Hey everyone, it's the middle of February and signs of spring are everywhere. Happy Bloom Day to you!
How do snowdrops find themselves growing in spaces between pavers?
Do you see the little green upside-down hearts just in time for Valentine's Day?
These are so tiny and cute but I wonder if they would be so widely planted if they bloomed in June or July.
In the devastatingly beautiful scent department the following three are tops. They greet me as I step out onto the porch and pass through the front parking strip to get into my car to go to work. Is it any wonder that I want to stay home?
Chimonanthus praecox earns the common names Japanese Allspice and Wintersweet!
Fresh lemony and sweet, the fragrance of Lonicera fragrantissima wafts nicely. The flowers aren't particularly showy but your nose will know that they're blooming !
Sarcococca confusa has a strong fragrance. This plant is often used in our February garden shows where, with all the people in attendance, the interior air can get a touch warm, making the fragrance overpowering. Small price to pay for the fun of a garden show in the middle of winter!
Viburnum x bodnantense 'pink dawn' is still going strong and is no slouch in the fragrance department.
Garrya eliptica has no fragrance but the tassels sway so nicely in the wind and remind me of dangly earrings.
The Hellebores also known as lenten roses are right on time as Ash Wednesday was on February 13. There are some varieties that are known as Christmas roses because they bloom even earlier.
Helleborus argutifolius
Helleborous orientalis - sevaral. I realized that I didn't take any pictures of the nearly black and double "Onyx Odessy" or any of the whites. Oh well, there are more blooming out there.
Winter Jasmine
Cyclamen coum
No open blooms but Abutilon megapotamicum has been in all of my bloom day posts since July. Pretty special plant in my book!
Finally, the Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' that came home with me from Molbak's a few weeks ago is still blooming beautifully.
Beautiful selection of spring blooms. The variety of plants which grow there is impressive. I'd love to grow hellebores but need to find a heat tolerant type first.
ReplyDeleteI'm still amazed after living here all these years at the variety of plants we can grow.
DeleteIncredible! I can't believe your abutilon! That thing is insane. At this rate it will never stop blooming. I really like the camellia Yuletide
ReplyDeleteAin't it cool. It's slowed down but probably won't stop blooming until maybe next winter if we get a really cold snap.
DeleteBeautiful blooms!
ReplyDeleteAs I scrolled down to see more and more blooms, I began to wonder where you were. I clicked on your profile - Amazing! Washington!
Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
Lea
Lea's Menagerie
Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day to you Lea! I just checked out your blog and you have beautiful blooms. Our daffodils are behind this year as are the camellia japonicas.
DeleteOh nice! I've noted the fragrant shrubs for my shopping enjoyment--it's time I had more than just daphne this time of year. Happy soon-ending-winter in the PNW Peter!
ReplyDeleteRight back at you, pal!
DeleteWow your garden must smell fabulous right about now! I think my fav is the graceful Garrya eliptica though.
ReplyDeleteMy winter Jasmine buds just sort of dried up without opening. Big bummer.
Smells good, looks weird but with next week off, maybe I can do something about that!
DeleteSorry about your winter Jasmine buds being duds!
Oh, please, please give us a Bloom Day addendum with photos of your Onyx Odyssey Hellebore! All your others are so pretty, but I've been looking for a really dark one. I'm curious how "black" it really is. And thanks for the photo of the Garrya, my absolute fave native shrub.
ReplyDeleteIt's really black. I took some better pictures of it at Bark and Garden and will include them in another post about them.
DeleteThank you for the invitation but I respectfully decline.
ReplyDeleteYou have so many beautiful blooms going on in your garden already! I've often wondered why the spring flowers have the strongest scents, must be to entice us to leave our houses :)
ReplyDeleteYou must be right because it sure works!
DeleteThose little snowdrops are so cute! They really look like they have personality. Your hellebores are fabulous, and of course, I love your camellia. But I am quite impressed with the viburnum. I need to put that on my list to find a spot for!
ReplyDeleteSnowdrops are pretty sweet! I wish I could take credit for the hellebores but I planted them years ago and they just keep getting better each year!
DeleteSnowdrops are just so wonderful. And I love Camelia 'Yuletide'!
ReplyDeleteThey are so swee and cheerful in the middle of winter! Yuletide is also special because it starts bloomig in November/December and keeps on for quite a while.
DeleteI really need to add snow drops to my bulb collection. They look perfect in tidy clumps! Great collection of blooms for the early season! Cheers, Jenni
ReplyDeleteMine spread all over the place and don't mind being moved around. Happy GBBD Jenni!
DeleteI love all the things we can have for winter interest here!
ReplyDeleteDeirdre
Isn't it grand!
DeleteYou have so much blooming right now! All beautiful!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Thanks Brenda. I'm very lucky.
DeleteI'm tempted to get my shovel and dig out a few of my Hellebores. Maybe it will get them started on the path to Bloomdom. Oh, and this year will be the year I plant Galanthus. Maybe I should order the bulbs now.
ReplyDeleteHappy GBBD!
Yours will be blooming soon, I promise. Planting Galanthus -You go gardener!
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