March 2021 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Yann]

I'm envious of all of you who grow sax at perfection, more rain during winters and summers drier and drier caused decline of my collection and i'm not the only one. In the Alps, Saxifraga (and not only) are slowly disappearing between 1100 and 1700m.

Hepatica nobilis and Hepatica transsilvanica

[Tristan_He]

I don't think I grow anything to perfection Yann! In fact, in the case of Saxifraga there isn't really any work, I just plant them and let them get on with it. The carpets are too dense for weeds in general. But thankfully, many Saxifraga varieties grow outdoors here pretty well. At least for now.

At least here, winter wet (about 1500mm annually I think) is no problem. Drainage is good and they do not seem prone to rots and other problems that affect so many alpines. But I agree that none of them like hot dry weather.

Nice Hepaticas by the way!

[Leena]

Well it seems spring is now well established in our northern gardens.
Pulsatilla slavica making the show!

That is so nice intense colour!

Tristan, your rockery is so nice, full of interest I'm sure.

Here also spring is coming, slowly but surely:).
My earliest Helleborus is H.multifidus, coming up even though the ground around it is still frozen.

[Starking007]

Frühling in Bayern!
Heute:

[Mariette]

Thank You, Ashley, Leena and Gabriela! You´re probably right about Fritillaria uva-vulpis, Ashley! The plant was a present, and I´m no collector of frits, really.

Today we visited a local cemetry where Scilla sardensis is naturalised.



This one looked different from the other scillas growing there.



Probably a hybrid?

[Leena]

Scilla sardensis looks nice, I must remember it.

Here it has been a sunny day with  +10C so snow is melting, and more snowdrops are coming through snow.
Colchicum szovitzii 'Tivi' also pushed through snow and ice. It's growing place is probably too dry in the summer and it hasn't increased hardly at all in five years time.
These Cyclamen coum were sown from 2015 seed ex, and the first one flowered last spring, and now there are many flowers coming. I'm so pleased that these have survived here.
Crocus tommasinianus 'Roseus' opened up today, it is one of my favourites.

[Diane Whitehead]

Frühling in Bayern!
Heute:

So much white fur!  Is that usual?

[Tristan_He]

Hi Diane, yes is is, in fact some Pulsatilla are even furrier, esecially when they first emerge. P. halleri is particularly good for hairiness.

[Mike Ireland]

Saxifraga seedling first appeared in 2014 on the tufa wall, now in 2021 it has formed into a fine cushion.

[kris]

Saxifraga seedling first appeared in 2014 on the tufa wall, now in 2021 it has formed into a fine cushion.

Mike -vibrant colour. I love it. Is this a hybrid or Saxifrage oppositifolia

[Mike Ireland]

Mike -vibrant colour. I love it. Is this a hybrid or Saxifrage oppositifolia

Kris this is a seedling which just appeared.  Not Sax. oppositifolia as it is a very tiny tight cushion & the flowers are much smaller.
Photo attached so you can see the foliage.

Mike

[Tristan_He]

That's a beautiful little sax Mike - really choice. Do you have any idea of its parentage?

[Yann]

My region is back in lockdown but i must admit i travel much more than then 10km authorized, nature's call is stronger....

This season many plants are delayed due to the cold weather we had 3 weeks ago.
Fritillaria are in buds, they're very rare and protected in the wild.

[Hoy]

It certainly looks like spring although you have had cold weather, Yann!

Here up in the mountains it is still full winter but the snow has started melting a little on sunny days.

[cohan]

No flowers here yet outdoors! Many beds are out of the snow (freshly covered yesterday, though new snow has melted anywhere that was already bare and gets sun- shady places and where there was still snow/ice still has fresh snow on top). I rarely get plant much growth (except Jovibarba! no bulbs) as soon as the snow is gone- the soil is usually frozen under the snow, and it takes time to warm up after melt-- usually weeks. We've had days from freezing up to mid-teens, nights from just above 0 to mid minus teens C. Today above 10C, but winds 30-80km this afternoon are ushering a cold front to -11 or so tonight and a 'snow squall warning'!

This set: some rocks melting out of yesterday's snow in the Eurasian /Mesic Beds where we also see Primula vialii sticking up in a low area between rock ridges and two views of Semp Beds.