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--Two-toned Daffodils, Rhododendron "Pink Snowflakes," Dwarf Peach (February 24, 2012)

With temperatures up into the seventies the past few days, flowers are beginning to open all over the garden. Today saw the first blooms on the two-toned daffodils in the front garden, on the rhododendron called "Pink Snowflakes," and on the dwarf peach in the side garden. "Pink Snowflakes" has been a very regular bloomer. Its first buds opened on February 22 in 2009, February 24 in 2010, February 16 in 2011, and on February 24 again this year. The dwarf peach has been somewhat more erratic, blooming on March 02, in 2009, February 22, in 2010, March 5 in 2011, and February 24 this year. The two-tone daffodils are another reliable bloomer, it seems. They first opened on February 22 in 2010 and on February 24 this year and last. The first blooms opened also on the yellow broom in the side garden (Cytisus).

Plants I'm Growing: First Blooms--Rhododendron "Pink Snowflakes" and Tulipa Bakeri (2010)

First 2010 blooms today on the rhododendron "Pink Snowflakes" (lower photo) near the bird bath and on the species tulips at the front of the house--Tulipa bakeri. The Rhododendron bloomed on February 22 in 2009. A year according to this plant was therefore 363 days. The bakeri tulips bloomed on March 5 in 2009, so their calculated year was markedly shorter--356 days. I plan to start graphing my data points soon to see what the botanical year looks like. From the data I've collected so far, I can say the plants in my garden seem to think a year lasts about 362 days (the median result). 

The tulip photo is from last year. This year's flowers are not nearly so fully open. The Rhododendron photo is also from last year. So far, only a single bud has opened on "Pink Snowflakes," but soon the plant will be covered in pink.

Plants I'm growing: First Blooms

First blooms today on the low, pink rhododendron by the bird bath called "Pink Snowflakes" (top photo).

Ribes Sanguineum, the native pink currant began blooming yesterday, February 21. Rain again most of last night and all day today again. We seem to be catching up, but we are still about 6.5 inches below normal for this time of year.