January Blooms and a new Plant Bed!
Yikes! I'm late to get this post out. I honestly didn't even think about posting for Bloom Day (the 15th) until I realized that I actually do have a few blooms in the garden.
Spring *might* be early this year in the great Pacific Northwest. We've had a very mild January with two sunny weekends in a row. There's always the chance during this La Nina season that we could get a cold snap in early Februrary however unlikely as it feels.
Last summer my husband and I tore out an old privet hedge that took up a lot of valuable space in my postage stamp of a front yard. Below is a pic of when we chopped the hedge in half to prepare for pulling it out via the pick-up truck. (That was an adventure..2 new tow straps later...)
Currently blooming is Spring Promise helleborus 'Valerie'. It is has lime green colored petals with deep, purple, picottee edging. This is one of the first hellebore's that I purchased. I originally placed it near a rhododendron, which eventually grew over the top of it. I love being able to see the blooms now with ease.
Spring Promise helleborus 'Elly' is the earliest bloomer of my collection. She started to bloom in November this year and is still opening up new, frilly and lightly painted blooms.
Here's a closer look at those pretty, frilly, blooms...
And from the Winter Jewel's collection, 'Golden Sunrise' is beginning to open it's first bloom. I am looking forward to seeing more of this happy color. While it's not the best looking bloom per se, it's color! And in the middle of winter...it's exactly what I need.
I have many plants from the 'Winter Jewels' collection. 'Golden Sunrise' is the first to try and bloom. I'm hoping that with their relocation to the new plant bed, they'll be happier and send up more blooms in the years to come.
If you live in the Pacfic Northwest, a trip to Northwest Garden Nursery, just outside of Eugene, Oregon is a must. This is the home of Winter Jewels Hellebore breeders and they host an open garden and a plant sale in Februrary. Here are my posts on the event:
http://www.therainydaygardener.com/2015/02/hellebore-heaven.html
http://www.therainydaygardener.com/2015/02/the-open-gardens-at-northwest-garden.html
Another show of color in the front yard is my summer heath and it's turning a gorgeous shade of coral-pink. This is calluna vulgaris 'Firefly' and the foliage will change shades during different seasons.
Oh look! Way up there...it's a pink dot! The heirloom camilla tree is blooming. There are a lot of buds on the tree and I'm hoping for a good bloom year.
Miscanthus 'Morning light' still has plenty to offer in January. Pretty seed heads in winter.
In the back of the house, my impulse purchase from last Februrary is blooming.
Witch hazel 'Arnold Promise' has a soft, subtle and sweet scent. I can't wait for it to grow larger and fill the backyard with it's lovely perfume.
Silver cat isn't too impressed. The king of the castle oversee's all from his perch on the front porch.
Three cheers to Gardening in January!
Thank you to Carol at May Dreams Garden for hosting Bloom Day on the 15th of every month. This January closes the 11th year this meme has been running. It's been a fun way to track changes in my garden, year to year.
Jenni
North Willamette Valley
Zone 8b
3:30pm, Cloudy skies, rain threatening, 54F (12C)
Spring *might* be early this year in the great Pacific Northwest. We've had a very mild January with two sunny weekends in a row. There's always the chance during this La Nina season that we could get a cold snap in early Februrary however unlikely as it feels.
Last summer my husband and I tore out an old privet hedge that took up a lot of valuable space in my postage stamp of a front yard. Below is a pic of when we chopped the hedge in half to prepare for pulling it out via the pick-up truck. (That was an adventure..2 new tow straps later...)
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| Always charming to have a port-o-potty parked next to your home for over 6 months..... |
Here's how it looked with the hedge torn out. I think I gained 4+ feet of space to plant things I like!
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| Ah yes, the port-o-potty was still with us all the way through November... |
The old chain-link fence came out and a new, wooden fence was installed. I expanded the stone retaining wall, filled in with dirt and then had a new space to plant. The old roots of the privet hedge were deep and quite hard to get out! The boys installing the fence helped hack them out.
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| Front flower bed - Expanded! |
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| This space is looking much better now..even in the dead of winter. Clumps of transplanted hellebores are begining to pop up! In the back I have 3 honeysuckle vines and coneflowers, sedums and panicums planted for a summer show of color. |
I moved all of my hellebores to this space. I have 13 total and many had been in less than ideal spots in the past where their blooms were hidden and they were struggling to get enough summer water.
I'm quite excited for this hellebore blooming season because I see that my hard work is already paying off. Blooms that I could not fully enjoy are beginning to open their pretty faces.
Currently blooming is Spring Promise helleborus 'Valerie'. It is has lime green colored petals with deep, purple, picottee edging. This is one of the first hellebore's that I purchased. I originally placed it near a rhododendron, which eventually grew over the top of it. I love being able to see the blooms now with ease.
 |
| Spring Promise helleborus 'Valerie' |
 |
| Spring Promise helleborus 'Valerie' |
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| A fading bloom on helleborus Spring Promise 'Elly' |
And from the Winter Jewel's collection, 'Golden Sunrise' is beginning to open it's first bloom. I am looking forward to seeing more of this happy color. While it's not the best looking bloom per se, it's color! And in the middle of winter...it's exactly what I need.
 |
| Winter Jewels helleborus 'Golden Sunrise' ...happy for the bloom..hoping the next few to pop up will be in better shape... |
If you live in the Pacfic Northwest, a trip to Northwest Garden Nursery, just outside of Eugene, Oregon is a must. This is the home of Winter Jewels Hellebore breeders and they host an open garden and a plant sale in Februrary. Here are my posts on the event:
http://www.therainydaygardener.com/2015/02/hellebore-heaven.html
http://www.therainydaygardener.com/2015/02/the-open-gardens-at-northwest-garden.html
Another show of color in the front yard is my summer heath and it's turning a gorgeous shade of coral-pink. This is calluna vulgaris 'Firefly' and the foliage will change shades during different seasons.
 |
| calluna vulgaris 'Firefly' |
Miscanthus 'Morning light' still has plenty to offer in January. Pretty seed heads in winter.
