The Emergence of Spring

Hello everybody,

There is a lot going on in the garden right now. There are lots of bulbs blooming, and things emerging, but there aren't many plants that are particularly photogenic right now. We still need time for most of the perennials and shrubs to kick into gear. So, I put this picture here as a gesture to let winter know that the sun is setting on it, and it is time for spring to jump forward. No more snow. Do you understand, Mother Nature?


Hepatica acutiloba; I know that I have recently posted on Hepatica. But I think that the excitement of spring is not complete without a couple more photos. One of my favorite things about this plant is its variation in color. I've posted two more pictures of the plants in our woods. These two are quite the opposite in the color spectrum, and I did plan on showing a pink one, but it won't fit in between the other two pictures on the blog. So it's gone. But, spring is happening! And if you have a trained eye, a walk in the woods can be a time of magical discovery. You just need to look closely, and you can see all the great things coming to life. You may also see a little garlic mustard coming to life, which is not a great thing, but something we must deal with.

Ligularia 'Britt Marie-Crawford'

This is the new growth on 'Britt Marie-Crawford'. It is quite stunning, and not shown incredibly well by this picture. One of the darkest colors I've seen in the garden. In a couple weeks, the clumps will be formed and the leaves will be much larger. This is a spectacular introduction that should not go unnoticed.

Sedum 'Jose Aubergine'

As I was looking for new growth on plants I walked upon the old Sedum trials. This, is perhaps the best of the dark foliaged varieties. When we had a lot of rain in the spring last year, this was one of two plants that did not flop over or rot. This plant could be available this year from us. Keep checking the availability!!!

Polemonium 'Heaven Scent'

This is also one of my favorites for early season foliage. 'Heaven Scent' is a new cultivar that we have in our trials. Last year, its spring blooms were fantastically fragrant. When standing next to flowering crabapples, the scent from this Polemonium was stronger than the very fragrant Asian crabs and was quite possibly sent from Heaven. The scent is very much like grapes. Very cool plant in flower and not. And it was developed in Hebron, IL by plantsman Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennials.
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Thanks once again, for taking the time to read these. I know we are getting into the busy season and it will be harder to take the time out of your day to read. But they will only get better! Thanks again, and until next time I hope you have a great day!