Calmes Neck

Pawpaw flowers.

 

 Last Saturday I went on the Virginia Native Plant Society's (VNPS) walk at Calmes Neck, a tract of private land overlooking the Shenandoah River a bit north of Front Royal. This is a unique site that contains a good number of native species over varied terrain: limestone cliffs with ferns and Columbines overlooking the river, and hillsides carpeted in Virginia Bluebells and other spring ephemerals.

 

Pawpaw flowers (Asimina triloba).

We started our walk at the top of a hill that was covered with Pawpaw trees in flower. There was little evidence that these flowers had been damaged by a frost earlier in the month, so I presume these trees didn't begin to flower until after the frost.

Twinleaf plants (Jeffersonia dyphilla)

Seedpod of Twinleaf.

I had hoped to sketch the twinleaf flowers after our walk, and had brought my sketchbook and kit, but due to the recent heat-wave, the plants were done flowering and had gone to seed. There was not a single flower on the entire hillside covered with these plants!

I had to console myself with the native delphiniums (Delphinium tricornis) nearby. There were a few unusual pale sports growing next to the normally deep purple flowers in this small patch near the twinleaf plants. There were also some trilliums (Trillium sessile), near the Delphiniums.

 

Delphiniums (Delphinium tricornis) on the forest floor.

Close-up of Delphinium tricornis

A pale variant of Delphinium tricornis

Toadshade (Trillium sessile)

We walked down the hillside toward the river where Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) grow in abundance. Among the bluebells we found plants of both squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis) and Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria).

 

The path by the Shenandoah River.

Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)

Squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis)

River floodplain filled with Virginia bluebells.

After a short stroll through the river floodplain filled with Virginia bluebells our group turned towards a high bluff overlooking the Shenandoah River. On the rocky ledges of this bluff grew a number of lovely and unusual plants: wild columbines, bulblet ferns, walking ferns, native sedums, purple cliffbrake, and spleenwort.

 

Looking down from the limestone cliffs.

Wild columbines (Aquilegia canadensis) on the rocky ledges.

 

 

Columbines and bulblet ferns (Cystopteris bulbifera).

Spring has been so dry this year that the usually green mossy rock ledges were all dried and brown; the walking ferns in particular seemed to be fried to a crisp! Still, they manage to hang on--I'm sure they'll all revive with the first abundant shower.

 

Walking fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum)

Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) with flower.

Rare purple cliffbrake fern (Pellaea atropurpurea)

Stonecrop (Sedum ternatum)

Here was another rare fern--the wall rue (Asplenium ruta-muraria)--so tiny it would be easy to overlook if we didn't have an expert botanist as a guide. Other ferns and plants on the cliffs are unique to this site.

Wall rue (Asplenium ruta-muraria)

Alumroot (Heuchera villosa)

Rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides)

Rock twist (Draba ramossisima)

A number of other spring blooming flowers were present: spring beauty (Claytonia virginica), harbinger of spring (Erigenia bulbosa), cut-leaved toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia), round-leaf ragwort (Packera obovata) etc., that are by-now very familiar to me. I did learn that the tiny spring beauty flowers actually have pink pollen, and that when bees harvest their pollen, the pink pollen sacs tell us they've been visiting these spring beauties..

 

Harbinger of spring (Erigenia bulbosa)

Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia)

Round-leaf ragwort (Packera obovata)

I had brought a sandwich and my paints so that after our excursion I could stay a bit longer to paint one of these lovely flowers. I chose to do a field sketch of one of the delphimiums, which turned out quite nice. I had just finished my drawing when I felt the cool breeze presaging that some rain might be heading this way, so I packed up and left.  I had just got back on Route 50 when a shower started.

 

Watercolor field sketch of Delphinium tricornis (9" x 6").

 

I finished the watercolor in my studio at home with the help of my photos. Above is my little sketch.

April Bloom Day

Front yard two days after Easter.

 

The 15th of the month is Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, hosted by Carol Michel at May Dreams Garden.

It was 23 degrees on Easter Sunday, and frost was visible on the grassy areas. The Kwanzan cherry tree in front was not fully open yet, though it was trying! After a few more days of warmer temperatures it's fully open now. The daffodils, narcissus, and creeping phlox are putting on a show. This is probably the best my front yard looks the entire the year.