In the back of the house, my impulse purchase from last Februrary is blooming.
 |
| Hamamelis x intermedia 'Arnold Promise' |
Silver cat isn't too impressed. The king of the castle oversee's all from his perch on the front porch.
Three cheers to Gardening in January!
Thank you to Carol at May Dreams Garden for hosting Bloom Day on the 15th of every month. This January closes the 11th year this meme has been running. It's been a fun way to track changes in my garden, year to year.
Jenni
North Willamette Valley
Zone 8b
3:30pm, Cloudy skies, rain threatening, 54F (12C)
Wow! Taking out that hedge was a big project! It looks so much better. I know those Hellebores are much happier.
ReplyDeleteAlison....ripping out that hedge was SUCH a project! We did feel quite accomplished after it was done. Finger's x'd those sweet hellebores like their new home :)
DeleteWhat a lot of work to get the hedge out! The area looks very nice now and I love all your hellebores.
DeleteWow - all that new space!!! Fabulous - it looks great! Hopefully whatever climbers you plant will grow quickly to shield you from that behemoth on the left. I don't understand why they grant permits to build such massive homes so close to the lot line... Love all your Hellebores, especially Valerie. Are you going to the sale in Eugene? I would love to tag along, if you are. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Anna - I would LOVE to go to the sale. But, I suspect my soccer coaching schedule won't allow for it. Someday I'll only work 1 job. I'll be sure to check the schedule though..if it's possible, I'll go and let you know :)
DeleteSorry about the new construction next door; the noise would be crazy-making. Hooray for new space to plant stuff. Your hellebores are way ahead of mine and are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteHi Peter, I fully admit to not being at my best this year with all of the construction related noise and other drama. It's a hard thing to be subjected to. I'm looking forward to the hellebores finally getting a place to be the star of the show, as they should be. Front and center..ready to welcome spring!
DeleteI think you will find that with the privet hedge gone and the nice fence up, you eventually will tune out the monstrosity on the other side and focus on what's in front of the fence. I have a similar situation with the duplex next door. I have to admit, i'm liking the porta potty outside idea. Then I don't have to shed all my dirty clothes just to get to the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteMatthew, you make a good point. When I visit your gardens, I know that duplex is there..but it's so tuned out as I have my eye focused on all the pretty things in your garden. I hope I'll be able to do the same in my yard. I'll tell you this...after 6+ months of smelling that awfully port-o-potty, I was thrilled to see it go. It was parked outside our bedroom window for much of the time. The builder was ever so considerate on 'sharing' the smells of that nasty thing.
DeleteI think the new bed is a big improvement on the previous arrangement! Of course, if it were mine I would probably fill it with veggies instead of flowers :)
ReplyDeleteNot to worry Mark! I plan to put more time and attention into the existing veg plot in my back yard. It's been neglected, but I'm hoping to encourage my husband to play a larger role in the planning and maintenance of it should I continue coaching soccer!
DeleteDon't you love it when you "find" space in the garden like that?! My husband and I took out a dying Ceanothus hedge (oddly placed only feet from another hedge by prior owners) and I got a huge space for succulents and, yes, more Leucadendrons. I love your hellebores. I've planted half a dozen but I get few flowers - this just isn't hellebore country and the lack of rain this year isn't helping matters any. I hope you get your early spring!
ReplyDeleteKris, I really admire your succulent collection,it's one thing we can't replicate up here. My hellebores are very dear to me. They get me through our rather gloomy and grey winters. I am finding that I might be able to plop 4 or 5 more in my new garden bed. Oh..the excitement!!
DeleteI am so envious of your hellebores, especially 'Valerie'. They are way, way earlier than mine as well. And this year something is munching them! I've lost one huge clump, every single bloom, and a large flower spike off another. If I catch the perpetrator he will be dinner himself. Or herself. Probably.
ReplyDeleteI started to call it "found space" but that would be a misnomer, with all of the work that went into claiming it. What fun you will have now.
ReplyDeleteSpace space space space....it's a beautiful thing! It looks SO good, you'll have fun filling that up! Glad you got help digging out those roots, it can be a week long project doing something of that scale. Great job, and nice hellebore photos!
ReplyDeleteIf your front garden is a postage stamp, mine is just a full-stop (I think you would call it a period - one of these .).
ReplyDeleteThe bed is looking good whatever Curly cat thinks.
The Honeysuckles will be fill in quickly and look lovely ! I moved a bedraggled 'Harlequin ' to a new spot a few years ago , it's so much happier and has taken off .
ReplyDeleteOften demolition can lead to new adventures and it's always fun to have a new space to plant. Your new area is looking great and plantings will really take off in the springtime. Your Hellebores are really gorgeous with so many blooms and should be happy in their new home. Happy Bloom Day!
ReplyDelete