January 2026 Bloom Day

Creeping Phlox in front yard

 

It's January Bloom Day for garden bloggers, hosted by Carol Michel's May Dreams blog and here in my Zone 6 garden in Virginia it's very cold today. The weather predictions had called for snow flurries this morning, but they never materialized, and neither did the rain yesterday, so the sun started coming out mid-morning. 

I was surprised to see that the Creeping Phlox under the cherry tree in the front yard still has a few open blossoms--they must have emerged during the extra warm days earlier this week, and miraculously, haven't frozen. The only other blooms in my garden are some snowdrops that I planted two years ago.

 

Snowdrops (Galanthus elwesii 'Mount Everest')

 

 My indoor garden is sporting a few blooms--I pruned my gardenia tree hard a couple of weeks ago but saved one branch with flower buds, which are opening.

 

Gardenia tree (Tabernaemontana divaricata)

One of my Phalaenopsis orchids still has a few flowers hanging on, and some new buds about to open. The Jewel orchid in bud I bought at Floradise has opened a few of its tiny white flowers, while my other new orchid, the Pahpiopedilum's flower is still fresh. 

 

Pink Phalaenopsis orchid

 

Paphiopedilum orchid posed for painting.

Jewel orchid (Ludisia discolor) in bloom.

 

 My miniature orchid, Epidendrum polybulbon has two flower buds getting ready to open. The African violet below is very pretty when in bloom too.

 

Epidendrum polybulbon orchid buds.

African violet (Saintpaulia 'Optimara' hybrid) 

 

Hopefully, I'll have a few more flowers outdoors and indoors next month, thanks for visiting!

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!

Gardener's Bloom Day February 2024

'Tommy' Crocuses (Crocus 'Thomasinianus')

Tommies under the cherry tree in front.

It's the fifthteenth of the month again! Garden Blogger's Bloom Day--hosted by Carol Michel's May Dreams Garden blog is here. As expected, after the recent warm weekend there are plenty of spring crocuses popping up in my garden. Showiest are the 'Tommies' I planted years ago that have been multiplying to form these lovely clumps. Yes, I know I should dig up that dandelion there next to the Tommies, shame on me!

 

White crocus

More species crocuses

My snowdrops have finally started to come up! I planted these Galanthus elwesii ' Mount Everest' last fall, inspired by Carol's photos of her beautiful snowdrops--it was one spring bulb that my garden lacked completely. Eventually I hope these will form clumps like hers.

 

My snowdrops (Galanthus elwesii 'Mount Everest')

I also planted some winter aconite, but those have yet to come up. There is a wonderful spot at Blandy Farm Virginia State Arboretum that has a broad expanse of these lovely early flowers that I'm hoping to eventually re-create here in my garden. Here is a shot of some of the ones at Blandy.

 

Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)

My Hellebore 'Flower Girl' is sporting its first buds. The buds of my other Hellebore, 'True Love' are barely perceptible, but you can see them just emerging.

Hellebore 'Flower Girl'

Hellebore 'True Love'

 

My hybrid witchhazel 'Diane' is showing its reddish blossoms, and the native witchhazel too. Both of these were planted as very small saplings; I hope to be able to get rid of the deer barrier later on this year as "Diane' gets taller.

Witchhazel 'Diane'

Native witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

Hard to believe that this is what my back yard looked like just two days ago on Tuesday morning after the overnight rain turned to snow!

 

 

But today it's a different story--the green shoots of  Daffodils and Narcissi are popping up--the February Gold' Daffodils will be opening soon! With the weather so changeable at this time of the year, I leave you with this sign filled with hope for the spring blossoms to come.

Green shoots of Daffodils.