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Author Topic: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere  (Read 6812 times)

Robert

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #15 on: February 11, 2017, 09:34:08 PM »


A white Cylamen persicum. It has been blooming for many weeks now and has looked good despite the stormy weather.



A pink Cylamen persicum coming on well.



A magenta Cyclamen coum ready to plant out.



A Rhododendron dauricum seedling.



A hybrid Abutilon loaded with flowers.
Robert Barnard
Sacramento & Placerville, Northern California, U.S.A.
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If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him stepto the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
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Philip Walker

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #16 on: February 17, 2017, 11:01:40 AM »
Puschkinia scilloides

Maggi Young

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #17 on: February 18, 2017, 08:13:36 PM »
Puschkinia scilloides
I've just been posting about these small blue bulbs - I can never tell them apart!  Looks  like this may be a Puschkinia then? edit: Roma tells me it is a Scilla!


The Iris are doing well- they seem to be growing faster than the slugs can eat them!


Iris 'Katharine Hodgkin'
« Last Edit: February 19, 2017, 07:16:16 PM by Maggi Young »
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

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Maggi Young

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #18 on: February 18, 2017, 08:15:24 PM »
A few more

Galanthus 'Corrin'


Galanthus view


Eranthis view


Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

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Leena

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #19 on: February 19, 2017, 07:41:32 AM »
I love the views with snowdrops (and other early spring flowers)! :) Every time I start to think how I could create something similar in my garden, but I'm so behind yet.
Last week's bulb log was also so inspiring (like it always is).
Leena from south of Finland

Cfred72

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #20 on: February 19, 2017, 08:47:55 AM »
The little Blue Iris are multiplied, Maggi. Ian will have to move the tuft that grows and flourishes behind the wooden lattice. It is a pity that the flowers are crushed behind.

Leena, the photos you show from your garden are often very well composed too.
Frédéric Catoul, Amay en Hesbaye, partie francophone de la Belgique.

Robert

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #21 on: February 19, 2017, 05:18:57 PM »
A more or less continuous series of storms are impacting Northern California. At times there is torrential rainfall and extreme winds approaching hurricane force. This beats drought! The next storm is expected to arrive later today or this evening with more hurricane force winds, torrential rainfall, and flooding.  Much of the Sacramento Valley is flooded and looks like a lake (this is what it was like 200 years ago every winter). Many of the main highways in Northern California are closed or have been recently closed due to flooding, mudslides, and other storm damage. The Oroville Reservoir spillway continues to be used with progressive damage to its structure. The reservoir is expected to crest again Monday and it is questionable if the emergency spillway will hold together.

Despite the weather spring is progressing.



As of today there are still flowers on our Okame Cherry. I like seeing a carpet of spent flowers on the ground around the tree, however this year the rain and wind have washed away this beautiful scene. With hurricane force winds there will most likely be no blossoms on the tree by tomorrow. Oh well, at least we can enjoy the flowers now.  :)



Primula (Dodecatheon) hendersonii - I brought these down from the farm. They are most likely a triploid form as they set very few seed. The tetraploid forms from higher in the Sierra Nevada have just broken their dormancy. They will bloom next month, a very nice extension to the season.  :)



Acer rubescens 'Silver Cardinal' The bark is very beautiful. Our tree has lost its creamy leaf variegation. This is fine with me. I like the regular green leaves and the bright autumn leaf colors.



Rhododendron spinuliferum It grows well in hot weather.



Rhododendron mucronulatum.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2017, 05:20:44 PM by Robert »
Robert Barnard
Sacramento & Placerville, Northern California, U.S.A.
All text and photos © Robert Barnard

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him stepto the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
- Henry David Thoreau

Robert

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #22 on: February 19, 2017, 05:32:12 PM »


Our 'Star Magnolias' are in bloom.



A Tristagma with a few open flowers.



An old fashion Pansy in bloom. The slugs are terrible so I broke down are started using Iron phosphate. The slugs were eating everything. This has stopped.



Erythronium multiscapideum getting ready to bloom.  :)
Robert Barnard
Sacramento & Placerville, Northern California, U.S.A.
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If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him stepto the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
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Yann

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #23 on: February 19, 2017, 07:28:13 PM »
Robert your soil looks wet and damp, isn't it? Does repairs with concrete and boulders at Oroville can hold the dam? nothing can retain water's force.
North of France

Graham Catlow

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #24 on: February 19, 2017, 07:36:44 PM »
Some early colour in the garden. The first of the Rhododendrons to flower are R. praecox and R. irroratum.

Bo'ness. Scotland

Hoy

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #25 on: February 19, 2017, 10:27:59 PM »
Although our weather is nothing like what Robert experience, the freezing and now heavy rain do a lot of damage to the spring flower  display. I have even had to kill a lot of slugs although they said the brown slugs wouldn't stand the winter! (I never thought that)

Robert,

seems the spring is far advanced! Hope the weather and flooding don't spoil everything.


Maggi,

Your spring flowering is terrific!
I am very jealous if your plants grow faster than the slugs eat them! Many of my snowdrops are already destroyed both by slugs and weather.
Trond Hoy, gardening on the rainy west coast of Norway.

Philip Walker

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #26 on: February 19, 2017, 11:33:33 PM »
Maggi- it probably is Scilla mischtschenkoana.They've been in too long to remember.

Robert

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #27 on: February 20, 2017, 12:37:30 AM »
Robert your soil looks wet and damp, isn't it? Does repairs with concrete and boulders at Oroville can hold the dam? nothing can retain water's force.

Hi Yann,

I know what you mean, eventually water cannot be stopped. We will know in a day or two if the repairs at Oroville Dam will hold. The main Interstate freeway is partly closed north of Sacramento near the town of Maxwell. The town is flooded and will most likely flood again (or stay flooded) with the next storm.

As for our garden, yes it very wet and is somewhat waterlogged. Our loam soil drains well and this helps a great deal. I have made compost that I would like to spread around (feed the plants and stop rain slash), however the weather and other urgent project have needed to come first.


Robert,

seems the spring is far advanced! Hope the weather and flooding don't spoil everything.



Trond,

As you can most certainly guess, the slugs have been terrible. The Iron Phosphate has saved the day for many plants. Spring is advancing, but very unevenly. Pooling water has been a minor problem in our garden. The fierce winds and slugs have been very destructive. The slugs are under better control but there is no much I can do about the wind. I did get a few Galanthus flowers. The Iris reticulata flowers were eaten to nothing and a few plants have managed to survive. It sounds terrible, but so far there is still much to look forward to and some plants have done well.

The wind is starting to pick up and the rain is starting again.
Robert Barnard
Sacramento & Placerville, Northern California, U.S.A.
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If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him stepto the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
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Maggi Young

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #28 on: February 20, 2017, 11:34:15 AM »
Maggi- it probably is Scilla mischtschenkoana.They've been in too long to remember.
;D ;)

Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

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astragalus

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Re: February 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere
« Reply #29 on: February 20, 2017, 12:31:07 PM »
Maggi, what a lovely array of small bulbs in your garden. Can't imagine seeing this in February, lucky you!
Hope my Iris 'Katherine Hodgkins will look as lush some year. Everything still snow- covered here.
Steep, rocky and cold in the
Hudson River Valley in New York State

 


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