March 2016 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Diane Whitehead]

A 40 year old Synthyris reniformis that blooms every year in winter, unmolested by deer which
don't like getting their noses in the dirt.

[Shadylanejewel]

Beautiful Diane.

We have them scattered all over our property but none up here at the house. Need to remedy that!

[Leena]

Lovely plant, Diane.
I got Synthyris missurica stellata seeds from seed exchange this year, I hope they germinates in the spring and grow well here. It is plant which I didn't even know existed until I saw it here in the forum.

[Robert]

Spring has certainly arrived here in our part of California.

A few of the many plants blooming in the garden.

Corylopsis pauciflora - one of a number of species blooming in our garden now. This plant is about 35 years old and makes a spectacular display of flowers each year. I like the foliage too.

Crocus tommasinianus - more like I bought it as such. They bloom a bit later than some of our other Crocus and seem quite happy in this sand bed. Some of the Crocus do not last in our garden. Maybe they do not like the long dry heat of California - Maybe Virus?    Anyway, I grow some Crocus from seed now and enjoy what I can from the purchased plants in the mean time. 

[Robert]

A few more photographs from the garden today.

Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn' - 30 to 40 years old and full of flowers right now. I never water it during the summer and it thrives. An excellent variety.

Arctostaphylos 'Sunset' - A good compact grower. The flowers are okay and the coppery-red new growth each spring is very nice. This specimen is about 30 to 40 years old too and about 1 meter tall. This one gets some irrigation during the summer, but I am sure it would be just as happy without any irrigation during the summer at all.

Primula (Dodecatheon) hendersonii in its native habitat on the farm property. I encourage them to grow and spread. There are thousands now. It is awesome!        Now that I have stewardship of the property I am attempting to reestablish many of the other native wildflowers to the farm property.

[Hoy]

A 40 year old Synthyris reniformis that blooms every year in winter, unmolested by deer which
don't like getting their noses in the dirt.

Very nice, Diane! I have tried to establish Synthyris in my garden but they disappear after some years. I don't know why

Do I spot a pink Viola odorata to the right?

[Hoy]

Robert,

I like P. hendersonii in the lawn! (or meadow?)

[Diane Whitehead]

My synthyris is in a place that is never disturbed - between a camellia and a rhododendron - so there is never the danger of digging it out accidentally.

Yes, for some reason pink Viola odorata does better than purple ones.

[Robert]

Robert,

I like P. hendersonii in the lawn! (or meadow?)

Trond,

In a meadow. 

Primula hendersonii, as do some of the other western Dodecatheon, needs to be kept dry during the summer dormant period. They grow in the shade so dryness, but not baking in the sun, is necessary.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Camellia season is getting underway here (although the Sasanquas have been blooming all winter). I know some people dislike camellias - Christopher Lloyd is reported as one, although they grow at Great Dixter. I like them, and here is Camellia x williamsii 'Waterlily'

[brianw]

My synthyris is in a place that is never disturbed - between a camellia and a rhododendron - so there is never the danger of digging it out accidentally.

Are you saying this is the original plant and it has not increased or been propagated from, Diane? I will treat my 2 plants with more respect now if that is the case.

[Yann]

First snow are awaited, so before the 3m snowfall cover the plants  i'm taking a walk in the garden.

[Maggi Young]

Hope there is not too much snow, Yann.

[Yann]

Finally 0 mm of snow, forecast crews are liars 

[David Nicholson]

Finally 0 mm of snow, forecast crews are liars 

But Yann your first post said you were expecting 3M of snow, obviously yor forecast people didn't believe you and did something about it!