 

Thalias, Tazetta and Poet's Narcissi with cottage tulips.

Creeping phlox with Thalias.

The spring flowering bulbs really help, considering the limited room in the front. The back yard is also starting to come into bloom, with the daffodils 'Pink Perfection' and others under the redbud tree. Our native redbud trees (Cercis canadensis) are all blooming, lovely clouds of purple-pinks peeking out from under the eaves of the woods.

'Pink Charm' daffodils

Redbud tree in the back yard, early morning.

View of the back yard in the evening.

 

My 'Texas White' redbud tree put forth a few blooms, but it hasn't grown enough yet to be much a display. It needs a few more years of growth to reach the size of the lovely specimen I saw at Blandy Farm last week.

 

'Texas white' redbud.

 

The bed with the "Mount Hood' daffodils that I expanded is not as full as in other years, as would be expected after dividing the bulbs last autumn, but in another year or two, they'll be spectacular.

'Mount Hood' daffodils with grape hyacinths.

'Mount Hood' daffodils and grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum)

The double flowering quince is lovely this year, but it's putting out underground runners and sprouting everywhere in its vicinity--I'll have to dig those out, I don't want my shrub to spread any farther.

 

Double flowering quince

Blue star flower (Ipheion)

 

I found a few blue starflowers blooming--I'd forgotten these after the deer decimated them a couple of years back, these four seem to be the only survivors. My Carolina Silverbell tree continues to grow, it's now taller than I am, with the flowers as charming as ever. This is a hard-to-find item at nurseries, I feel very lucky to have been able to obtain this specimen some eight years ago. Being native to the eastern US, I wonder why it isn't more frequently planted?

                                    

Carolina Silverbell tree (Halesia tetraptera)

  

Carolina Silverbell flowers

The Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) I planted three years ago is blooming, but it will be a few more years before it makes much of a display. The Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) planted at the same time is much farther ahead in terms of size, but then the deer have left this one alone, while I had to put a barrier around the Serviceberry to keep the deer away from it. Once the Serviceberry gets a bit larger, I hope to dispense with the barrier. A good growing summer season would help!

 

Serviceberry flowers.

 

Pagoda dogwood in bud.

 I almost forgot to show you my Lewisia 'Little Peach'--this tiny plant is a native of the California mountains that has lovely small flowers. I keep this plant in a pot, as it needs very well-draining soil.

 

Lewisia longipetala 'Little Peach'

 

This is just the beginning of the spring season, more flowers are yet to come in the months ahead--I can't wait for the Merry Month of May!

March Rains

My back yard on the Vernal Equinox.

 

It's been one of the driest Marches I can recall, we were long overdue for some rains to bring forth new spring growth. I've been working like a maniac at edging the flower beds, expanding them, fertilizing and mulching in preparation for the much-awaited rain.

 

White wild violets.

This morning some rain finally came our way, and tonight promises to deliver even more. The white wild violets that  mysteriously appeared in my yard a couple of years back continue to spread--they are such a welcome sight! 

'Thalia' narcissi in the front yard.

 

 

I couldn't wait to see the effect of this rain in my garden, so I went out briefly when the rain slowed to a drizzle for a look-see. More flowers are opening! The 'February Gold' daffodils are about finished now, time to deadhead the flowers. The Thalia Narcissi are starting to open fully now, changing the predominant color from yellow to white in the front yard. 

 

Creeping Phlox and Thalias under the cherry tree.

The Kwanzan cherry tree probably won't bloom until about mid-April, but the creeping phlox under it is starting to bloom. Hopefully, the phlox will last long enough to still have some color when the cherry blossoms.

 

Hellebore 'True Love'

The Hellebore 'True Love' has many flowers this spring, but its companion, 'Flower Girl' has not produced a single bud yet--I'm hoping to see at least one flower later on. Here are more flowers after the rain.

 

Siberia squills (Scilla siberica)

Mt Hood daffodils and grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum)

Anemones

The deer have been munching on a lot of my bulbs--they ate many of the Glory-of-the-snow flowers (Chionodoxa) and some of the grape hyacinths, so I've been spraying them with garlic spray, hoping they'll leave these alone. There are other bulbs they never touch, like the narcissi, because they're poisonous, but even then they'll take a taste out of other things they normally don't eat--it depends on how hungry they are.

