It's spring! Here in the nation's capitol we're giddily celebrating our traditional seasonal flora: Yoshino cherry trees (native to Japan, famously), daffodils (native to northern Africa, Europe and Asia), and tulips (native to Central Asia and Turkey).
On a hike last week I encountered cut-leaved toothwort and Virginia spring beauty. The latter were especially impressive poking their little flowers up just above the fallen leaves. They were everywhere.
My favorite Early Spring bloomers right now are definitely wild blue violets. The gorgeous carpets they form, especially under my buttonbush, are, well, gorgeous!
Greetings from the north! We're still patiently (kinda-sorta) waiting for spring up here in the north, and we're getting a nor'easter this week, so gardening, per se, is reduced to turning over soil that's thawed and tending starters in the greenhouse. Every year, my lawn washes over with yellow, violet and white as dandelions, violets, white violas, buttercups and false hyacinth. Plantain and actual grass fills in the gaps, and I (electric) mow around the lovely patches of color only when necessary. I have cherries )currently battling the evil bittersweet vine-- and apples (same battle). Up here there's a lovely purple 'wild' plant/flower with clusters of small blooms. Apparently, it's invasive... and apparently just about everyone has it somewhere, lurking, creeping into their yard or garden. Like bamboo, once it's around, it's quite hard to be rid of (covering w/ black plastic- then removing the black plastic a few years later...) My most aromatic locals are all conifers, and the smell of new balsom on a dewy morning walk is just fab!
Agree, Laura. Packera aurea is a cheerful and reliable early bloomer. I've heard that it can outcompete some difficult invasives, too, such as garlic mustard. A great choice for a large-ish area that won't or can't get a lot of attention -- amomg other locations!
Virginia bluebells are a favorite for three reasons. They're beautiful. They spread over time. And, just as important, the deer don't eat them so I can plant them in my unfenced front yard.
Another one the deer don't eat that looks good in a mass planting is packera.
The eastern redbud is one of my absolute favorites in spring
On a hike last week I encountered cut-leaved toothwort and Virginia spring beauty. The latter were especially impressive poking their little flowers up just above the fallen leaves. They were everywhere.
My favorite Early Spring bloomers right now are definitely wild blue violets. The gorgeous carpets they form, especially under my buttonbush, are, well, gorgeous!
What about spicebush?
I love prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) and American pasqueflower (Anemone patens). Both the flowers and seed heads on these are pretty.
So many to choose from! I love them all, including the little flowers on Pennsylvania sedge.
Greetings from the north! We're still patiently (kinda-sorta) waiting for spring up here in the north, and we're getting a nor'easter this week, so gardening, per se, is reduced to turning over soil that's thawed and tending starters in the greenhouse. Every year, my lawn washes over with yellow, violet and white as dandelions, violets, white violas, buttercups and false hyacinth. Plantain and actual grass fills in the gaps, and I (electric) mow around the lovely patches of color only when necessary. I have cherries )currently battling the evil bittersweet vine-- and apples (same battle). Up here there's a lovely purple 'wild' plant/flower with clusters of small blooms. Apparently, it's invasive... and apparently just about everyone has it somewhere, lurking, creeping into their yard or garden. Like bamboo, once it's around, it's quite hard to be rid of (covering w/ black plastic- then removing the black plastic a few years later...) My most aromatic locals are all conifers, and the smell of new balsom on a dewy morning walk is just fab!
Agree, Laura. Packera aurea is a cheerful and reliable early bloomer. I've heard that it can outcompete some difficult invasives, too, such as garlic mustard. A great choice for a large-ish area that won't or can't get a lot of attention -- amomg other locations!
Virginia bluebells are a favorite for three reasons. They're beautiful. They spread over time. And, just as important, the deer don't eat them so I can plant them in my unfenced front yard.
Another one the deer don't eat that looks good in a mass planting is packera.