Spring Emergence at the Farm
It’s so wonderful to see the gardens transform this time of year.
Here at the farm, beautiful flowers are finally erupting after the long, dreary winter. Many blooms have already opened with vibrant color. It’s always nice to see nature come to life again - we have crocuses, snowdrops, hellebores, daffodils and so many more peeking through the soil. Soon, the grounds will be covered in carpets of colorful warmth - I can't wait. Here’s a glimpse of the flowers that are blooming in my gardens now… what flowers are blooming in yours?
Enjoy these photos.
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- Crocus is among the first flowers to appear in spring. Here are some white crocuses. 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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- Crocuses also come in white with purple. These are just about to open.
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- Patches of crocus can be found everywhere around my farm.
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- These are ‘Natascha’ miniature iris – a lovely ice blue in color. They bloom in early spring and grow to about four to six inches tall.
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- 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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- Snowdrops are another sure sign of spring. Snowdrops produce one very small, pendulous bell-shaped white flower which hangs off its stalk like a “drop” before opening.
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- There are bunches of snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis, in various beds around the farm. These flowers are perennial, herbaceous plants, which grow from bulbs.
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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, often included in Scilla.
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- The blue, white or pink flowers appear early in the year making them valuable garden ornamentals.
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- Here are more Chionodoxa in pink.
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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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- 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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- Eranthis, or winter aconite, is a genus of eight species of flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae – the Buttercup family.
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- Winter aconite produces such cheerful yellow flowers that appear in late winter or earliest spring. And, they are deer resistant.
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- I have winter aconite in the shade garden by my Tenant House and down near my stable barn.
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- Hellebores are members of the Eurasian genus Helleborus – about 20 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae. They blossom during late winter and early spring for up to three months.
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- Here are some hellebore flowers beginning to open by my blog studio. Hellebores come in a variety of color 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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- And sedum does really well growing between the crevices in stone walls. We planted this sedum six-years ago. I love how patches of bold red show through in early spring every year.
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- Sedum, a large genus of flowering plants, are also known as stonecrops and are members of the succulent family.
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- Sedum have fleshy, water-storing leaves and are drought tolerant. I am so happy with how well they do here.
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- This is Petasites growing behind my tropical greenhouse. Petasites is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family, Asteraceae. They are also known as butterburs and coltsfoots.
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- The daffodil border that stretches along one side of my farm has been growing rapidly. There are several varieties planted here – all in large groupings, providing a stunning swath of color when in bloom.
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- 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 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.
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- More daffodil bulbs are planted in the tree pits.
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- All around the farm, bulbs are pushing through the earth with so much energy. In the beds bordering my clematis pergola, we planted fritillaria, alliums, camasia and lots of crocuses. I can’t wait to reveal this area very soon – it will look so beautiful.
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