The Garden Awakes
The weather has been warm for mid-March, but wet. The garden is waking, though most of it is still pretending to sleep. Some plants are hitting the snooze button, nestling under the fertile earth like a blanket. But among all the dead leaves and stems and the dormant plants, there are those who arise happily for the early hours of spring.
The Snowdrops (Galanthus navalis), for example, have jumped into the season with dignified enthusiasm.
It’s gratifying to see new clumps emerge and old clumps expand.
Pioneers seeking to start clans of their own will pop up in all kinds of spots.
The first of the Crocuses are blooming with their cheerful colors.
A little patch of Crocus reminds me that I am falling behind on my spring clean up. I had hoped to do some today but it was raining from morning to night.
This Crocus seems to have been adopted by a patch of Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum).
I am new to Hellebores (Helleborus orientalis). I would have thought they’d be blooming by now. A few are sporting flower buds. I need to remove the tattered foliage.
Narcissi are emerging. If you look closely you can see that a few have buds. I think this is ‘Tete a Tete’.
The earliest tulips, most likely T. kaufanniana ‘Early Harvest’, are making their appearance in the containers. When it gets dry enough I will dig them out of the herb/cutting bed.
Tulips are also emerging in the beds and borders.
If you look carefully, you can find all kinds of perennials sending forth their first tentative growth above ground. Under the surface, of course, there is a great deal more activity. These are Peony ‘White Swan’.
And buds are swelling on all kinds of trees and shrubs, like this Clove Current (Ribes odoratum).
Spring is a bit earlier this year, and yet it still feels like it has been a long time coming. I am more than a little antsy to get started on the 2016 gardening season.
Has your garden awakened, or is it still hitting the snooze button?
gardeninacity 
Such a time of wonder and rediscovery.
Agreed.
Spring really did show up at your place Jason. The snowdrops are looking great. This week I did some weeding and it was actually a pleasure.
I think I would enjoy some weeding right now, if the ground would dry out a bit more.
Your snowdrops are marvelous! I love this time of year because each day brings a new discovery. By the way, my latest post has almost the same title as yours! My garden is definitely awakening.
I saw that we thought of almost the exact same title. Though your spring is a lot more fully awake than ours.
..well here is Australia we are always glad to see autumn after a hot summer, but I always love looking at bulbs coming up after winter…there is something very resilient about them, and cheerful. Enjoy!
Cheerful is the word, and a welcome sight indeed.
pretty much on snooze, still, over here in Berlin. Just one patch of snowdrops out. Has gotten cold again, albeit the weather-man promising some spring temperatures. Liar…
Hoping the warmth arrives for you soon.
It appears our gardens are on the same wave length…I have a few other bulbs blooming, and yet others are just still sleeping. It is supposed to get chilly in the 40s next week for spring, but I think the garden will wake by then…soggy here so not much cleanup going on until later in the week hopefully.
I’m also hoping to get my hands dirty this weekend.
The garden never stops here, it was so warm in December/Jan, the plants just carried on and bulbs started flowering early. Love your snowdrops, especially the one in the paving, they do try hard don’t they!
They look delicate but they are pretty resilient.
Glad to see your winter hasn’t been too hard and long this year Jason. Spring comes and then it all happens so quickly, doesn’t it?! My Early Harvest tulips have just started opening, and the daffs have buds just about to open too. I managed a spring clean- up last week just in time I think.
I can see the ‘Early Harvest’ growing every day. They’ll bloom in 1-2 weeks, maybe.
Lovely time – the wakening! 🙂
Exactly!
I love it! Spring clean up is going slower than expected here too but the early blooms are full speed ahead here. I adore the early risers who brave the unpredictable times.
Me too – both the “small bulbs” and the native ephemerals.
It’s lovely to see the garden waking up and in your case you still can look forward to so many spring flowers – snowdrops are over here, we’re right in daffodil mode 😉
Daffodil mode will probably be early here, but still a couple of weeks away.
Isn’t it wonderful…and magical…how our spirits are lifted by just the small bits of color appearing in early spring?
Yes, very much so.
Isn’t it wonderful to see all these early signs of spring? I was so excited when I found the first snowdrops blooming and buds on some of the crocuses. I think there are different varieties of hellebores that bloom at different times. My white ones have been blooming for a few weeks now, but I noticed the purple ones are just beginning to bloom. I’m anxious to get out and do more garden clean-up, too–seems like the weather and my schedule aren’t in sync.
