Friday, April 9, 2010

It’s the garden smorgasbord time of the year

It seems every time I go outside, or take Lila for a walk, there is something new to admire in my garden or a neighbors. Just soaking it all in feels a little like garden gluttony! (not that I’m complaining) First the neighborhood, this Magnolia below is magical. Most have a smattering of blooms but this one…completely and totally covered. I can’t imagine what cleaning up after the blooms fall must be like. Although I doubt you can see it very well in the picture, the fence under the magnolia is an old faded wooden one that has taken on a pinkish glow to complement the blooms perfectly.
Back in my garden I am so happy that all of my Dasylirions made it through another winter. Who knew these plants were so tough?
This is the first of my Eucomis to peak out of the ground, and it’s multiplied! There are 2 tiny little ones in front of the larger one.
I’m still praying for the Eucomis Oakhurst, not a sign of life yet. However my 4 year old Gunnera is still alive! I had just about given up on it but there are a couple small leaves coming out of the side.
Still no green at the top though, and this is where the really big leaves come from!
The Sambucus nigra is waking up…
As is the mystery fern behind a few of my new plant purchases this spring already in the ground and growing.
Proof that my garden got a jolt from the warm sunny weather in March (so far April has been rather cool and rainy) all of the Hostas are up and starting to leaf out. First I was captivated by the purple…
But as the green leaves start to push out it’s almost too much!
This was the first Soloman’s Seal to come out of the ground. After two weeks when there were none following it I started worry. Thankfully there are now upwards of a dozen peaking out.
The Lilly of the Valley is naturalizing nicely, is naturalizing just a polite form of spreading?
The Sweet Woodruff which I said wasn’t spreading (back when I posted about ground covers) definitely is. I love it and will enjoy this development; I just hope some future gardener here doesn’t hate it like I hate the Bishops Weed that I inherited.
One of my favorite spring combinations is the bright flowers on Euphorbia polychroma combined with Ophiopogon planiscapus nigrescens (Black Mondo Grass) and Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass)
Spring almost makes winter worth enduring. Almost.

8 comments:

  1. What great and inspiring photos! My eucomis are starting to wake up too... I think its the most attractive in the first weeks after it emerges with its architectural form. Did I mention I love the header of your blog?

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  2. Not that it's much of an indication (since I am a famous plant killer) but my eucomus Oakhurst isn't showing at all yet either. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll both emerge soon.
    Nice to see the "must-have plant of the Lan Su sale" (as Megan put it) happily tucked into your garden and doing well. My syneilesis is still awaiting the perfect place to be planted.
    I agree about how wonderful the hostas are as they come up: there's something just so fat and happy about them in each phase.
    And sorry about blogger eating your recent comment on my blog. It seems to be a little hungry sometimes!

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  3. That last shot is indeed an awesome combo!

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  4. You have a gunnera :) I love those!

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  5. I am a fan of that Dasylirions. Great texture in the garden. I was just introduced to the Magnolias too this past year. I have seen them before, but recently started learning more about them. I did not realize that the flower petals are so slipper on the ground. Matti

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  6. Rainforest Gardener, thanks! I think you might have mentioned that you liked it but I certainly don't mind hearing it again! :) We are due a little warmer weather next week, I'm hoping the rest of my Eucomis get with it.

    Jane, as I was planting the "must have syneilesis" I was kicking myself for not getting 3, why only 2? It always looks better when you plant in 3's...just then one of the root/dirt clods broke in 2...suddenly I had 3 to plant!

    Les, thanks!

    Megan, me too...but I love them for their crazy big leaves and I'm wondering what this one will do this year with such a stunted start.

    Matti, have you seen the Magnolia macrophylla? Huge leaves...we have one and I love it. It's just starting to leaf out so I'm sure you will see it in future posts.

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  7. I agree--the black and yellow and acid green is a killer color combo! If plant color combos could be called urban, I think that would qualify.

    I'm excited right there with you seeing all the plants emerging. The anticipation often gets me even more than the thing itself.

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  8. Hi, excuse my changing the subject, but I remember you have a tree fern -is it planted in the ground or in a pot, I thought I'd check before I start digging a space.

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