Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up March 2019: Signs of Spring!

March 2018 Garden

Welcome to my March garden. With the vernal equinox just five days away, the garden is finally starting to show signs of spring! This has certainly been one of the most unusual winters the northeast has experienced in a long time, with higher than normal temperatures throughout most of the season, followed by periodical blasts of temperatures in the single digits. Our first significant snowfall just occurred eleven days ago on March 4th with approximately 3-4 inches of snow, which you can see lingering in some areas of the garden. For the remainder of the month, the temperatures are supposed to be above normal.

A Silent Snow

To start the tour, in a more sheltered portion of the property sits one of my favorite statues of a young girl and her kitty, an addition to the garden which I will always treasure. In the March garden she is surrounded by the lingering snow.

Hellebore Lenten Rose 'Merlin'

I am finally seeing some Hellebore blooms. The buds failed to open throughout January and February, and a few finally started to open now in March. We never got the snow to insulate the plants and with the periods of severe cold, the buds stayed tightly closed.

Hellebore Lenten Rose 'Shooting Star'

Once the temperatures rebounded, I trimmed off some of the severely winter burned foliage, which helped to spark the blooms. There is such a delicate balance that exists with nature.

Hyacinths Emerging!

The Hyacinths started coming up before the March snow and appear to be well on their way...

Sedum Foliage

and Sedum 'Brilliant' is showing some of its perfectly rounded mounds of rosette foliage.

Birds Preparing for Nests

As spring approaches, the birds have been exceptionally active in the trees on the property, especially near the Weeping Pussy Willow, where they tend to congregate and perch on the upper branches. Nesting season is on  the way!

Pussy Willow Catkins!

One of my favorite first signs of spring are the catkins on the Weeping Pussy Willow, that grow larger by the day, until they explode into little bundles of golden pollen. 

Morning Teatime

Here is the latest addition to the garden. My dear husband saw this while he was out shopping near the end of February, and the moment he saw it, he knew that it had to have a place in our garden. He said it reminded him of the two of us sharing a morning cup of tea/coffee. After 36 years of being married to a gardener, my husband finally gets it!

Oriental Skyland's Spruce and Coral Bark Maple March

Let's venture around to the front gardens. Here is Golden Oriental Skyland's Spruce and Coral Bark Maple 'Sangu Kaku'. Even though we didn't experience the snow that triggers the redness of the bark of the Maple, the cold temperatures did the trick. I always admire how the bark of the tree seems to "glow" alongside the Oriental Spruce. 

Daylilies Emerging!

The Daylilies are emerging! The Daylilies are emerging! This is a sure sign of spring on the way!

Back Perimeter Garden March

The nice part about going through a milder than usual winter is that the evergreens are not showing any signs of bronzing, and I am not out in the garden removing broken branches like we had last year. I am hoping that we don't experience any late season snowstorms like we did at the beginning of last April.

Nellie Stevens Holly Berries

Even the berries on the Nellie Stevens Holly are looking exceptionally plump and bright this year during the month of March.

"Turkey Tail" Bracket Fungi

While walking around the winter garden, I ran into this unusual formation that is growing near an old decaying tree stump in the back corner. It is not something I planted, yet very intriguing. It is known as Turkey Tail Bracket Fungi, named after its structure. I think I'll leave it right where it is!

Structure in the March Garden

The 'Star Magnolia' in the back bed is forming buds for spring. At this time of year I also like to focus on the structure of the tree and the evergreen foliage that surrounds it.

Back Shade Garden

Here is a closer look with a little whimsy thrown in. The Leucothoe axillaris behind the statue wintered very well this year and I just gave the garden statue a new coat of paint, even though it is only in the 40's outside. Do you think someone is just a little anxious for spring?

Garden Gal

Last, but not least in the outdoor garden, is garden gal with her basket of black Mondo grass. Winter comes and goes, and this perennial perseveres. 

Christmas Cacti Round Two!

Moving to the inside blooms, I couldn't resist sharing this Christmas Cactus going through its second bloom. It usually blooms once, but this year I am getting a bonus display for March! Even the Amaryllis which has already bloomed, is getting new leaves coming up out if it. There's nothing but foliage right now, but I am wondering it it will have a second bloom as well. If it happens, I will certainly share!

Phalaehopsis Orchid

Have you ever bought an orchid from a super market? I just did. They were too beautiful and healthy to pass up. Wish me luck!

Phalaehopsis Orchid

Here is a closer view of the beautiful blooms. From what I've read, this particular variety is supposed to be easier to maintain and will bloom longer than other species.

March Garden~Thanks for Visiting

I hope you enjoyed your stroll through my March garden. Please feel free to stay a while and catch up on some past posts and perhaps visit my author page (link below). There's also a tab at the top of the page, called My Gardens, which will take you on an adventure with yearly highlights of each month in the garden. Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who has hosted Foliage Follow-Up for all these years, a meme I will still continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Dishing It & Digging It on Sunday with Angie the Freckled Rose, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Homestead Blog Hop on Wednesdays.

Visit my Author Page/Purchase My Books

~As Always...Happy Gardening! ~

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2019. All rights reserved.