Beautiful Spring Color Around the Farm
My Bedford, New York farm is bursting with spring color for this Easter weekend.
We're expecting a mix of sun and clouds today with temperatures in the low 40s - a definite cold front after several pleasant spring days, but beautiful plants and their blooms continue to emerge - crocuses, irises, corydalis, bloodroot, and of course the bright yellow and white daffodils. There are so many eye-catching flowers with more to enjoy in the coming weeks. I often tour the farm early in the day to see the progress and changes that have occurred.
Here’s a look at what's flowering in my gardens now, enjoy.
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- Along one side of my farm is my long daffodil border. Thousands and thousands of daffodils are planted here. The original daffodil border was begun in 2003. It now stretches all the way down from my Summer House, past the stable, and ending at the Japanese maple grove.
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- The daffodil border has been growing rapidly. Daffodil species are native to meadows and woods in southwest Europe and North Africa. Narcissi tend to be long lived bulbs and are popular ornamental plants in public and private gardens. I plant varieties in large groupings, providing a stunning swath of color when in bloom.
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- Some have already opened. I plant early, mid and late season blooming varieties so that sections of beautiful flowers can be seen throughout the season.
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- The blossoms come in many combinations of yellow, orange, white, red, pink and even green. I can’t wait to show the long border of stunning daffodil flowers.
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- Meanwhile, the crocuses are blossoming everywhere. I plant scores of spring flowering bulbs every fall, and every spring, the beds fill with color – so worth all the work.
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- Crocus flowers bloom in a variety of bright colors including pink, purple, lavender, blue, orange, yellow, cream and white – with narrow, grass-like foliage.
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- Crocus is a genus of flowering plants in the iris family comprising 90 species of perennials growing from corms. Many are cultivated for their flowers appearing in autumn, winter, or spring. the spice saffron is from the stigmas of Crocus sativus, an autumn-blooming species.
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- Here are purple and white striped croci growing in the back border of my pergola in front of a row of bold green boxwood.
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- The cup-shaped, solitary flower tapers off into a narrow tube. These bloom for about three weeks. The flowers close at night and open up in the morning, but usually remain closed on rainy or chilly cloudy days.
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- This crocus patch is growing beneath some bald cypress trees across from my Blog Studio. I love the deep purple color. It’s a big favorite of everyone here at the farm.
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- They only reach about two to four inches tall, but they naturalize easily, meaning they spread and come back year after year.
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- It’s hard to resist taking photos of these gorgeous blooms.
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- Chionodoxa, known as glory-of-the-snow, is a small genus of bulbous perennial flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. Formerly treated as the separate genus Chionodoxa, they are now included in Scilla as a section.
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- These hardy, carefree bulbs are excellent for naturalizing. These are planted in the tree pits of my bald cypress trees not far from my Basket House. Planted beneath trees or shrubs, or even right in the lawn, they will multiply readily and spread a ripple of early spring color through the landscape.
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- I have some puschkinia growing in a large patch near my Tenant House. Puschkinia is best grown in moist, fertile, well-draining soil in full sun to partial sunlight.
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- Puschkinia is a genus of three known species of bulbous perennials in the family Asparagaceae. It is native to the Caucasus and the Middle East.
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- This is ‘Natascha’ miniature iris – a lovely ice blue in color. These bloom in early spring and grow to about four to six inches tall. The blooms have a very light and subtle violet-like scent. Irises come from a vast genus of plants, but nearly all show the recognizable iris flower form – three standard petals and three hanging outer fall petals.
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- Irises are a gorgeous variety of flowering plants. There are more than 300 species of Iris flowers around the world, making them not only beautiful but also incredibly diverse. I love the deep blue-purple of these blooms.
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- Bloodroot bears a single flower about two inches wide on a plant that reaches only six inches in height when in bloom. The flower has white petals and yellow stamens. Bloodroot, (Sanguinaria canadensis, is one of several strikingly lovely spring ephemerals that bloom only for a short window of time just after the winter chill, but before the spring frenzy and summer heat.
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- The hellebores are looking so pretty this year. Hellebores come in a variety of colors and have rose-like blossoms. It is common to plant them on slopes or in raised beds in order to see their flowers, which tend to nod.
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- Bright colorful flowers rising above neat mounds of delicate foliage make corydalis perfect for shady borders. Of the 300 or so species of corydalis with differing colors, these are dark pink flowers growing near my blog studio.
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- The winter aconite is holding strong. Also known as Eranthis hyemalis, it is a genus of eight species of flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae – the Buttercup family.
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- Sedum does really well growing between the crevices in stone walls. We planted this sedum several years ago. Sedum has fleshy, water-storing leaves and is drought tolerant. I am so happy with how well they do here in the stone wall along my Winter House terrace parterre.
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- Here is more sedum in red. I love how patches of bold red show through in early spring every year. Sedum, a large genus of flowering plants, is a member of the succulent family. Its plants are also known as stonecrops.
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- The landscape around the farm is changing every day. It’s always so exciting to see the transformation after the cold, dreary winter. I’ll be sharing more beautiful images in the weeks to come – so check in often.
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