Monday, March 26, 2012

Bleeding Hearts and Other Spring Blooms

 

We knew it was too good to last but enjoyed the summer like weather last week anyway. Freeze and frost warnings out for tonight has brought us back to the reality that it is still just March here in the hills.
The flowers were coming on so fast that we wondered if they would all be flowered out by June this year. LOL!
The flowers that were held over for the winter in the house were put outdoors last week to soak up the sunshine. This morning I was bringing most of them back into the house until the threat of the freeze is over.

FrontWalkBed_March26
Along the front walk the candytuft, Pulmonaria, Columbines, Hellebores and Bleeding Hearts were having a fast spurt of growth and blooming away.

Dicentra_BleedingHearts3
I love it when the Bleeding Hearts start blooming in the Shade bed along the front walk.

Dicentra_BleedingHearts2
They  look so lovely hanging as the morning sun filters in upon them.

Dicentra_BleedingHearts4 Dicentra spectabilis Pink Bleeding Heart

Dicentra_BleedingHeart_Alba Dicentra spectabilis Alba Bleeding Heart

The white Bleeding Hearts are not doing as well as the pink ones for some reason.

Botanical Name: Dicentra spectabilis
Form: Perennial Sun Exposure: Shade/Partial Shade
Height/Habit: Up to 3' Spread: 36"
Spacing: 24 - 36" Hardiness Zone: 2 - 9 (-40 degrees F)

Heuchera_Amethyst Heuchera Amethyst

The Heuchera’s are really taking off now too in the Shade garden.

Heuchera_PurplePalace Heuchera Purple Palace

Grape_Hyacinths
Grape Hyacinths, Irish Moss & White Peach Leaf Campanula.

Pulmonaria_RaspberryIce
The new little Pulmonaira Raspberry Ice has a few little blooms and the leaves are starting to grow out.

Tulip_Apeldoorn
Apledoorn red tulips are starting to bloom in the Rose Garden.

Lilac_Primrose
The little Lilac Primrose is only a foot and a half tall but has a couple of budded plumes on it.

Pulsatilla_Vulgaris_PasqueFlower Pulsatilla Vulgaris Pasque Flower seemed to open over night.

Magnolia_Jane
Jane Magnolia

The Magnolia tree has a few buds starting on it along the Woodland bed.

Bluebird_House 
And the Bluebirds are back and there are two pairs of them in the Bluebird houses along the woods. They never stay here in the winter so I enjoy seeing them return to nest in the spring.

With the cool down this week I hope to get some more of the beds weeded,edged out and mulched. That is the plan anyway. The weeds grow no matter the weather and have about taken over the long bed near the garden shed.
Everyone enjoy the spring blooms and your time in the garden this week.
Lona

 

20 comments:

gardeningnaturallywithclaudia.blogspot.com said...

Spring sure is fickle! The garden is looking great - I, too, wonder what we will have June.
Stay well...c

Diana LaMarre said...

The flowers are all lovely, but I really am jealous of your bluebirds. How exciting to have two nesting!

myomyohi said...

Hi Lona,
It's windy and cool here today, and after last week it seems frigid.

I love bleeding hearts. They always look so regal and proper, but all your plants look good. My redbuds are blooming, weeping wilow if leafing out, and hostas are poking thru the ground. The roses are leafing out and things are springing to life. Let's hope our cold spell is mild and short.

Myra

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I love seeing your Bleeding Hearts! They are one of my favorite spring flowers. My white one never seems as good as the pink. How cool to have Bluebirds nesting. We don't get them here. The crazy wrens are still working on a nest on our porch.

Astrid said...

Hi Lona
I have many of the plants you have but mine are not open yet, despite the abnormally warm temps last week. I love your first shot of the grouping of plants - exquisite!! Don't you just love spring??
Astrid

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Hope all your spring blooms are safe from the frosty temps.
Love the Bleeding Hearts, mine are all up and blooming now too.
Raspberry Ice?? I know Raspberry Splash, but Ice is new to me. Love the leaves.

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

I've been afraid a freeze would sneak up on us. Hope your plants handle the chill.

Joe Todd said...

I knew we would have more frost. Good luck with all your flowers.

Jim Groble said...

You look like you are at least a couple of weeks ahead of us. Our tulips have leaves but only a hint of stems. Your flowers look wonderful. jim

Indie said...

New things are blooming here so quickly, that I'm afraid spring is zipping by and it's only March! I wish it would cool off here just a bit - though not to freezing. Your poor plants!

Sunray Gardens said...

How pretty it all looks. Love the bluebird, wish I saw some of those in my yard. I did cover a few Hosta that were the biggest but other than that I'll see the damage if any later.
Cher Sunray Gardens

cherry said...

Your bleeding hearts are so pretty and aren't the bluebirds so much fun to watch.. Hope your weekend cold didn't hurt anything.. I have been weeding since Friday afternoon and can hardly move this morning..lol
hugs my friend have a great week.

Debbie said...

your flowers are beautiful, hopefully the frost didnt harm them!

Patsy said...

You have a good start on spring. It has gotten cool here but the flowers seam to love it.

Jennifer said...

Lona, I was about to leave a comment when I got distracted by the pictures in the older post. So many pretty spring things to admire. Our weather has been warm, but we are not nearly so far along. My bleeding hearts are only just up and may take their time now that the weather has cooled off. You are right about the weeds! They are up and running despite the turn in the weather.

Jennifer AKA keewee said...

Our Spring has been wet and cool so not too much is blooming yet, although there is plenty of new growth.

RobinL said...

Even with this latest cold spell, it has been a glorious spring, you have to admit! So many new things popping up every day. Our house is all torn up with remodeling, so I haven't had much time to blog. I'll catch up, some day!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Lona girl you are way ahead of me with your plants ! And that amazing "blue" bird is so pretty !
We have had those bold red wing black marsh birds .. so loud and naughty ! .. it is a gray rain day here .. after working in the garden yesterday and having a major headache .. I think I will be going back to bed this morning ! LOL
Beautiful pictures girl !
Joy : )

Serenity Cove said...

We had a pretty hard frost here. I got some of mine covered but it's just impossible to cover it all. My hydrangeas look pretty bad!
Hope you fared okay. I think we have our March and Arpril turned around!

sweetbay said...

Those old-fashioned bleeding hearts are indeed so very lovely!