At last, signs of spring
-
- March
- 20
Ugh, what a long dull winter. But spring is definitely coming—the light is so completely different than just a few weeks ago. The willow trees are greening up and the first bulbs are beginning to emerge.
After a spin through the indoor Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden last week, I couldn’t wait to get outside and see what was coming up in the Ladies Border and Perennial Garden, just beyond the steps to the Haupt Conservatory.
I love these little snow crocuses.
The full botanical name is Crocus chrysanthus ‘Snow Bunting.’
A hellebore (Helleborus x nigercors ‘Honeyhill Joy’) in full bloom.
This heuchera has come through winter quite well.
The full name is Heuchera sanguinea ‘Geisha’s Fan.’
Aren’t these crabapples great?
Like the heuchera, they’re in the home gardening demonstration area at the Botanical Garden. I grew up with a huge crabapple tree just outside the back door and it’s always been one of my favorites.
This one is called Malus ‘Sugar Tyme.’
The witch hazel that I shot in January is still in full bloom. Here’s how it looked a couple of months ago.
The same tree last week at NYBG.
Amazingly different light from a couple of months ago.
Here’s another very young witch hazel just outside the Haupt Conservatory.
And daffodil foliage!
Back in my own garden, I can just see the tips of a batch of tulips I hurriedly got into the ground last November. They were a gift from Sally Ferguson and the folks at the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center.
They must be an early variety because I still don’t have any sign of daffodils yet. And yes, that’s freshly applied deer-repellent spray on the new tips. They’ve been particularly brazen about coming right up to the house in the last couple of weeks.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, March 20th, 2008 at 6:37 am by Bill Cary.
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Bill Cary grew up in Louisville, Ky. His gardening was limited to growing parsley and impatiens on the windowsill of Manhattan walkups until the mid-1990s when he bought a rundown old chicken farm on 8 acres in the Hudson Valley. Now he spends his weekends chasing deer, hacking away at invasive shrubs and vines and wondering why he doesn`t have more meadow and less lawn.
This is just what I needed!! Thank you so much. I look forward to your blogs. They always cheer me up.
Harper
Good to hear—and thanks for the feedback.
Bill
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