A friend who lives in a more southern clime messaged me yesterday asking if the tree leaves are fully out now…oak,maple, chestnut…ummmm nope! The hardwood forests and tree lines are still quite leafless, although buds are expanding and, in many cases, have broken. The cooler than normal temps mean spring bulbs last longer though, and grass and dandelions certainly don’t mind!. I’m joining Jim at Garden Ruminations for six nifty things in my garden this week.
The next three are all daffodils. Quail has tiny flowers on tall stems and has, in my garden, the strongest scent. Very nice in a bouquet. Thalia is my favourite, and only, white daffodil. I’m a bit amazed at how happy these bulbs are – they must be multiplying like crazy underground since I only planted two, about five or six years ago. I’m just guessing at the name Replete – they were in a bag of bulbs I purchased at a garden club sale last fall, labelled ‘White Daffodils.’ Not white at all, it turns out…I love the pinky bits inside.
Last up is a Magnolia. It seems that my prized Magnolia tripetals, Umbrella Magnolia, started from seed a good 25 years ago, may have succumbed to a double whammy of drought last summer and really really cold temperatures this past winter. It’s looking dead as a door nail (love that expression!) at the moment but I”m giving it another month before calling it. In the meantime I’ve been enjoying the flowers on my little Magnolia × loebneri ‘Merrill.’ It’s hybrid of M. kobus and M. stellata ‘Rosea.’ The flowers have, thankfully, escaped the early morning frosts we’ve experienced this past week. In time the tree will reach about 30 feet – 10 metres. Have a great weekend everyone!
The 5 Trilliums are special. So fun to discover all that’s growing all over your yarden.