Bloom Day: January 2012

Well, it's finally here--winter has arrived!  After weeks of an unusually mild winter, Mother Nature has decided it was time to get down to business. On Thursday a few inches of snow fell and the wind began to blow, causing slick roads and numerous drivers to land in the ditch.  The temperature plummeted with wind chills below zero one night.  Just two days before, I was hanging up bedding on the clothesline in the warm breeze and noticing surprising spots of green here and there in the garden.

The ruffled kale and pansies in a container outside the patio door were looking so good for January.  I had intended to run out and take a photo Thursday morning when the first snowflakes began to fall . . .

 . . . Oops!  I guess I waited too long.

While the kale may be in hiding, the snow does add some appeal, helping to create that much-desired winter interest in the garden.  Sedum 'Autumn Joy' always looks good with a little frosting of snow.

'Morning Light' Miscanthus in a sea of white makes me realize I really should add more grasses to my garden.

My favorite, though, is the still the beautyberry, adding some swirling accents in the snow.

There are still berries clinging to its branches.

The only real color outside is not found in my garden, however.  If you look very, very closely, you'll see a spot of red in this photo.  The cats were enjoying their early morning bird-watching through the picture window and were excited to see this cardinal at the bird feeder.  Naturally, the minute I grabbed my camera he decided he would fly off to safer ground.

This year I'm not going to complain about the snow or even the cold . . . at least not for awhile.  This is what winter should be like here in Illinois, and the garden can use the moisture and insulation of the snow cover.  The change in seasons always makes me that much more appreciative of spring.

In the meantime, I'm bringing a little spring indoors--my first attempt at forcing paperwhites. Hopefully, they will bloom about the time I'm finally get tired of winter.

This post is part of the monthly celebration of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, hosted the 15th of each month by Carol of May Dreams Gardens.  Carol is a colleague of such noted experts as Hortense Hoelove (see previous post) and Dr. Hortfreud.  If you haven't already done so, be sure to visit her for a look at blooms--some without snow!--from all over the world.

GBBD: Fickle February

Eleven months ago I joined the world of blogging. On my second post I joined many other gardeners in celebrating Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, which means that although I haven't reached my one-year blogaversary yet, I have posted a whole year of blooms! Just for fun, I looked back at all my Bloom Day posts and realized that 4 of the first 11 were pretty pathethic, stretching the meaning of the word "bloom." Today we'll make that 5 out of 12.





Remember the amaryllis I showed in January? It was just beginning to grow, and I had thought that it would be in beautiful bloom just in time for February's GBBD. But do you notice anything wrong with this plan? Although it has continued to grow and grow--the tallest stem is 25" from the top of the bulb--there is not a sign of a bloom. I'm not sure if I did something wrong in planting it or whether I just bought a dud.

My other plan for blooms this month have also fizzled. I had a few leftover bulbs from the fall and decided I'd try forcing some indoor blooms for the first time. Although these were potted up in early January, they have a long way to go before blooming . . . if ever. I don't even remember now exactly what I planted--I think there were 3 tulip bulbs in the nearest pot, a daffodil in the pot to the right, and who knows what in the other, seemingly empty pot. This was my first attempt at forcing bulbs. I hope next winter someone posts some tips on forcing bulbs; I'll be sure to read it carefully!

This month I don't even have a pretty bouquet to feature. I haven't had time to pick up my monthly bouquet from the florist, and Husband seemed surprised when I said "Happy Valentine's Day" yesterday. (I would have gladly settled for chocolates . . .) So the only plant truly in bloom is the poinsettia already featured the last two months. I'm actually surprised by this; I don't remember ever keeping a poinsettia in bloom this long before.

Like many of you, we experienced a February thaw the past week. Temperatures even soared up to 60 degrees one day, and it was easy to feel spring fever for a few days, even knowing that it is more than a month away. Just for fun, I poked around in the muddy garden. Pushing aside the leaves and mulch, I discovered a couple surprises.

New green shoots were peeking out of the wet ground! I'm not sure what these even are, because they are less than an inch tall. I'm guessing they are probably crocuses--I remember trying to finish planting bulbs last November as the weather began to turn, and finally digging a hole and throwing in the last of crocuses just to be done with them.

Correction: Thank you to Frances and Gail who kindly corrected me here--these are not crocuses, but rather daffodil buds. Of course, I should have known that! But it's been so long since I've had crocuses, I had forgotten that they appear as grassy-like leaves. It's pretty exciting to think a few daffodils already think spring is here, but now I am wondering--just where did I plant those crocuses??

The shade garden is even muddier, so I didn't want to disturb too much, but near the front of the garden the primroses are showing new life as well. I hope neither they nor the crocuses minded the new blanket of snow they wore this morning. Winter is far from over, but signs of spring are emerging. And now there is new hope for some real blooms to show here for March Bloom Day!

For more Bloom Day posts visit hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens.