More Early Bulbs
Spring continues to make slow, if unsteady, progress (we got 3 inches of snow on Sunday, but it was gone by the following day). We have mostly shifted from the first to the second wave of flowering spring bulbs.
‘Early Harvest’ (Tulipa kaufmanniana) started blooming with the Crocuses and it still makes a good showing, so the investment in rabbit repellent was worth it.
More recently this little clump of unknown Tulips started blooming. Really unsure about the variety, but I’m impressed that it’s so early.
Tulipa turkenstanica is blooming freely, opening wide for the sun and then quickly closing shop in cloudy weather. Watching this adaptation makes me think that the spring winds of Central Asia, where this species originated, must be frigid indeed.
This is one of the Species Tulips that will happily naturalize in our garden.
Years ago I planted a Daffodil mix at the base of the Silver Maple in the back garden. Only one species remains. Wish I could figure out its name.
It’s a relief that our Sunday snow didn’t ruin the Daffodil season. Only a few stems were weighed down by the wet, heavy stuff.
Pretty sure this is ‘Ceylon’. Only a few Daffodils have bloomed so far, mostly in the Back Garden. Though it’s shadier back there, it faces south and so the soil warms up earlier in spring.
There’s also a nice patch of Squill (Scilla sibirica) blooming in the Back Garden. I love these blue flowers, though some consider this bulb to be invasive. It hasn’t been all that aggressive for me, but there is a huge drift of it along Lake Shore Drive, so I don’t know.
Glory-of-the-Snow (Chionodoxa sardensis) is another early bulb with blue flowers. I planted it last fall for the first time. For first year blooms I think it shows nicely in the Sidewalk Border.
Here’s a close-up of the flowers, though the light is a little washed out. With luck it will naturalize and make a solid patch.
I like how it emerges with its blue buds lined up on one side of the flower stalk.
I’ve noticed an unusually large number of early butterflies this April: Red Admirals, American Ladies, possibly Question Marks. This American Lady seemed to favor the GotS for nectaring.
What’s your favorite bulb flowering in your garden these days?
gardeninacity 
I think your unknown daffodil cultivar is “Ice Follies”. It’s a wonderfully tough variety and naturalizes. I’ve planted it in all my gardens
My guess is the same as Ann’s: ‘Ice Follies’. Early, vigorous, and beautiful.
That sounds right!
Such beautiful early bulbs! Fortunately the snow didn’t cause too much damage.
Nothing’s flowering here yet. 😀
Happy Easter time!
Same to you, Sara (if a bit belated)!
The Glory of the snow is the sweetest blue flower of the spring to me. I guess because it is so early. Now for the Virginia Blue Bells to open. I am glad to hear the snow didn’t bury all your daffs. I might try the rabbit repellent since you had luck with it. They ate some of the tulips in my front garden. I will remember this for next year. Did you use a granular or spray for your tulips?
I use the granular, I don’t use sprays if I can avoid it.
Nothing flowering in my gardens. Wonderful to see the beauty of yours.
Thanks. Your flowers will come before too long, I’m sure.
Glad to see your garden taking off for the year, and the tulips are just the ticket for a dose of spring color! We might be a week or so further along. The hyacinths are very nice this year but they’re almost all leaning from the winds we’ve been having.
Love those Tulips with the nearby daffs. Lovely pairing. What kind of rabbit repellent did you use. They are killing me.
Tomcat granules.
You have a lovely assortment of bulbs flowering. Right now I only have one, Princess Irene tulips. I wish I could figure out which Daffodils like to naturalize. I bought some many years ago when we lived in Massachusetts from a mix, and most of them naturalized well, but the ones I’ve planted so far in this garden, not so much.
‘Ice Follies’ seems to be the best naturalizer here. Hard to figure it out without a lot of trial and error, unless you know a daffodil enthusiast.
I am not a tulip fan, but those Tulipa turkenstanica are just adorable, and may change my mind!
Bulbs? The crocus and daffodils finished already, the grape hyacinths are mostly forming seeds. There are three fading volunteer tulips (I am not sure how that happens). Anemone blanda isn’t really a bulb, but it’s still flowering, as well as forming weird seed pods. I think my bulbs are done, but for the pesky, yet beautiful, star of Bethlehem. I just can’t get rid of if it.
NO! I forgot I found the sparaxis flowering this morning! Orange and pink ones.
I think A. blanda is a corm, so … close enough. I love those, especially the blue ones, but don’t have any yet. Don’t have Star of Bethlehem either. Not sure what that looks like.
You’re a little ahead of us. I haven’t seen a tulip blossom yet.
You’re way ahead of me. I planted daffodils last fall, but they are only about 3-4″ tall so far. Still waiting. 🙂
They will come. You’ll enjoy them that much more for the anticipation.
Lovely! My favourite right now would be anything that’s blooming – which is nothing yet as our spring has been very slow in coming this year. But the crocuses are close and I do see some daffodil foliage so it won’t be too much longer.
I know that feeling. I’ve been desperate for just about ANYTHING to bloom.
That must be nice to get so many different bulbs to naturalize. I should concentrate more on those that will do that here, and not so much on those that will not. I really like bearded iris as a late spring bloomer.
I admire bearded iris but have never grown it.
With all that blooms there for as long as it does, you probably do not need bearded iris. Those that rebloom do not seem to me to be as impressive as those that bloom only once.
your bulbs looks wonderful….I can’t imagine having so much colour in the garden in spring. Also great to have lots of butterflies in your garden, you’ll have a wonderful spring and summer.
Let’s hope so!
Hello Jason, your tulips and daffodils look beautiful. We are well past the spring bulbs season, especially with temperatures this Easter Weekend being 25+ degC. We do have the hoop petticoat daffodil (narcissus bulbocodium conspicuous) flowering as they flower late for daffodils so we are enjoying them, alongside some of the earlier flowering roses.
Just as our bulbs are reaching their peak, we are expecting another 5″ of snow!
Hello Jason,
I love your tulips and daffodils, especially these ‘Ceylon’.
Here snow is in shadow places so my tulips started in buds.
And tomorrow we are expecting 5″ of snow. Ugh!
I love the Scillas and Glory of the Snow too, and they spread well in my garden so you could have a lot more next year. 🙂
That’s what I’m hoping for.
Snow???? Goodness, hope that’s the last of the white stuff! Lovely seeing all your delightful blooms.xxx
We had that snow and then another snowstorm just yesterday! Almost all melted, though.