Yep, I’ve also had schedule problems also. Had to work weekends for the last month or so. Things should ease up some now.
No flowers yet. There is still snow on the front gardens, and in the backyard, there is ice three or four inches below the surface. Despite the ice, plants are sprouting. What a thrill! An old story that never feels old.
Very true.
Hurrah for spring flowers. Spring definitely romping away here – snowdrops and hellebores almost over. Buds and shoots appearing all over the place. Brilliant!
Spring here is not yet at the romping stage, more at the staggering into the kitchen to make coffee stage.
When we gardened in Massachusetts, in zone 6b, my experience with Hellebores was similar to yours. Mine never flowered fully before Easter. They awaken way earlier here in the PNW.
When I bought them I imagined them blooming in the snow.
It is an exciting time of the year. I have so much popping up right now. If it would just stop raining I would get out for some pictures. Your clumps of snowdrops are so full. It is fun to find a self seeded plant popping up, especially one you want.
If only the all the self-seeding was done by the plants we want.
Those snowdrops are divine. I have all sorts of green shoots poking through the soil and buds on trees and shrubs. I have Scilla in bloom and my hellebores are going great guns but,,like you, I need to trim off last year’s leaves.
I don’t see our Scilla just yet. Must go look for signs of it.
Such an exciting time of year, with buds swelling and all. You have a lot to look forward to.
Yes, I can’t wait!
The red maples are flowering and I’ve got scilla showing color but not really up yet. The crocuses and snowdrops are blooming and the daffodils are budded. I think we’re just about even with you this year.
Is spring a little ahead of schedule there?
A week or two yes, but they say we might get 6 inches of snow Monday, so that’ll slow it down some.
I have about what you are showing coming up. Spring is sure starting early, even with the rains. Hope it holds out…
Me too! I hate it when there’s a late hard frost.
I love the snowdrops!
Me too!
The plants in my garden seem to be responding to the early spring-like conditions by pulling the covers up over their heads and muttering, ‘Go away, it’s not time to get up yet.’ Still no signs of emerging bulbs or hellebore buds.
I sympathize with your plants, that’s what I do most mornings.
I’m still waiting for things to wake up in my yard. I’ve seems few early flowers around town, but not as much as I’d expect with the warmth. Soon I’m hoping.
You shouldn’t have to wait long.
You’re ahead of me, Jason. There is a snow in my garden yet. Your plants are awaking, lovely!
I hope your snow melts soon, Nadezda. By the way, I heard from Vasily, so I hope to meet him soon.
Similar here in Madison. I cut the Hellebore leaves but leave them in place to put over the buds if we get snow!
I always leave the leaves. Natural mulch!
Look at your garden go! The trees are starting to bud and a few bulbs are coming up, but we’re back to cold right now and rain, lots of rain. We’re still way ahead of schedule though. 🙂
We’re drying out but the weather is projected to be on the chilly side for the next week.
Hello Jason, we’re well ahead at the moment with the Magnolias and Camellias out, Spring bulbs are almost a distant memory. I hope that after this years (planned) spring bulb planting in autumn, we’ll have a display like yours to look forward to next year.
Spring bulbs a distant memory in March? Sounds like the tropics.
In Chicago-Irving Park, fosythia in full bloom, gorgeously brilliant on a brisk foggy morning.
Huh, our Forsythia is far from ready to bloom. Maybe yours is in a sunny spot.
We must be just a bit later than you. Daffodils are poking out of the ground and snowdrops and winter aconite are out.
Ah, Winter Aconite. Wish I had some of those.
Lovely to see your new growth, you just can’t beat seeing those first shoots and buds. You have a lovely drift of snowdrops there, I especially like the random, solo one! Looking forward to seeing your tulips and hellebore flowers, mine have excelled themselves this winter. I can’t wait for it to warm up a little so I can get some gardening done, I’m really behind this year too.xxx
Since I wrote this post the Hellebores have started to bloom. Your tulips have bloomed already?
I love your snowdrops! These crazy March winds have piled my yard up with every leaf in the neighborhood. It remains to be seen if my bulbs are poking up yet.
The winds have blown all the leaves into my garden along with all the empty bags of chips.
Woo hoo for spring!! My garden is awake and charging ahead, too. I even have pots of undead, not rotted tulips!!
Congratulations! Really looking forward to seeing your garden in April.