Yesterday, I spotted a grape hyacinth, Muscari armeniacum, growing on the lawn. I have no grape hyacinths growing in my yard. To the best of my knowledge, none of my neighbors do either.
The plant is seven feet from a grouping of snow crocus that also self-sewed on my lawn.
I made a couple of observations based on the plants growing on my lawn.
First, mother nature is a better gardener than I am.
Second, if we seek something, it will manifest. For the last week, I’ve been seeking a grouping of grape hyacinths to display.
Plant grape hyacinths in tight groupings spotted around the landscape. Muscari will tolerate shady spots in the landscape.
Grape hyacinths are an excellent choice for early spring bloom in your garden.
It’s mid-March, and my snow crocus has bloomed for a few weeks. What’s the secret to such early spring flowers? How do I pull off such a fantastic feat every year?
Simple. I do nothing!
Snow crocus is one of the first bulbs, technically, it’s a corm, to bloom in the landscape.
Crocus is extremely easy to care for. They showed up in the lawn about ten years ago and return a little thicker yearly. I neither planted the crocus nor did a thing to care for them.
In particular, the crocus I have are Crocustommasinianus, commonly called the snow crocus or early crocus. Snow crocus has lavender flowers and is the first bloom in the spring.
In fact, Snow crocus often blooms while snow is on the ground. Another identifying factor of snow crocus, Crocustommasinianus, is white stems.
Snow crocus or early crocus grow as far north as USDA Hardiness Zone 3 and south to USDA Hardiness Zone 8. Snow crocus is not a native plant.
Moreover, the snow crocus was covered in snow last week. They were in bloom before the snow fell and are still in color after the snow has melted.
It should be noted that Snow crocus grow three to four inches tall. I mow at a minimum of three inches, so there is plenty of foliage left to feed the corms after bloom.
Consider planting snow crocus in your lawn or garden if you want early spring bloom. You won’t regret it.
Today, March 19, 2023, I just returned from a walk. It’s been in the high 30’s F with winds gusting to a little over 10 mph. The sun makes it look warm, but you better be bundled up if you head outside.
While walking, I noticed several Daffodils groupings and anticipated they would be in bloom in another week or two. The Daffodils closest to bloom grew in front of or along stone walls.
When a little over halfway through my walk, what did I see? A daffodil flower smiling at me on a blustery New England day.
The daffodil asked me if I would share its smile with you!
We all want to see color after a long dreary winter. However, what can we plant to get spring flowers sooner?
Yesterday, I looked out the kitchen window and the Arnold Promise Witch Hazel was on fire. It’s mid-march and I’ve already got a flowering tree in full bloom.
Arnold Promise Witch Hazel doesn’t have the showiest flowers but it does one thing very well. It is in full bloom when nothing else is, except for perhaps Crocus and Lenten Rose.
I enjoy the pre-spring flowers or Arnold Promise Witch Hazel. How could you not?
My nature-planted crocus are in full bloom. Crocus and Arnold Promise Witch Hazel are in the same time frame for succession of bloom. I’m in awe of Crocus every time I see them. The flowers may be covered by six inches of snow tomorrow.
The daffodils won’t be in bloom for another couple of weeks, give or take. I need to remove some of the shredded leaves I put on the plants last fall.
I have poppies emerging or simply growing. I don’t think poppies die back in the winter. They simply turn a little brown but maintain their vigor in the center of the foliage.
As dainty as poppy flowers appear they’re tough-as-nails plant that thrives in hot and dry locations. The photo below was taken in May or June.
My tulips are just beginning to emerge.
Here we are two days later and the temperature is in the low 30s F with two to five inches of heavy, wet snow forecast for today. Have I mentioned what a wonderful addition to the garden Arnold Promise Witch Hazel is?
It’s been an early spring. Weatherwise, we’re at least two weeks ahead of where we usually are this time of year.
I have posted a picture of this group of daffodil flowers previously after a spring freeze. However, I won’t get the opportunity this year. I’m more than ok with that.
Notice the deep edges on the beds, I edged the bed a couple of days ago. The lawn is greener than usual because of the warm weather.
This picture of daffodil flowers was taken on April 12, 2021.
Compare how unfrozen these daffodil flowers are to the recommended post below.
Last week I noticed a sure sign Spring is coming; Daffodils were poking through the snow where I had shoveled access for the oil delivery.
I admit, for me, January is one of the toughest months of the year. As a plant lover, I thrive on sunshine, and there is very little sunshine in January.
Luckily, by the time February rolls around the signs of spring returning start to show.
Signs of spring I’ve noticed over the years include:
Daffodils poking through the snow.
The sun shining later and brighter than in January.
Falling snow is fluffier yet more sticky.
The temperature rises to the mid 40’s more often.
Mud, and lots of it, where the snow has melted.
Birds singing more often, and a happier toon.
I start singing more often, and a happier toon.
These poor Daffodils were literally growing under a foot of snow, as you can see below.
Yesterday I pulled the car over to take a photo of a grouping of grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). The temperature was in the low 40’s and by the minute the weather changed from overcast to partial sun, to rain showers, to snow showers. The grape hyacinth loved it.
When I was a kid we had grape hyacinth growing in the yard under spruce trees. It was a dry, shady spot and they would reliably bloom every spring. They never formed a clump but getting anything to bloom under those trees was a miracle. Once the bloom was done you forgot they were there.
I’ve never planted grape hyacinth because to me it’s an outdated plant, like yews and pachysandra. However, we should choose plants with the best chance of success where they’re planted while not becoming invasive.
How many plants thrive on the side of a cut in a ledge?
If you want early-spring color and have a dry spot with full to partial sun try Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). There are plenty of grape hyacinth cultivars available that range in color from whites to shades of lavender and there’s even a double flowering grape hyacinth.
Last week, I wrote about the blooms on Arnold’s Promis Witch Hazel. It’s looking better than last week with flowers continuing to emerge.
This week I’ve got a few more things in bloom. Nothing is knocking it out of the park but need I remind you it’s early-March with temperatures going down to the twenties, and sometimes teens, at night.
My Lenten Rose has a few small flowers. I don’t remember the cultivar so we’ll call it Helleboris sp.
You have to look through the foliage to see the flowers. I had to kneel down to get this picture. There’s one flower in the middle with two other stalks flanking it.
I have a couple of clumps in the shade that aren’t as far along. They’re significantly larger clumps and put on quite the show every year. Every bit of purple you see is going to be a flower stalk. Green are the leaves emerging.
My Japanese cornel dogwood, Cornus Officinalis, is going to be in full bloom in a week or two. Even though the flowers aren’t fully open the tree has as much, if not more, color than my Witch Hazel.
The last flower in bloom is Crocus. About 8 years ago Crocus clumps started showing up in my side yard. Every year I find a few more. You have to be within a few feet to find the clumps but they give me something to look at as I wander the yard on warm days.
As I write I’m reminded of one more early blooming plant I’d like to add to the garden. Snowdrops, or Galanthus nivalis, have small drooping white flowers this time of the year. They only grow a few inches tall and form spreading colonies in humusy soils.
What are your favorite late-Winter blooming plants? Do you have anything in bloom?
