of houseplants.

That's about it for this January Bloom Day, thanks for visiting!