spring a ling

In the three long weeks since I last posted, spring officially arrived along with the first blooms of the season.  It's SO refreshing to see color spotting the garden once again.  Dwarf Iris 'Katharine Hodgkin' suprised me by beating out everything but the snowdrops & winter aconites:

I added several packets of bulbs to the garden last fall and now they are blooming in mass, making it difficult to tell where one bloom ends and another begins.

Could be I crowded them too closely!!!  I'm wondering (like many people do with a new favorite) what took me so long ~ they are the sweetest, tiniest things.

Around the same time as the dwarf iris opened, the drumstick primulas (Primula denticulata) also began to bloom.  They open their first flowers while the bloom heads are still fairly tight to the ground:

As time passes, it's easier to see how they get the "drumstick" name:

Many of you realize (having read this blog for several years now) what a big primula fan I am.  It's probably not the most practical genus to fall for in our cold dry climate but the varieties I grow are certainly very hardy.  Primula 'veris' is another longtime favorite I can't wait to see. 

Opening later than usual, the 12th of March to be exact, were the first crocus:

White and solid purples have now joined the striped blooms (where are the yellow I swore I'd add last year??) 

I also noticed Pink Muscari blooms dotting the front garden on Wednesday ~ maybe they were even open before that??

I haven't been making my usual "rounds" so I can't be sure.

I do know that 'King Alfred' is the first of many daffodils to bloom ~ I just took this photo several hours ago!

I'm hoping for smooth sailing from here on out although I know we could still be in for a snowstorm (or two or three) before winter finally lets go ~ blatant disregarder of the calendar it is.  It's been so warm the past month, the lilacs are beginning to leaf out as well as catkins hanging on all the aspen.  Maybe all the activity will inspire me to be more active on the blog?  I can't remember when I was last as busy as I've been so far this year but I think things are finally calming down. Here's hoping I can do some blog hopping and regular posting in the near future...

 

Comments

[Catherine]

I was wondering how you were. I checked a couple of times to see if I missed a post.
The iris is so pretty! I don't have any dwarf iris and now I think I need some. I can't seem to keep drumstick Primulas around for more than a couple of years, but buy a new one or two to replace them. The one I just bought is the same color as the one you show.
Hope you don't see anymore snow.

[Janet]

Your little irises are so sweet. I think they should be in my garden as well!
I also like that pink muscari. I planted some blue ones this year, so next (this coming) fall I shall plant some pinks ones.

[Dana]

Beautiful Kathleen. These first flowers of the season are a real pick me up this time of year.

[Sweetbay]

'Katharine Hodgkin' is so intricately beautiful! I was disappointed that only one of my Iris reticulata came back this year. I love the color of the Drumstick Primroses.

[minor]

There are many beautiful flowers. Your garden is like a botanical garden.

[Kala]

I absolutely love the pattern of the petals of Katharine Hodgkin.
Happy Spring!

[PlantPostings]

So much color in your garden already! I'm so jealous. Mine is still mostly brown and gray. One of these days everything will pop like it has in yours! Great time of year.

[Racquel]

Missed you Kathleen, looks like things are blooming there too. :) I love that Iris, she's a beauty.