April 2011 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Brian Ellis]

I quite like dark foliage, this is the almost insignificant flower of Caulophyllum thalictroides, I love the early foliage which is almost black.  Behind it is a Trillium, and nearby is the Saruma henryi which will flower for some time off and on.  I noticed that with this warm weather the first of the syringa flowers is just starting to open, this one has travelled round the country for at least 60 years being taken from one garden to another!  Some of the nicest foliage in the garden at the moment belongs to Clematis recta Velvet Night.

[Brian Ellis]

The apple blossom is also out, this is either Spartan or Cox's Orange Pippin on our family tree.  The Fothergilla major is also a picture, but taking the photo reminded me how much the garage needs tidying so I had to crop it   One of the first of my Irises is "Mrs Nate Rudolph" very delicate colouring, and refined (must be in the wrong garden).  Lastly Syneilesis aconitifolium, I thought it was no longer after this last winter, but it seems to have popped up almost overnight...unless I was just looking at other things!

[johnw]

A marvellous Syneilesis there Brian.  Not to fear, it's as tough as an old boot.  BTW it has more hair than the two of us.

We are weeks behind here compared to last year but basically a normal slow spring.  I have been walking past our 14 ft. Pieris and never realized it was in full flower.  I can't even say when it came out!  Viburnum Dawn seems to be in flower about town as well as the Ericas and again can't say if the latter were in flower under last month's snow or not.

johnw

[meanie]

Todays offering are pretty common Tulips.
First up is Queen of the Night, which is my favourite Tulip. Really good sized flowers this year, although the colour seems a shade or two lighter.
The second is a new one for me called Black Parrot which I'm rather pleased with.

[Zdenek]

My Trillium nivale after the third winter outdoors. It was covered by dry leaves and a glass, we had however three weeks of strong frost without any snow.

[Graham Catlow]

Todays offering are pretty common Tulips.
First up is Queen of the Night, which is my favourite Tulip. Really good sized flowers this year, although the colour seems a shade or two lighter.

Hi Meanie,
I was thinking the same about my T. 'Queen of the Night' It really isn't a dark as I thought it should be.

[meanie]

Graham - my bulbs are several years old and they're definitely lighter this year. I wonder if it's a virus or down to age, or maybe just the severity of the winter. They're also a lot larger than in years past.

[Graham Catlow]

Graham - my bulbs are several years old and they're definitely lighter this year. I wonder if it's a virus or down to age, or maybe just the severity of the winter. They're also a lot larger than in years past.

Mine are no larger than previous years, but definitely paler. Perhaps it's the extremely cold winter.

[Brian Ellis]

A marvellous Syneilesis there Brian.  Not to fear, it's as tough as an old boot.  BTW it has more hair than the two of us.

[Knud]

Nice to see the Saruma henrii, Brian, we have sowed it a couple of times, but never had it sprout. Here things are picking up, with narcissus and early tulips in bloom. I have included pictures of:
Callianthemum kernerianum, in its 5th year and with its usual two flowers
Adonis vernalis, which after 4 years with one or two flowers is spoiling me with five
Sanguinaria canadensis (2 pictures), this being a plant I potted up last year, and blooming earlier than the ones still in the ground
Narcissus Rip van Winkle
Narcissus Tet-a-tet (?) among Omphalodes verna

Knud

 

[Brian Ellis]

Knud I find that it has now settled in and self seeds readily in leafy conditions.

[wolfgang vorig]

"Crazy Leukojum"

[cohan]

Just to make everyone a little happier about their gardens, whatever the state!
Some views from a week ago--since then we had more snow, and everything was covered again, just getting exposed now again, and temps are creeping back up, so we should start some serious melting.. snow in many open areas is still knee deep or more, with piles from shovelling up to 3-4 feet high and several metres across still.. bare areas in front of buildings and around certain wooded spots (as you can see in the last shot..)

This is the site of my old rock garden from my teen years, which was completely overgrown with native vegetation, and is mostly/fully dug up now, waiting rebuilding this year.. pots were sunk in mounded soil with rocks around for winter...

[Gerdk]

Some violets
Although they are present now everywhere it seems violets are a somewhat  under-represented here. I hope the following pics will change this.
Please note the different colours of the flowers!

1. Viola affinis-cucullata - occuring wild in the eastern US. In addition to the
                                           nice flowers an interesting leaves pattern
2. Viola canina - white form -  a gift from Sweden
3. Viola sororia f. priceana - the Confederate violet from the US
4. Viola labradorica - the 'real one' from Newfoundland
5. Viola sororia - red form
6.Viola rupestris (arenaria) rosea
7. Viola reichenbachiana - from my region
8. Viola palmata - from the US
9. Viola striata - also from the US
10. Viola xanthopetala - from the Ussuri region

Gerd

[Gerdk]

and an addition

Viola rubella - a shrubby species from Chile

Gerd