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| March 2016 Garden |
Spring is in the air as temperatures rise into the 50's and 60's and blooms start to appear in the landscape. Last year at this time the gardens were covered under a blanket of snow, so what a difference a year makes. After a very unpredictable winter with record highs and lows and a few significant snow storms, spring is arriving early and is now full speed ahead. It's time for another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Foliage Follow-Up, so come along with me on a tour of my Long Island garden. Get ready to see some early blooms!
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| Temperatures are Rising! |
Just this past week the weather has been dry and mild, and my Knock Out Roses are pushing out new growth a month ahead of time. Since some rainy days are in the forecast, I have been out in the garden pruning, as the new shoots on the roses are calling that it is time. March can be a very unpredictable month, but it looks like a continuous warming trend is in the future.
Pruning Roses Already!
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| Hellebore 'Shooting Star' |
Along the north side of the property, Hellebore 'Shooting Star' hasn't needed any type of maintenance. It is a reliable and hardy winter blooming perennial which I have been enjoying over the last two winter seasons. This one has been blooming since early January, and is still going strong!
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| Nandina domestica Berries |
Alongside Hellebore 'Shooting Star' is Nandina domestica, which is showing its bright red berries that form in late fall. It is one of the highlights in the late winter-spring garden.
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| Hens and Chicks |
Outside by the back patio, these Hens and Chicks in a ceramic planter have fared nicely. I did bring them inside into the garage during the plummeting zero degree temperatures we experienced last month, but they are back outside now and doing well.
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| Spring Crocus |
Surprise...surprise! Here are the first blooms of the season and just in time for Bloom Day! I have been planting more spring blooming bulbs around the property over the past few years, and they have been such a delightful addition to the gardens. These yellow, purple and white crocus just opened...very early this year!
Purple Crocus
White Crocus
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| Hyacinths! |
The Hyacinths are coming along right behind the crocus...
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| Hyacinth Buds Already! |
displaying flower buds already. There will be lots more blooms on the way, including Daffodils and Tulips!
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| Sedum 'Brilliant' Rosettes |
Sedum 'Brilliant' is such a wonderful and carefree perennial, and I look forward to its perfectly shaped rosettes that emerge above the soil in late winter into early spring.
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| Allium Globemaster has Arrived! Almost overnight these Allium Globemaster shoots have made their appearance. Planted in the fall of 2014, they are one of the best bulbs I have ever added to the garden. They supply interest all season long, with giant purple buds that appear in late spring, turning into giant blooms for summer, followed by decorative rounded, dried seed heads that look good into fall.
A
garden wouldn't be the same without the foliage of structural evergreens.
There are many evergreens on the property including Montgomery Globe
Spruce with its blue bottle-brush needles ...
One of my favorite deciduous trees in the property is this Salix (Weeping Pussy Willow), which brings in early spring with its soft cotton-like catkins, that burst into bright yellow puffs as the warmer temperatures arrive.
You can tell spring is just about here as the local birds search out a home to build their nest for the next generation. Every year there is a competition for who gets the Weeping Pussy Willow tree, as it provides dense branches for protection, and seems to be just the right height. It appears to be the prime real estate on the property.
Mockingbird and Sparrow-Maybe Two Families!
The dense spreading yew in the back of the property seems to come in as popular second place, along with the many other evergreens available.
I hope you enjoyed the stroll through my March Long
Island garden. Special thanks go out to our hostesses 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 and Pam at Digging for hosting Foliage Follow-Up. I
am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Today's Flowers, Floral Fridays, Mosaic Monday at Lavender
Cottage, I Heart Macro, Macro Monday 2, and Nature Notes at Rambling Woods. Also check out What's
Blooming This Week Garden Update.
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Here is my newly published book A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer (Zones 3-9) on Amazon (Published in paperback February 8, 2016).
Happy spring...well almost and As Always...Happy
Gardening!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You may also be interested in some of my other pages: A Guide to Northeastern Gardening Blog Facebook, Landscape Design By Lee Facebook or NE Gardening on Twitter. Each site contains articles on general gardening, timely maintenance tips and landscape design.
Author: Lee@A Guide
to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2016. All rights reserved
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Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Endah. I enjoyed your lovely tropical blooms!
DeleteHow we all are happy seeing first vernal flowers, shoots, sprouts, song of birds, Lee. You're ahead of us, I'm still waiting for first flowers but the birds sing very loudly.
ReplyDeleteYour windowsill blooms are lovely Nadezda. Spring will be here before we know it and there will be lots of blooms outside!
DeleteThat purple crocus is just eye-popping. All your March flowers are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dorothy! I was amazed by the number of blooms you have in March. It looks like summer where you are and I cannot believe it was 90 degrees already! Happy Bloom Day!
