Thursday, March 15, 2012

And in Marches Spring

Spring has hit in full force this month.
Bees and butterflies have started coming out.  Lizards and frogs have been awakening. Birds have begun building their nests.

Carolina Wren holding material for a nest
And of course there are the spring blooms..

unfolding of Narcissus 'Queens Day'
Nothing says spring around here like the cheerful blooms of daffodils, and I have planted quite a few.

Narcissus 'Queens Day' with Narcissus 'Minnow'
Many people ask what the difference is between daffodils and narcissus.  They are actually the same thing - narcissus is the fancy Latin botanical name for daffodil.

A closeup of the diminutive Narcissus 'Minnow'
Also sprouting and blooming in the garden are bleeding hearts.

Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba'
 This is only the second year I've grown bleeding hearts.  I was rather surprised at the fact that they are blooming as soon as they sprout.  Is this normal?

Dicentra spectabilis 'Gold Heart'
Also blooming in the garden are Hellebores, Grape Hyacinths, and Summer Snowflakes.


And the camellia of unknown bloomage that my mother-in-law gave me is now starting to flower.  That is some bloom!


However, even with all the blooms, I think spring may have hit a little too hard here in North Carolina.  This week the temperature climbed up to the 80's several days in a row, difficult weather for recent additions to the garden.

Recently planted Ranunculus are feeling the heat a little too much!
 Let's just hope that this is not an indication of how summer is going to go here in North Carolina...

To see how gardens around the world are faring this March, check out Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

17 comments:

  1. I have the same concern about this early spring. Will the summer be exceptionally hot and dry? Will we have way more bugs than usual? I hope not. It would be wonderful to have a long, lovely spring and a normal, pleasant summer. But whatever...it's gardening time and I am very happy! Great bloom day post!

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  2. Hi! Pretty blooms, I love ranunculus, one of my favorites but I haven't grown it for years! Forgot about it, I guess! Love the camelia and photos of the bleeding hearts. Hope it's not a really hot year. The summers where I live are blistering at times!

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  3. That's a beautiful Camelia...and no sigh of skullduggery or theft...phew! x

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  4. Your bleeding heart are a little farther along than mine. Mine just started coming up this week with this crazy "summer" weather. I too was thinking what a HOT summer this one may be. I am finding new things sprouting every day. I love all your daffodils.

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  5. I love visiting Southern gardens at this time of the year. It gives me hope. Although I have to say my snowdrops are nearly a month earlier this year.

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  6. I love your Ranunculus! When did you plant them? ie, is it too late for me to plant some :)

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  7. How pretty, Indie! Happy Spring to you.

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  8. I love ranunculus! I posted the same sentiment today....

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  9. Your blooms are so pretty Indie. I love your Bleeding Hearts and those Ranunculus are gorgeous. Have a terrific weekend.

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  10. Love that beautiful camellia! And your ranunculus are fabulous. But now I'm wondering what happened to my bleeding hearts. I must have weeded them out! And since I've never grown them before, I too wonder if they usually bloom so fast. Always something to learn in the garden!

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  11. Your garden is looking nice! We have had a colder than normal last month or so. I'm worried everything will get a late start. I guess everyone could find something to worry about in the future so instead I'll just enjoy your flowers and hope to be enjoying all of mine soon.

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  12. I can smell spring over here in Malaysia too.

    Wiseacre leads me to your blog.

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  13. Everything is so beautiful but I particularly love the Narcissus "Minnow"... soooo cute!!

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  14. I love your blooms! I am also concerned about the premature heat and what it means for our summer. Tender young shoots are expecting cooler weather, not this hot, humid weather! I am looking each day for my bleeding hearts to reappear. i planted them last year, and so far this season they are a no show.

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  15. Thank you for stopping by "The Redeemed Gardener" blog-spot! I am enjoying your blog. I will be back to continue reading!

    Side not, I have lots of family in the Winston-Salem and Highpoint area!

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  16. Indie,
    Our Bleeding Heart did the same thing this year. I thought it was dead, then when I saw it bloom as it came out of the ground I thought I'd stepped on it. Not normal for them to do this.

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  17. Thanks for all the kind comments! I just found the Ranunculus at the plant store a couple weeks ago and planted them, but with the hot weather we've been having, they are really struggling. I really should move them to a shadier spot..

    I'm glad I'm not the only one having strange issues with bleeding hearts this year. I think the mild weather we've had all winter has played havoc with a lot of my plants - annuals have turned into perennials and plants that need the colder winter are reluctant to put on a show. We'll see what summer brings!

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