Monday, January 23, 2012

It's Starting ... Spring??

'Grand Primo' Narcissus tazetta (I think)
Is this the start of spring? It's been unseasonably mild here, a far cry from last winter, and some of the bulbs are blooming much earlier this year. I dug up these narcissus, which I think are 'Grand Primo', the first week in March last year while they were in bloom. It was part of my daffodil rescue. But they're blooming already. I really like these bulbs - very robust leaves and stems and extremely fragrant (maybe too fragrant!). Plus they're just plain pretty.

Southern grape hyacinth, Muscari neglectum
Last year the grape hyacinth were just starting to open about a week later. So they seem on track. If I were to buy more grape hyacinth bulbs, I think I'd buy some larger cultivars. These are very teeny.

'Gravetye Giant' summer snowflake, Leucojum aestivum
These 'Gravetye Giant' snowflakes are new for me this year. Last year I had the smaller summer snowflakes blooming about a month later. The smaller ones have yet to bloom so I don't know if it's a cultivar difference or not. I do like the bigger blooms on these!

Flowering quince
The flowering quince is starting to open, probably a week or so earlier than last year. I'd say it's got a good month of blooming left though.

'Peggy Clarke' flowering apricot, Prunus mume
My new baby is blooming! I planted my 'Peggy Clarke' flowering apricot last January and it's covered in blooms and bees now! I'm so glad there are some bloomers for my pollinator friends.

Are you starting to see signs of spring earlier than last year? What's blooming for you?

This post was written by Jean McWeeney for my blog Dig, Grow, Compost, Blog. Copyright 2012. Please contact me for permission to copy, reproduce, scrape, etc.

9 comments:

  1. Wow so pretty! Love those pink blooms!

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  2. I'm afraid spring is still a long way away for us yet. But what a treat to see all your beautiful blooms, Jean. The narcissus are gorgeous! The grape hyacinth are so sweet, but I agree it takes a lot of them to make a visual impact.

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  3. Spring does seem early. I saw a butterfly yesterday.

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  4. Hi Jean,
    Amazing to have such flower colour at this time of year. The Leucojum aestivum are my favourite out of the set of piccies. Here, it's cold, wet, or as is now...both!
    Take care.

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  5. I enjoyed your spring preview. I've never seen a well-grown flowering apricot around here, but man those blooms are beautiful. Things were moving along ahead of schedule here until we finally got a good snow.

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  6. Yes, indeedy, we've got some things blooming down here too! My pineapple sage has never stopped. Been blooming since fall. A couple of days ago I spotted a hummingbird feeding from it so took the feeder back out there just in case they're hungry. It's been a strange winter for sure.

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  7. What a strange winter, but, I do love seeing signs of Spring!Love your rescued daffs. Congrats on the blooms for your pollinator friends! gail

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  8. Such lovely pictures!
    I'm so glad that I found your blog! We don't grow the same sort of flowers here, but your pictures are lovely!

    Margaret
    Two in the Nest

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  9. Those pink blooms are gorgeous. So much going on. I thought Austin had had warm weather but I have no spring bulbs blooming yet.

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