DeleteYou take such beautiful photos...the flowers look like you could reach out and touch them. I love Spring and it's quite warm here in Florida! Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind words Diane. I cannot wait until it gets a bit warmer here so that I can do some gardening!
DeleteAh, I remember your Nandina domestica berries from last year, all the ones I can find have more orangey berries but I like yours more pinkey-red ones – but the bushes that produce that colour berries get so big! I want to choose ONE Nandina bush, but as small as possible, with as dark red as possible berries. Dilemma! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd I so like the fact that you have so many different pine trees, I want to introduce some here in my garden but will be very choosy and find some true dwarf ones. No monster conifers for me please…Thanks for the stroll around your spring garden, always lovely to visit and so much to see!
Your gardens are looking so wonderful Helene and I enjoyed seeing everything that you have done. It is always such a pleasure to visit! I am glad you enjoyed the stroll around my March garden!
DeleteThoroughly enjoyed my stroll through your garden Lee, everything looks absolutely glorious.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you enjoyed the stroll and thank you so much! There is nothing like an early spring.
DeleteI am back to thank you for linking to Today's Flowers. Thank you so much :)
DeleteThank you for hosting! Have a great week.
DeleteI know, what a crazy non-winter! Interesting that it hit you, too. Many of our bulbs have gone by the wayside already, but the lamb's ears is one we can celebrate together. Love seeing your flowers/foliage from afar!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Linda. The bulbs are coming up and blooming and now the forecast is saying significant snow for Sunday...but the Lamb's Ear will persevere!
DeleteSpring came to England early too, great to see so many blooms and sprouting foliage. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI'll take an early spring anytime and the earlier the blooms the better. I enjoyed your wonderful walkway garden!
Deletewow i am speechless how wonderful and how beautiful pics really amazing
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your wonderful and kind words. Gardening is my passion.
DeleteThank you for visiting my blog, A New England Flowerbed. I appreciate your kind words about my poor Hellebore! I surely hope they make it. You have wonderful blooms and beautiful pictures of birds. An early spring is so unpredictable!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and for your lovely words. I am glad you enjoyed the early blooms and birds. Have a great week!
DeleteBeautiful images.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I just checked out your page and your photography is amazing!
DeleteLovely spring signs!
ReplyDeleteI see tiny shoots on my roses, but still have to wait for a while to start pruning. Too cold at nights.
Glad you enjoyed! We have snow showers in the forecast for tomorrow but it shouldn't be too bad...just Mother Nature's way of saying "I'm not done with winter quite yet!"
DeleteBeautiful pictures of spring! Snow here today (boo hoo) Can't wait for Spring to come here!
ReplyDeleteThank you Carol. It snowed here too on the first day of spring but it all melted within a few hours...the large heavy flakes always signal the last snow of the season.
DeleteWonderfully presented post Lee... I always learn and I am heading over to look at your book. Congrats!.... Michelle
ReplyDeleteThank you Michelle and congrats on seven years of hosting your wonderful meme!
DeleteHow nice to see what you have blooming and compare it to my garden although we're still behind you yet. I love the blue spruces and have one out back and one in the front for their colour contrast.
ReplyDeleteThe Blue Globe Spruces are a favorite of mine since they supply color all year long and stay at a compact size, with virtually little maintenance. I enjoyed your beautiful lavender mosaic. Thank you for hosting Mosaic Monday!
DeleteHello, Happy Spring! Beautiful flowers and plants. I love the crocuses. Have a happy day and week ahead!
ReplyDeleteHappy Spring Eileen! Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!
DeleteFrozen berries look like perfect lunch for sparrow.
ReplyDeleteHi Hannele. The berries on the nandina are beautiful, but not edible for birds. They do enjoy the other berries from the holly throughout the property.
DeleteLee it looks like our gardens are just about in sync. We have had snow and cold, but still the garden blooms slowly. Now if I can keep it somewhat dry, I can clean up. Happy Spring.
ReplyDeleteWe have had our last snow here and spring is struggling to stay put as temperatures gradually warm. Thank you for stopping by and for hosting Seasonal Celebrations. Happy spring!
DeleteOh lovely is the spring in your photos! We have to wait a bit here in Finland.
ReplyDeleteSpring will come to you soon! Thanks for visiting my gardens!
DeleteBeautiful and great photos! Spring is a wonderful time!
ReplyDeleteThank you Birgitta and happy spring.
DeleteLovely springtime shots! Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for participating in the Floral Friday Fotos meme.
Thank you for hosting Nick and for your kind words. Wishing you a wonderuful Easter and spring!
DeleteAs always, you never disappoint with your photos and information. Thank you Lee!
ReplyDeleteThank you my friend! Happy spring!
Delete