Everything is really starting to pop up now.
I was really happy to see the Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) returning. Last Spring I was surprised by them blooming after I thought they had died the year before.
This part of the path garden is already looking good. The Hellebores have really filled in. There is a Currant bush, Deutzia and Hydrangea just leafing out here. The Clematis growing up the birdhouse pole is 'Miss Bateman' that I moved over in the Fall.
The blooming shrub that you can see in the previous picture is this plant Corylopsis or Winter Hazel 'Buttercup'. Last year it barely bloomed because of all of the cold weather. If I were to plant this again I would plant it in front of an evergreen of some sort, it's hard to appreciate the flowers against the light wood fence.
The flowers are so pretty and delicate.
Pulmonaria just loaded with buds and flowers near the Hellebores.
These are always an exciting sight, Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum) is really beginning to spread out now under the Rhododendron and near the Corsican Hellebore. These are slow to get established and they are native to North America. Apparently it has all sorts of herbal uses. Mine has been here about 5 years and this is by far the most spread out it has been.
Camellia 'Marie Bracey' is blooming ahead of schedule. Primroses are blooming and Crocuses are just starting. I love the view of our neighbors Forsythia at the very end of the yard.
And look what else is blooming back at the beginning of the path garden, Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectablilis) 'Alba', I love the yellowy green of the foliage on it.It's supposed to be 60 today and that will only encourage these plants along. I looked up our average highs and lows for the month of March to remind myself what it usually is like here. Our average high for the month of March in the Seattle area is 54℉ and low the average low is 39℉. April has an average high of 58℉ and an average low of 43℉. It'll be interesting to see if our pattern stays on the warmer side and if we're closer to the April weather averages.
Great post Catherine! I absolutely love this path of yours. I would take me ages to walk from one end to the other, since you have so many beautiful and interesting things growing along it. :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a delightful path so full of my favorites Catherine. This is an exciting time of year for you. I love these early warm days where wandering around the garden is pleasant before the heat of the summer sun sets in. Have a fun week.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy looking at your garden with such a variety of plants. I love your path. It is so interesting and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, your path is lovely with the highs and lows for interest. I am so jealous of all of your beautiful spring flowers and shrubs. But, it does give me hope that we will soon be out from under this snow!
ReplyDeleteCatherine is greening up so pretty. I absolutely love the view of new growth coming from the ground below. I always see a miracle. You certainly have lots miracles going on right now. Your pulmonaria is so pretty and a delight this time of year. Have a great day Catherine.
ReplyDeleteThe weather is wierd isn't it. We are having colder than usual.
Are you dizzy Catherine? I know you had to stand on your head for some of those pictures. LOL! I can see you crawling around in the garden. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI cannot get over how fast everything is growing now in your garden.
I had been debating about getting some Pulmonaria for my front shady bed. I really like them better after seeing yours. In the catalogs you kind of wonder about how they really look. Very Pretty. I also like your lady head on the bench that is planted.What have you got in her head?
Your Bleeding Hearts did not take long at all to get blooms. Wow!
We had a rough weekend of snow. We beat February records of 29 inches, but we had 36 here on the hills for the month.
We could have done without breaking that record and I wouldn't have cared one bit.
So it is so good to see spring in your yard.
Lona
Here in Massachusetts, we are buried in snow, and anticipation of spring is all we have.
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe how much it looks like summer in your garden! I love the photos. The bleeding hearts are beautiful. Your stone-lined path and archway is so very enchanting.
ReplyDeleteDear Catherine, You must be so pleased to see all of your hard work of the past few weeks now paying off. Your path garden is an absolute delight in its spring colours with so many very covetable plants.
ReplyDeleteThe Mertensia virginica, although I do not have it, would surely rank amongst my favourite perennials - simply lovely. And your Polygonatum is, as you say, spreading wonderfully. I was originally told that it needed damp conditions but I now know this NOT to be the case. It just needs to be well suited and provided for which you so clearly do.
Catherine ~ It is so amazing to see what you have growing right now, and thrilling to see the start of this years' garden for you. I love your bleeding hearts. I can hardly wait to go on more garden tours as the season progresses. I love your path and all your plants.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
Pretty flowers - congrats on the spread of your solomon's seal. I have the variegated form on my wish list since everyone raves about it so much. It's supposed to reach 59 here today, with highs in the mid to low 50's for the rest of the 10 day forecast. That's definitely warmer than normal, as our average high is 49 in March. My bleeding heart is growing, maybe I'll have some blooms by the end of the month. Hooray!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI'm browsing here for the first time... Nice pictures and good notes of buds and shoots, thank you:-)
I added myself to you list:-)
See you soon! Greetings from Stockholm, Sweden, Hillevissan.
Well isn't your garden path just lovely..you have a lot going on already..we are still having below average temperatures here. Today is beautiful, tonight rain and then colder air...again. I want to know where I can purchase those face or bust planters..like the one on your bench?
