March 2010 Northern Hemisphere

[Gail]

We had Chris Grey-Wilson talking about pulsatillas at our local NCCPG group today (highly recommended if you get the chance to hear him - very informative and stunning pictures) I went to check my own pulsatillas when I got home and something has been chewing/pulling the flower buds off most of them! 
The only thing that stopped me weeping was the discovery of 3 fat flowerbuds on my latest tree peony - the Peter Smithers' hybrid 'Lydia Foote'.

[Maggi Young]

something has been chewing/pulling the flower buds off most of them!

 Hmmm.... and this would be the woman who keeps chickens...........

I'd be suspicious, very suspicious!

[Gail]

Hmmm.... and this would be the woman who keeps chickens...........

I'd be suspicious, very suspicious!

The chickens don't usually visit that bed - at least not when I'm watching!  However we do have a large pheasant population - the farmer rears them and they come to us for food and to avoid the guns and do pull heads off snowdrops, frits and pulsatillas....  Some of the buds looked as though they had actually been chewed though so I wondered if the local mice have developed a taste for them.  Kit Grey-Wilson was saying they are poisonous so I'll check for furry bodies tomorrow!

[Lvandelft]

The snowflakes are getting better every year and I spotted two meters aways
a flowering seedling (just one flower)

Leucojum vernum var. carpathicum 1       
Leucojum vernum var. carpathicum 2

[Lvandelft]

This shrub looked all winter as if the buds were totally frozen,
but within one week surprised with many flowers
                               
Abeliophyllum distychum Pink Form                   

Gagea lutea
was yesterday beautiful but today after some rain in the night is
almost green again and over.

and 
Narcissus Tête à  Tête                                     
Scilla bifolia             

[Gerdk]

This shrub looked all winter as if the buds were totally frozen,
but within one week surprised with many flowers
                           
Abeliophyllum distychum Pink Form                   

What a fine clone!   

Gerd

[Mike Ireland]

Flowering now in tufa,
Primula allionii Adrian Jones
Primula allionii Hocker Edge
Sax x geuderi eulenspigel
Sax x geuderi eulenspigel & Degenia velebitica

[krisderaeymaeker]

Flowering now in tufa,
Primula allionii Adrian Jones
Primula allionii Hocker Edge
Sax x geuderi eulenspigel
Sax x geuderi eulenspigel & Degenia velebitica

Stunning plants Mike.Looks nice in the tufa.
Here today in flower : Clematis columbiana var.tenuiloba

[Lesley Cox]

Many lovely plants above. Mike I really like the yellow picture of the Saxifraga and the Degenia. They complement (and compliment) each other nicely. And good to see one of our native Helichrysums in the background. They're called something else now.  Oh Jo W, why did you do that?

[Mike Ireland]

Lesley, Helichrysum tumida is what I have always known the plant as, didn't know it had changed. Shame really.

Mike

[Lesley Cox]

Osteo something I think? or.....

[Lvandelft]

[Abeliophyllum distychum Pink Form                    

What a fine clone!  

Gerd
[/quote]

How is yours doing Gerd? Or did you leave it back in the old garden?

[Lori S.]

There is, of course, nothing to compare with the amazing photos posted above, but we're pleased that spring is beginning a bit early this year...  

Hepatica nobilis seedling, the first to bloom, and some crocus...

[cohan]

There is, of course, nothing to compare with the amazing photos posted above, but we're pleased that spring is beginning a bit early this year...  

Hepatica nobilis seedling, the first to bloom, and some crocus...

wow--far ahead of here (my shady yard, anyway) snow is going fast with these temps, but there's  still lots of it--the small new beds where i planted a few bulbs last fall are still under probably a foot or more..there are bare areas, but not where anything is planted, and probably most soil is still frozen..

[Gerdk]

[Abeliophyllum distychum Pink Form                    

What a fine clone!  

Gerd

How is yours doing Gerd? Or did you leave it back in the old garden?


Luit,
Of course, not! Although my (your) plant is just starting to build the first flowers there is much hope for the future and it will be a similar superb plant like the mother (father?)

Gerd