Gorgeous blooms Neal! The clumps of crocus are stunning!

Nice springers Neal! Today I noticed some green out in my garden. Magic lilies, tulips, maybe some daffodils...all were less than an inch high.
Tulips magic lilies

Kabby, I think you may be onto something- that could indeed be a sport of Lilac Beauty! The 3rd photo of LB is the spot I originally planted them and a couple of years ago I thinned them and stuck clusters of corms randomly around the garden. Its a couple of those clusters where I'm noticing the white petals- I really like the look of them! The tommies and C. etruscus Zwanenburg increase really fast, so you'll see clumps the 2nd year. These Zwanenburg were a free gift of 15 corms from Dutch Gardens about 15 years ago- there must be thousands of them now!

Terri, Scilla siberica is a terrific little performer! One of the brightest and truest blues among flowers, and they are deer and rodent proof. After a couple of years they start naturalizing- they multiply both by seed and bulb offsets. I'd love to see the entire garden covered with them! Thankfully they're cheap, so I add a hundred or 2 every year.

I love Scilla siberica too. It has naturalized in my gardens and pops up in unexpected places. It is welcome anywhere and if it is in the way I simply move them. It is such a beautiful shade of blue and it's small stature allows it to hold center stage early in the season here. Then it's crisp bright green foliage fits in with whatever else is in the bed.

A few more Snowdrops bloomed this week as we have had significant ups and downs in temperatures over that time.

This is Hippolyta enjoying 60 degree F sunshine.



These two blooms of Honeysuckle Cottage haven't fully opened yet. Looking like a pair of pearl drop earrings.


Another double. This one is called White Swan


Tulip Flaming Purrissima just beginning to open from a forced pot.

White Swan is a beauty.

My first forced daffodil, Winter Waltz opened yesterday.

Hippolyta has caught my eye in Brent and Becky's catalog- very nice! How tall is yours Steve? I keep thinking it is a little taller than others..

Wow do I have something to learn about little bulbs like crocus and muscari. It's okay to plant closer! Actually these bulbs were in a bucket that I mixed several different kinds to plant in this one strip of flower bed. Daffs are just now breaking through in this area.



The daffs were in a double narcissus mix, this is Dick Wilden. GORGEOUS! But alas they were so top heavy they couldn't even hold themselves up without the rain and wind we had last Tues. So I snipped them off the ground and brought them in. My forced pots are enjoying their sunny window behind the daffs.

Beautiful blooms Steve and Kabby! The crocuses continue to bloom here, and the daffodils and tulips are just starting to bloom. I'll post a few pics later.

Lovely pics everyone

In comparison the spring here is progressing very slowly and the photographer (me!) seems to be too busy (or perhaps lazy is a better description ) to document what little there is, but I'm fully enjoying the show on display here!!!!

This was my first spring crocus (C. vernus Pickwick). . . taken on Feb 2. . what with the rains, snow and blustery, gusty winds: I haven't been to thier side of the hose lately. Since I planted 6 different varieties, I guess I need to brave the weather to see what ELSE has sprouted!

Neil,

Actually Hippolyta is probably the shortest of the Greatorex doubles. The flower scape is 16 cm tall whereas the scape on White Swan is 24.5 cm. It is one of the largest of the Greatorex doubles. Both hold their flower scapes erect. These doubles typically multiply rapidly, so it doesn't take too long to get a nice little clump of them, and the other nice thing is that they hold their outers out wide on a sunny day like you see in the pic of Hippolyta. I'm glad to see B&B offer more choices, but take a look at Cornovium Snowdrops for literally hundreds of varieties. Cornovium only takes orders through March 30th. They will ship in the summer. The bulbs they send are literally double or triple the size of those from B&B.

Here's Honeysuckle Cottage as they opened a few days ago. Ordered from Cornovium, two plants, two flowers from one bulb.



Steve

Thanks for the info! I'll certainly check out Cornovium! I'd really like to get some of the taller varieties started- I think they'll show up nicely.

Veronica Georgia Blue and Narcissus Baby Boomer




Dutch iris


Fritillaria uva vulpis
I had been smelling the delightful scent of tea olive all day until I got up close and personal with these little tiny blossoms. All I can say is P-U!

Looking good Kabby! Spring has definitely arrived for you!

Georgia Blue Veronica is beautiful with those daffs!

crocus party

Now that's what I'm talking about! Dirt!

Beautiful, Dirt! Quite the party with all the bees about