ReplyDeleteIt is so good to see your garden progressing so, Catherine! That white dicentra is to die for! We have a little corylopsis, new last year that will bloom for the first time soon. I love the close up of the flowers, it fits in with the quote at the top of your header about anticipation! It all looks wonderful and really adds to the anticipation here. Our winter has been way below normal temps for every month. I wonder what it will mean for April and May and beyond?
ReplyDeleteFrances
It is so beautiful. That path rocks! Thanks for the info on the Solomon's seal. Mine has been most slow to get started but there's still hope.
ReplyDeleteLona and Darla - The plant growing in my lady's head is a fern 'Dragon Tails'. The name reminded me of a favorite cartoon of my girls "Dragon Tales".
ReplyDeleteI found it at a place called Tuesday Morning. We named her Persephone, she is the Greek goddess of Spring.
I love your flagstone pathway that leads the eye along the way. I can really tell a difference from just a month ago with all that is starting to grow. I also enjoyed your photos of the many shoots breaking through the soil who seem to be saying "It's March" :^)
ReplyDeleteA great post Catherine. And as you know I love to see pictures from that path, it's just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI do have the same problem with the plants under my old tree, it's to dry for them there and I'll have to do something about it, probably move most of them. Today I've found some signs of spring in my garden - hurray!
You have so much beauty to see already and the rest will continue to be great. The Virginia Bluebells are a hearty lot. They spread readily and mine always die out in our heat getting ready for the next spring. I love the path.
ReplyDeleteWell, now I know who is hoarding all the good weather. Seems like you could spare ten degrees to send up my way...pretty please?
ReplyDeleteChristine in Alaska
It really looks sooo good! I love the path!
ReplyDeleteIts really wonderful to see pictures of spring! Enjoy it!
Everything looks so gorgeous and exciting. Our snow got rained away over the weekend -- we had torrents of the wet stuff. But the beautiful thing about that is seeing the green shoots of crocus popping up! I can't wait to get out there!
ReplyDeleteI'm so envious of your gardens and plants Catherine. I can't believe all the new growth. Everything here is still just brown and nothing is happening.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your pretties with us.
Amazing to see how quickly everything is taking off in your garden Catherine. Lovely to see the white bleeding heart - one of my favourites :)
ReplyDeleteThe Shoots must be happy to come back after a long sleep. I hope that wake-up call is not a false alarm. So Spring really is coming..!! ~
ReplyDeleteYour Pulmonaria is beautiful, as is the bleeding heart! BUT the best part is the path...I'm envious because I'm waiting on flat stone to complete my front yard patio space with this type of stone. Of course we're on a budget so it doesn't happen overnight! Your garden is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteGosh, Catherine, your garden has really leaped ahead. The joys of living in a more genteel climate...I won't see pulmonaria for at least two months unless we have a heat wave.
ReplyDeleteI think I know why it's so extra cold and snowy here this year. You guys up there are hogging all the warmth! And it really warms my heart to see spring arriving in your garden. Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteCatherine ~ it's just fabulous in your garden. Leaps and bounds ahead of most other gardens I visit. I just planted Solomon's Seal last spring so I hope, in five years, I have a nice clump like you do. I would love to sit on your back deck and just take it all in. It's funny that your normal March highs are not too far off from what ours usually are? Maybe our lows are lower ~ I'll have to check that out because we're certainly worlds apart foliage wise.
ReplyDeleteI just re-read your average low temperatures and that absolutely makes a big difference! Ours are MUCH lower, darn it. :-)
ReplyDeleteGazing at the photos of your path and its garden is like looking at glossies from an expensive coffee table tome. They do something. Evoke a gentle serenity. I think it's your skillful combination of elements. Rock, wood, metal, ceramic and of course green living things! Just delightful, Catherine.
ReplyDeleteI so loooove your garden path! Everytime I visit here..I fall in love with it. Gorgeous! It is so
ReplyDeleteexciting to see all the lovely new life..enjoy!! Spring is on the way!
Kiki~
I can see why you love that path. It's so lovely. I really, really, like the large trees you have. They seem to just anchor everything so well.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, This looks so inviting, it makes me want to come sit out on your deck and enjoy it with you! :-) -Jean
ReplyDeleteFantastic!!!!! The Solomon's Seal is so inspiring, wow what a statement of growth. Such an exciting time of year in such a mild weather pattern, its almost unreal. Neighbors told us that winters like this were possible here... after the last two I was not sure. I like the forsythia at the end too! The Bleeding Heart and Pulmonaria too are stunning. What a great post! Spring is springing!
ReplyDeleteYou've done a wonderful job arranging so much interest along the path. I love the Winter Hazel.
ReplyDeleteI planted a couple pulmonarias a couple years ago, and they bloomed last spring. I had to get used to the bright 2 colored blooms. I almost thought the colors clashed with each other. I like yours.
ReplyDeleteI love the hellebores, and am excited mine look like they are going to bloom.