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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

February 18 Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

Carol at May Dreams Gardens hosts Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day on the fifteenth of each month.  Click over to her blog to see what's blooming in gardens around the world today. Here's what's happening in my zone 8 Western Washington garden.


Primroses (cheating as these came home from the store already in bloom, those in the garden are a bit behind.)


Camellias japonica


My Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' seems to be happy enough now and is starting to bloom.  Isn't this a little late for those to be starting?

Galanthus.

Hellebores 


There are a lot of these in my garden because they seem to thrive on neglect and don't mind dry shade.

Really, these are all different varieties and these are only about half of them. 

 Feel free to skip ahead if you're tired of the hellebore parade. 





Whew, you made it!

 Daphne odora.  There's nothing quite as sweet and welcome as this fragrance in the winter garden.

Of course there's also Chimonanthus praecox (Wintersweet.)

The parade of winter continues with Lonicera fragrantissima, a hummingbird favorite.

Weedy but swell Euphorbia wulfenii

Garrya's tassels are so long that the wind blows them up onto the leaves into an unsightly tangle. 


Arctostaphylos something or other

helleborus argutifolius


 Sweet little violets are making inroads toward taking over the lawn.  Hooray!

Viburnum × bodnantense ‘Dawn’ is no slouch in the fragrance department either.  

 Jasminum nudiflorum

Stachyurus praecox

It must be spring if the crocus are blooming, right?  
Happy GBBD all!

24 comments:

  1. One can never have too many Hellebores! You are definitely into Spring.

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  2. So many bright and colorful flowers are in your garden Peter. My favorites are camellias and violets.

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  3. I too share your love of hellebores!

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  4. I love Hellebores! You can't have too many!
    I don't think it is cheating to buy plants already in bloom, especially if they are sweet little Primroses
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

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  5. I was amazed at the number of Hellebores I saw in your hellstrips alone. You got it going on!

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  6. You have quite a bit going on in your garden for February. The Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide'is gorgeous and I love all your Hellebores too! Happy Bloom Day! Spring is in the air.

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  7. Peter, those hellebores are gorgeous, I have never seen hellebores here I guess it's too hot for them. Your camellia is stunning too, here the sasanquas bloom in autumn earlier than japonicas.

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  8. Peter, those hellebores are gorgeous! I've never seen hellebores here I guess it's too hot for them. Your camellia is stunning too, here sasanquas bloom in autumn earlier than japonicas.

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  9. That blue primrose just about burned up my retinas! It looks like Spring has already arrived in your garden, Peter. I'm exceedingly envious of the hellebores - mine are pouting this year.

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  10. There's a Hellebore parade in my Bloom Day post too. I still want more, though, they are great for dry shade. Even a messy Garrya is stunning.

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  11. Looking at your hellebore collection (and Loree's), I realize I am missing out. I need to plant more! Your garden looks like it is launching into spring. <3

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  12. I don't know why, when I saw the primroses, I said to myself "Washington". I remember the first (and only) time I ever visited Seattle, which was in February (before the solar eclipse you had back in the late 70's) and I saw all the primroses in bloom - it was an amazing sight to this native New Yorker. I love camillas (I'm even trying to grow one in my zone 5b garden, don't ask) but your flowers are such a breath of "spring is coming one day". Thank you!

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  13. It truly looks like spring in your garden. Delightful seeing all that color. Happy GBBD.

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  14. I'm with Linda: you can't have too many Hellebores. Mine are blooming too, and so are the crocuses. If it wasn't for the darn cold temperatures I would heartily agree that Spring is here. Alas, they mentioned snow flurries for Sunday :-( Your Viburnum Dawn is a sight!

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  15. Oh, I'll have to get outside and check the violets! I think yours are ahead of mine.

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  16. I'm so jealous of the Camellias, since we can't grow them here. Many of the others will bloom here in about a month or so, so I guess I'll just have to be patient. Bless you for sharing these hopeful signs of spring. :)

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  17. How sparkling colors of primroses ,hellebores cant be grown in warm climates of ours.

    jaipurgardening.blogspot.com

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  18. Why in the world would anyone want to "skip ahead?" It is best to view everything twice.
    Jeannie @ GetMeToTheCountry.blogspot.com

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  19. Yeah. You've got spring. I love it!
    A scratch and sniff post would have been awesome. I can only imagine the scents of daphne and honeysuckle drifting around the garden.

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  20. Those are fabulous blue primroses!

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  21. There can never be too many hellebores, Peter! I'm always impressed with your spring show of color. I can only imagine how cheerful your garden is in person :)

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  22. I enjoyed seeing your February blooms. Funny that my chimonanthus is long gone and yet the stachyurus is still in tight bud. I love all your hellebores.

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  23. You have so many things blooming! My Yuletide is blooming for the second time this year, and is also late blooming, Apple Blossom bloomed several months ago. I was about ready to beat Yuletide with tire chains since she made me wait so many years, but I was amazed that my variegated Taiyo had it's first blooms ever so I am happy to see them both at the same time.

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  24. Helleborus are magical. I'll have to wait for mine.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.