Saturday, March 15, 2014

March 2014 Bloomday, it's spring all of a sudden...

It's Bloomday once again and things are most definitely taking a turn, a most welcome turn towards spring. Here in Portland, Oregon, we finally had that anticipated stretch of warm and sunny days where you can get out and soak up the sun and know that winter is really and truly over. Thank god!

During our freaky arctic cold last December I succumbed to fear mongering over the idea of loosing the buds on my Edgeworthia and covered them with socks. Now they're looking good, but so are most of the others around town that weren't pampered. Ah well, better safe than sorry... Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold'

My orange Edgeworthia, E. chrysantha 'Akebono' is in a container and thus easier protected.

Love those blooms!

Even though the in-ground Acacia pravissima died off I've got another in a container. Yay for plant insurance!

All three of the Arctostaphylos are blooming, A. x 'Austin Griffiths' was the easiest to photograph.

Aucuba himalaica var. dolichophylla, still in a nursery pot awaiting spring planting.

Azara microphylla blooms! They really do smell like a mix of vanilla and cocoa...

Ceanothus 'Dark Star' buds so ready to pop open...

The Euphorbia trio: E. 'Ascot Rainbow'

Euphorbia 'Blackbird'

Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae

The hellebores are still going strong. Helleborus foetidus and H. ballardiae 'Pink Frost'

And the Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum 'Hindwarf' hasn't missed a beat for a few months now. I've heard of some people around town who lost their loropetalum this winter, mine was newly purchased and not yet planted out, thus easy to protect. It will be going in the ground soon...

That's a wrap on my blooms, as always visit May Dreams Gardens for links to all the bloggers participating in the Bloomday fun.

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

39 comments:

  1. I'm coveting so many shrubs nowadays, and already running out of room. I love your Akebono Edgeworthia. Happy GBBD!

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    1. It's kind of scary how many fabulous "shrubs" (they really need a marketing team to help them out with a new name) there are. I've put myself on a shrub quarantine. I can only buy perennials and other small plants from here on out...

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  2. I always rely on you for unusual flowers on Bloom Day and you came through again! Sorry you lost your Acacia pravisssima but hurrah for the potted one. I was just reading about the chocolatey blooms of Azara microphylla on Julie's Portland Tree Tour blog. And I'm not a big Edgeworthia fan, but I love and covet your gorgeous orange one!

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    1. I knew it was doomed Jane, from the very moment I planted it (the Acacia), it just fooled me by living for so long!

      I was not an Edgeworthia fan for the longest time. Believe it or not its the foliage that finally sold me on the plant.

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  3. those flower balls are amazing

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  4. I just can't keep Edgeworthia and now I know where I was going wrong. I should have given it socks. A tablecloth thrown over it on a frosty night is just not good enough. Did you knit them specially?
    I love the Loropetalum, something else which I cannot keep. Does he get socks?

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    1. Indeed, it felt so cozy and happy with the socks, that plus a table cloth and look out! No socks for the loropetalum, but since he's not in the ground yet he got tucked into the warm basement on the coldest nights.

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  5. The bees in your neighborhood are going to have a big party when that ceanothus blooms. My lorapelatum bit the dust this winter. I planted it in September and it didn't harden off in time. Euphorbias are such great plants. I especially like that Euphorbia amygdaloides and the way its flowers stand tall.
    Jim N. Tabor

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    1. Your so right about the bees, and I feel it's the least I can do since I removed the wall-o-privet which they ate on for weeks.

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  6. You had me a mix of vanilla and cocoa…I'm going to have to add Azara microphylla to my list. Beautiful unusual blooms.

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    1. I saw the same size plant I bought at Xera at their retail shop just yesterday...

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  7. And we still have snow here :/
    Beautiful flowers.

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  8. If you see 'Akebono' for sale anywhere, will you send me a smoke signal? I'll search for one at Hortlandia. Just started the Bocconia frutescens seeds...fingers crossed.

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    1. I will! I bought mine at the YGP Show 2 years ago from Out in the Garden Nursery. They were there this year but with no 'Akebono'...maybe give them a call?

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  9. Such elegant and exotic offerings. If they must wear socks, they are not for me. The only thing we have in common is Loropetalum. I didn't know they could be killed. Sometimes young ones will look dead for a season and then revive.

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    1. But that's just it Jean, the joke was on me...they didn't need the socks! And it's good to know that about the loropetalum, thank you.

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  10. Glad to see your Azara performing for you right from the start! Love your Edgeworthia!

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    1. Indeed, I was surprised as I didn't expect such luck!

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  11. I really enjoy looking at all your exotic blooms, knowing that it's colder where I live and many have failed here. I envy Portland's warmer temperatures, but I have decided it's not worth it to try to grow things that won't make it here in a bad year. The Edgeworthias are so special! I wish I could smell them too.

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    1. Hannah I don't feel very exotic with my blooms so I appreciate your calling them such.

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  12. You've lots of blooms to share despite your miserable spate of cold weather! You always have things I've never heard of or seen - I'll have to look into the Azara, which Monrovia says can handle zone 10. I can't help wondering what your neighbors thought about seeing socks decorating the Edgeworthia!

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    1. I'm not sure any of them got to see the socks, it's right up against the house and a little hidden behind a large Fatsia. Just as well, they already think me crazy.

      I hope the azara works for you!

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  13. I'm moving to Portland if I can have spring flowers like yours. How different from all the regular spring bloom postings about tulips, crocus and daffodils. That first yellow Edgeworthia just looks as though you have stuck the flowers on the ends of the branches. Socks did the trick. Happy Bloom Day.

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    1. Ah you should move to Portland, we would LOVE to have you here! (so sad you're not going to be at the Fling this summer).

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  14. I am totally giggling at you and putting socks on the buds of your edgeworthia. You are cracking me up! But, I am glad yours is looking brilliant and the orange blooms on 'Akebono' are stunning! Happy GBBD!

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  15. Well your Azara is blooming and mine isn't. That can't be right!

    Lovely post!

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  16. Great suddenly spring post! Love 'Akebono' better than the yellow one I had for years. It had the good sense to die one winter to make space for an orange replacement. I'll keep my eye out for one. Glad to hear that Azara microphylla smells so delicious! I've a couple of the variegated ones but have never noticed them blooming. Happy GBBD!

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    1. I've been told 'Akebono' is less vigorous than the yellow, so far so good though!

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  17. Azara microphylla. . . Oh, azara. I am rather infatuated with this genus at the moment. Wouldn't it be amazing if A. microphylla had the diversity of form that boxwoods have? At least in the PNW there would be no more need for boxwood! Love your array of blooms!

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  18. I have been amazed at how tough Edgeworthia is. We are very limited here as to which members of the Daphne family will actually live for us, usually it is our hot and humid summers that do them in, but Edgeworthia thrives in all seasons, even this past winter where we briefly dipped below 10.

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    1. Below 10? And it still bloomed? That's amazing!

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  19. Glad to hear spring has arrived there and what lovely blooms you have there! Would love to get hold of an Akebono here soon!!

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  20. You have lots of unusual blooms. Never heard of Edworthia bit it's lovely.

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