"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Saturday, January 15, 2011

January 2011 Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

After the snow, rain, cold and wind we've been having I had to wonder if there would be a flower blooming at all right now.   Today is the first bloom day of 2011 and I'm happy to have a few flowers to share.  I looked back at last year's January bloom day post and found that the same flowers were blooming, just more of each of them.

Sweet Box or Sarcococca ruscifolia started blooming at the end of December.  The scent from these tiny flowers is delicious.

Now imagine a whole row of them blooming at once... Yum!

Hellebore 'Blue Lady' is the only Hellebore blooming but the buds are up on most of the others so it shouldn't be too long.

The only Violas blooming now, the rest are still on a break since the first freeze in November.  Hopefully they'll get back to work and start blooming soon.

The Pansies seem to be having a tough time too with the weather, not many are blooming right now.  I did find one very tattered purple Pansy in the front that must have self seeded and the hummingbirds seem to love it.

And speaking of self seeding just look at where this breadseed Poppy decided to grow.  This is the base of the basketball hoop.  What a strange place to try to grow, and it's also the only poppy seedling I've seen.  It has survived snow and freezing in it's plastic growing spot.

Another exciting find was that the Bleeding Hearts have started to pop up.  I found that they were doing the same thing last winter at this time, so they are right on track.
Join Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see what she and other gardeners have blooming right now in their gardens.
Pin It

27 comments:

  1. That's lovely!
    There's nothing at all peeping through in our beds - too cold and snowy yet. On my walk on Thursday though, I saw many gardens in town with snowdrops and hellebores up - even daffodil leaves poking through the soil, and the bits of green from some foolish irises.
    I live in anticipation!

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is a really special hellebore - had to laugh at the perverse poppy!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Isn't Nature simply marvellous! I'll bet that poppy is going to put on a really fantastic show, too!

    I'm going to find out whether our nurseries stock the box you have featured again - I am super keen to plant one in my garden. Any fragrant flowers are a huge attractant to me! And isn't it also interesting how MOST of the perfumed flowers are white?

    Thanks for visiting me earlier today - Part 2 is now up, if you're keen to have a peek :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is funny where the poppy decided to pop up. Also, thanks for the winter sowing info on the previous post. That is a great idea with the baking pans! I have to give that a try. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. How lovely to see all the flowers in your garden that we in UK are looking forward to having in a few months.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Reseeders are such a gift...you never know where they'll pop up or what you'll get! There has been some conversation lately on the Austin blogger page about Hellebore and whether they can grow here in Austin...I see now why they were enchanted by the ones seen at Lowes...they are very pretty. It sounds like there might be a variety or two that can take our heat...

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Hellebore is lovely...I can't wait for spring to come as my garden looks very naked right now...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Do you pick Sarcococca to bring inside? I've got two "bouquets" of it and between them and my Winter Sweet the whole room smells delicious. You've got a great row of them by your deck. So luscious! Love your pretty pansies. I haven't checked my Bleeding hearts but I do have a few bulbs popping up. Winter begone!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I do love the scents at this time of year - it's as if many of the plants blooming are extra perfumed to drive away the winter blues! I'd love a whole row of Sweet Box.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Catherine,

    Each year, this is what makes me totally realize what a different zone I am in. All summer long we seem to be seeing the same plants in our garden, but come January I know the differencce.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your pictures make me want to go out and check how my garden is doing. Haven't actually been out there in several days. I did notice swelling buds on my Ribes last time I looked. Do they flower before they leaf out? I'm up on the ridge, so we're zone 7 rather than 8 like you, so we're just that little bit behind you. But I bet I will see something interesting out there. I know I don't have any flowers though.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Catherine & Sweetpea. It is so wonderful to see things sprouting in your garden.The seedling found just the spot it wanted.Your hellebore bloom is so pretty and mine are covered in six inches of white stuff. I love how your pansies are blooming at all. Mine are frozen pop sickles in my window boxes. Have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Grace - I did pick some while I was outside yesterday, I remembered that you did that. For some reason I never really have before.

    Alison - If I remember right, they get their leaves and flowers right about the same time. Usually the leaf just starts and the flower comes out of the bud at just behind it. It's one of my favorite spring bloomers.

    ReplyDelete
  14. aloha,

    i agree a whole row of the sweet box is a wonderful thing especially when you don't expect amazing scents at this time of the year...thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I had a hard time getting past your pretty hummingbird. But, I did scroll on to find many pretty blooms as well. I would bet the sweetbox is pretty all a bloom, plus the scent would add to the display right at your deck.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wonderful pictures. You have a lot of color for January. Love that little poppy. I, too, have self-seeded poppies (here in Southeast Texas) that are up - some of them in strange places. They give me hope of spring to come.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Catherine, How refreshing to see all this growth in your yard. I can almost smell the earth from here! That poppy is very determined! Hope you and the girls have a great rest of the weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Looks as if you just had some more rain on that foliage. Determined little poppy there, you will see if it will grow there right? Must be one of those microclimates..

    ReplyDelete
  19. No blooms outside with deep snow cover, and none inside either, but I really enjoyed seeing your contribution to GBBD.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi dear,

    Bleeding hearts greeting the light already? Wonderful. Oh I love that hedge of sarcococca. Nobody would believe the scent they emit.

    How are you doing? and those adorable girlies? And that talented chef?

    sending love-I feel like a human because I worked outside half a day. Peach tree is blooming!

    Love,

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for your encouraging comment on my GBBD post. You are right, when February gets here, it will feel like spring is on the way.

    I enjoyed your blooms. I was excited to see that hellebore and hear that your bleeding hearts are coming up! Spring, I'm ready for you to come our way!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I've seen so many wonderful pansies and violas for Bloom Day, yours included! Beautiful hellebore, too! Mine are under a 2-foot drift. *sigh*

    ReplyDelete
  23. Oh so lovely! Our temperatures seem to be fairly similar now with the exception of the rains. I took some photos of my pansies today too when you have time to visit. Have a lovely Sunday!

    ReplyDelete
  24. So nice to see that there are blooms elsewhere this time of year. I enjoyed the pictures! :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. I absolutely love that hellebore, and I have climate envy.

    ReplyDelete
  26. My sweet box is very upright and not super fragrant. I like yours better! It has a more casual attitude and would probably be fun at parties and boring conventions. LOL! :o)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and leave a comment. I try my very best to answer any questions you may have, but usually don't have time to respond to each comment. Please leave a link to your blog so I can visit you in return.