It's Garden Bloggers Bloomday, for April, 2021

Well here we are, it's April Garden Blogger's Bloomday! My first ever GBB post was April 15th of 2009, that means I've been playing along with this meme for twelve years—and so I've got a record of what's blooming in my garden each month going back those twelve years. Amazing! Referencing that first post there's only one plant blooming back then that's still blooming this year, I'll call it out shortly. But first, we start with Euphorbia rigida...

The acid yellow/green bracts of euphorbia are a common sight here in Portland gardens in the springtime. I love them, but also dread when the time comes to cut them back because I have to suit-up so as not to get any of the irritating sap on my skin (or worse, in my eyes). My friend Mary Ann shared a horror story on Facebook earlier this week about some kids in Boise, Idaho, who were snapping the stems and using the white latex sap like sunscreen lotion. They ended up in the emergency room with burns on their skin. Be very careful with this plant!

So this euphorbia, E. amygdaloides var. robbiae is the only plant that was blooming in my garden in April 2009 and is still blooming here in April 2021. Crazy! And of course it's not the same exact plant per se, but a descendant of, as it's moved across my garden, several feet. I've not ever planted another so it's heritage can be traced right straight back to that original.

It feels like this rosemary has been blooming at least that long, and if you counted up the actual months spent blooming I'm sure it would knock that silly euphorbia right out of the park.

Daphne x houtteana

These white flowers belong to Arabis procurrens 'Variegata', which is not any of the plants you see in the background.

This is the actual plant creating the flowers.

Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow'

Epimedium x rubrum, flowers just starting to open. There are much more now, just a day or so later.

The epimedium foliage associated with the flowers.

How fabulous that this Helleborus  'Onyx Odyssey' is forming seeds. Babies would be much appreciated.

Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Harmony’

The end of Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold'

Whereas Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Akebono’ is still going strong.

Helleborus foetidus

Almost flowers on Magnolia laevifolia.

Arisarum proboscideum, a plant I thought was gone, only to see it resurface! 

I've collected a few different gingers in the garden. This one, Asarum caudatum, a local gardener gave me last spring. I remember digging plants in her garden when we both realized we were way to close, and backed up. That was early days of COVID and before masks were standard. 

Such an odd memory and a cool plant.

A recent purchase from Joy Creek Nursery, Asarum europaeum.

And of course the strange blooms of panda face ginger, Asarum maximum 'Ling Ling' (still in it's container also).

Kinda spooky, yet also cool.

Another from the "almost" camp, Stachyurus salicifolius,

And here's an exciting development. Yes indeedy, the two oldest Echium wildpretii are finally giving it up and they're going to bloom. Exhibit A...

And Exhibit B...

It's interesting to watch the the little flower clusters along the stem forming.

Just a few more bloomday entries, the space-ship like flowers of Epimedium 'Amber Queen'.

Here's Epimedium wushanense 'Spiny Leaf Form'.

Both of these are shade-lovers who are currently doing their best to cope with sun, under Clifford, our big leaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) who has not quite leafed out yet.

Arisaema ringens

And finally, our last image for this bloomday (hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens—did I already say that?) is from the basement. Since the basement garden hasn't migrated outdoors yet due to a very cool spring, my Aporophyllum Shirley 'Sun Cactus' is blooming indoors. What a sight... happy spring!

Weather Diary, April 14: Hi 71, Low 45/ Precip 0 

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