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-Cytisus

First blooms today on the yellow Cytisus scoparius. Soon the plant will be covered with yellow flowers, making the foliage almost invisible. The brick-orange variety we have, called "Lena," is in full bloom after this one has finished completely.