 

Forsythia with Seven Son Flower tree.

The Forsythia in back is in full bloom, and the Seven Son Flower tree is starting to leaf out--it's one of the earliest to produce leaves. It's so marvelous to see everything budding out!

 

Mount Hood daffodil just opened.

March Bloom Day

Delft Blue hyacinths with strawberries as ground cover.

 

The unseasonably warm days of last week have brought forth new flowering bulbs in my zone 6b garden in Virginia. The hyacinth bulbs along my front walk have opened: 'Delft Blue' and a white variety the name of which I forget. The sedum 'Angelina' and the ground covers are still sporting their rusty winter colors but they'll soon be greening up. We need a lot of rain!

 

Hyacinths along my front walk.

The February Gold daffodils have lasted longer than usual with the cooler temperatures this week, along with a little surprise snow on Sunday. 

 

February Gold daffodils in the back bed.

 

Hyacinths and February Gold daffodils along the front walk in the snow.

 The Glory-of-the-Snow (Chionodoxa luciliae) flowers are starting to pop up at the base of the red maple.

Glory-of-the-Snow flowers at the base of the red maple.

Close-up of Glory-of-the-Snow (Chionodoxa luciliae)

The Siberian squills (Scilla siberica) on the east bed are also popping up along with the Hellebore 'True Love' and the Japanese Pieris.

Scillas with Hellebore Wedding Party 'True Love'

Pieris japonica on the right, with Scillas.

Hellebore 'True Love'

 

Despite the cold and blustery day, today I found a few tiny purple anemone buds peeking out from the mulch--the flowers are closed, but they will open on a warmer day.

 

Greecian windflowers (Anemone blanda)

 

Though not a flower, I see that the leaves of my autumn flowering Colchicum 'Waterlily' are coming up too. The scented violets (Viola odorata) died back a lot this winter, but tiny new plants are emerging.

 

Colchicum 'Waterlily' foliage emerging.

Viola odorata.

Indoors on the windowsill, the Streptocarpus 'Wow' has colorful, exclamation-worthy flowers!

 

Streptocarpus 'Wow'

February Dreams

Crocus tommasinianus in two colors.

 

It's late February, and my early spring bulbs are starting to put on a show. The rosy purple tommasinianus crocuses are emerging now, about a week behind the lighter mauve ones. It's wonderful to see how they've formed thick clumps in the front garden over the years under the cherry tree.

Front  yard under the cherry tree.

 

The 'February Gold' daffodils have started to bloom; in the fall of 2021 I divided these and now have two large clumps--one by the driveway and another in the front yard.

 

'February Gold' daffodils by the driveway.

Spring seems to be just around the corner, but I know this is a treacherous time of the year. We may yet get some snow, which we haven't had this winter. These spring bulbs don't seem to mind the cold and will easily survive a snowfall. The hyacinths are starting to break forth, but it may be a few weeks before they open fully. One of the early spring bulbs I don't have in my garden are snowdrops--I must buy some to plant in the fall this year.

Delft blue hyacinth

This afternoon I spotted the first buds on my Hellebore 'True Love'; the other Hellebore I planted last year, 'Flower Girl' is showing a few new leaves.

Hellebore 'True Love' buds.

My witch hazel tree 'Diane' is also blooming. I'm hoping that my little tree will grow tall enough this year to be able to be freed from its protective deer enclosure--it's difficult to admire or take good photos with that nylon netting around it. 

The two viburnums I raised from seed and planted on each side of the witch hazel appear to be developing into leatherleaf viburnums (V. rhytidophyllum), in which case I may have to dig them up and plant them elsewhere. That variety of Viburnum can grow to 6'-10' tall, and they would soon overtake the witch hazel if left there.

 

Witch hazel 'Diane'

It seems like a good time to start my spring clean-up, prune, and clear away the old stems of perennials. I usually don't do this until later in March. I'd love to start re-edging my beds now, and move a few plants around into new flower beds, but the earth isn't ready to be worked yet--in another week or two, perhaps. One can always dream!