Plants I'm Growing: Michelia Yunnanensis, Nanking Cherry, Two-toned Daffodils

The Michelia yunannensis in the side yard (a magnolia relative) starting blooming on March 1 this year. First blooms on March 2 on the Nanking cherry by the birdbath (Prunus tomentosa), a bush cherry with very delicate pretty, barely pink blossoms. First blooms on the two-toned daffodils in the front yard on March 3.

Plants I'm Growing: First Blooms (March 9, 2014)

With some rain now behind us and warmer weather, the garden is beginning to come alive again. On March 5, the small Rhododendron called "Pink Snow Flakes" began to bloom. The Kerria by the side wall started blooming at about the same time--a plant I know by its Japanese name, yamabuki. On March 6th the first of the species tulips Tulipa bakeri started to bloom (above). Only a few of these are left. I planted hundreds, but they were discovered one summer by the ground squirrels. The squirrels dug them all up and ate them. They are slowly spreading again. The Nanking cherry (Prunus tomentosa) began blooming on the 6th as well. The large Ray Hartman Ceanothus started blooming around the same time (below). The dwarf peach and dwarf nectarine behind the house are both in full bloom now, along with the golden currant bush (Ribes aureum).

Plants I'm Growing: First Blooms--Nanking Cherry, Dwarf Nectarine (February 27, 2012)

More pink flowers in the garden today. Today the first blossom opened on the dwarf nectarine at the back of the house (above). Yesterday the Nanking Cherry (Prunus tomentosa) started blooming. Warm weather in the past few days has coaxed out many flowers, but there was frost on the ground this morning and it's supposed to rain tomorrow. We need the rain, but I hope it doesn't cause the problems with fruit set again on the fruit trees....

The Nanking cherry bloomed on March 2 in 2009, on March 8 in 2010, and on March 5 in 2011, which makes it a bit early this year (February 26). The plant has calculated a year of only 357 days.

The dwarf nectarine, a slow grower, has nevertheless done well. The nectarines it produces are delicious--very intensely flavored. Every year I look forward to the ones the critters don't get. The nectarine bloomed on March 5 in 2009, February 27 in 2010, and March 2 in 2011. This year it's calculated a year of 361 days.

I note also that the golden currant (Ribes aureum) by the beehive is now in full bloom, having started to bloom quite suddenly on or about February 25.

Plants I'm Growing--First Blooms: Dwarf Peach, Nanking Cherry

First blooms today on the Nanking cherry by the birdbath (Prunus tomentosa), a bush cherry with very delicate pretty, ever-so-slightly pink blossoms. Yesterday we had the first blossoms--a rich, deep pink--on the dwarf peach in the back garden.

The Nanking cherry bloomed on March 2 in 2009 and on March 8 in 2010, for a year of 362 days this year and 371 days the year before, averaging to 366.5 days, close to an astronomical year. The Dwarf peach bloomed on March 2 in 2009 and February 22 in 2010, for a year of 377 days this year and 358 days in the year before, averaging to 367.5 days, also close to an actual year.

Plants I'm growing: First Blooms--Nanking Cherry

The little Nanking Cherry (Prunus tomentosa) near the birdbath started blooming yesterday, March 8.