Is it GBBD Already?


With February so short, I was completely surprised that March has already arrived. And on the one hand, nothing much has changed in the garden -- on the other hand, everything has changed!

Above, the second of the triple graft plum tree is now in full bloom, and I'm hopeful that a few dry and warm days were enough to get me enough pollinator visits. Also blooming is the nectarine (barely visible in the background) and the two peach trees.


Here's the Suncrest peach, right next to the bee box. Aren't those blossoms heart-breakingly lovely?


But there's more. Above, Arctostaphylos 'Sentinel', still in a pot and ready to become one of the elements of the hedge (more about that in a different post).


And Arctostaphylos hookery 'Wayside' is also in full bloom, forming an attractive low mound right next to the ceanothus (still barely in bud).


The star of the early spring garden is Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum, hard to photograph against a washed out wooden fence but stunning in reality.


The native mallow, Sildacea malveflora, is also pretty in pink. I'm happy this reliable bloomer has come back so nicely from summer dormancy.


And I really enjoy it next to the froggy stepping stone that was a gift from Country Mouse.

But for those who have seen enough pink, there's also yellow.


The first of the daffodils (yes, I do have a fairly shady garden).


And the Berberis, so bright that the photo is overexposed. But back to pink.


Here's the first of the Heuchera, with Heuchera 'Limelight' and the native ginger (Asarum caudatum) in the background. Also blooming are blue-eyed grass, a native black sage, a non-native sage, Aristolochia californica (dutchman's pipe), Heuchera maxima, and the redwood sorrell. Finally, the first Canyon Snow native Iris.


Thanks as always to Carol at May Dreams Gardens, our gracious hostess. I can't wait to see what's blooming in her garden, and how spring is starting to arrive all over the country (and the Northern hemisphere). Click on the link and meet me there!

Comments

Chandramouli S said…
Peaches and plums! Yummmm! Oh those cute Daffs are camera-shy, eh? :) Great GBBD post!
Country Mouse said…
Oh my - GBBD caught me off guard too. I can't post for a while as we have family staying over - will do a non-bloom day bloom day post. Yours is very colorful - my ribes aureum is blooming too, still! Some things like our cool wet spring and are blooming longer than usual. Your garden looks fresh and lovely!
It's always fun to compare notes. You have a lot blooming at the moment! Our plums are almost done blooming, and one of our peaches has been done for about a week or so. Our Ribes is fading, but our daffs are still very much in full swing. I think my black sage, which was quite large in fall, suffered too much frost damage this winter though. It's almost completely leafless, and not a hint of blooms. I didn't expect it to be quite so frost tender :(
Christine said…
Wow, flower explosion! I'm having the same trouble photographing my Ribes, too. I sigh in amazement when I'm there, then am so disappointed when viewing the photos I took afterwards. Although, you lucky mouse, you get to stroll a few feet out your back door to view them whenever you want! Hope you have many more chances to enjoy the show!
ryan said…
Nice collection of blooms. I wish I had some stone fruit trees. Their flowers are so welcome this time of year. I wonder why our Ribes sanguineum is so much behind yours. It's in full sun and has lots of buds, but doesn't want to open them. Yours is looking great.
Anonymous said…
With the fruit trees and daffodils blooming it seems like Spring is finally here. But you do have more...loves the Ribes sanguineum and it seemed to show up fine! I have to get some of those! I've been reading more of your past posts and admire your goals for a native and locally native garden.
Christine said…
Really beautiful - Love the Canyon Snow native Iris.
Gail said…
I am trying hard to let go of the brilliant but alarming Banana Slug image that has taken up residence in my brain! I am past it~gorgeous blooms! I am partial to the pinks! gail
Anonymous said…
I don't remember knowing that you had any non-native fruit trees, so it must have been a long time since you mentioned them! (Maybe ever since they last bloomed?) They're extremely pretty.
Ellie said…
Nice flowers! Lots of unknown ones (to me) as well, which makes it all the more interesting. Is that a soft pink Ribes or the "ordinary" bright pink one?
James said…
How I wish my ribes would bloom like yours. Actually I wish it would bloom at all! (I don't know if that's because I'm too far south or dry or mean to the plant...) The tree flowers are always exciting, pretty now, but harbingers of great things ahead...