Finally Warmer Weather

Our recent weather featured three consecutive days of overnight frost.  Some plants were damaged while others look just fine.  These two Goldenseal plants were transplanted about four years ago.  Native plants sometimes do not take that well but these are now sending up new plants.  We may have the option of relocating the young ones.

Trilliums are a plant remembered from my childhood.  Our woods featured a large dense group of these plants.  Many authors describe a seven year wait for plants going from seed to maturity.  Each year we transplant more but few survive.  These are doing fine with first flowers open.  The white flowers in the background are Wood anemones and they have increased in numbers creating a more natural looking carpet.  We hope to live long enough to see the Trilliums more densely packed.  The newly applied leaf mulch was run through the mower last Fall.  Somehow it lacks a natural appearance now but will build a rich black natural looking soil.

The cage protecting these two Twinleaf plants is necessary as our resident deer have destroyed them in the past.  Each plant produced two flower buds but one was broken in the wind.  The flowers lasted less than two full days.  We  will be watching for seeds but the frosts may have ended that.  At least the plants look good.

Trout lilies present a genuine puzzle.  The last glacier left behind soil filled with many stones.  We find a large number of plants with only a single leaf since their struggle to move their corm deeper and flower is blocked by stones.  This garden placement featured soil that was sifted and is stone free to a depth of eight inches.  Here these plants moved from our woods grow like weeds.  We have never seen a dense mass of flowers like this in a natural setting.

Later that day a deer was seen feeding here.  Inspection revealed that these blossoms are tasty since all are now gone and they were bitten off.  No seeds will form this year but more plants are clearly not needed in this location.

Our Bloodroot continue to struggle.  Three plants from seed are trying to grow here.  The oldest plant next to the dead stick flowered first but never opened its leaf.  It appears to be dead.  Close by to its left is another plant trying to spread its leaf and open its flower.  In the center of the picture is a plant in flower but no leaf can be seen.  We have been trying to establish a natural looking group for many years.  Clearly something is missing here.

 

Nearby a more successful introduction of a native plant appears to be off to a great start.  Our transplanted Yellow Ladies-slipper initially had only two or three  stems.  We knew of a wild plant that was growing right next to a rotting tree stump.  We planted a dead stump here and it continues to break down.  Perhaps the stump contributes something to the soil that this plant needs.  This new growth promises an impressive mature flowering plant this year.
 

Made In The Shade

Now that the locust tree has its leaves these plants have it made in the shade.  It's great for me too.  If you are looking for me in the garden and it is a sunny day, look in the shady spots.  The lovely purple Campanula portenschlagiana in the foreground is just getting started.  This plant seems to love growing in Ed's stone wall and it has yet to disappoint us.  

This year the Jack-in-the pulpit plants are huge and beautiful.  The large three lobed leaves provide even more shade for Jack.  You have to get down at ground level to get a peek at the fascinating flower.

These bluets growing in a crevice on the top of Ed's wall are in the perfect spot to photograph.  Small clumps of tiny leaves can be seen beneath the tiny little blue four petaled flowers. 

 When we first came here, I remember having just three red columbines that we would look for in the woods every spring.  Now the plant self seeds with abandon in this shade garden.  The flowers make a cloud of red blooms that the hummingbirds find irresistible.  Here columbine plants are crowding my small twinleaf plant.   Weeding in this bed gets a bit tricky.  I admit I am not an unbiased referee.  My favorite plants have the edge.  My maidenhair fern grows nearby. Too many beautiful native wildflowers is a great problem to have.  I will enjoy my time in the shade working on it!                                                                                                                    

Shade Garden Excitement

Twinleaf, Jeffersonia diphylla is a delightful native wildflower.  Its lovely white flowers are a treat, and quickly  gone but that is not all this plant has to offer.  The leaves last all summer and flutter in the wind like beautiful green butterfly wings.  The plant forms a neat round clump.  The weird green seed pots that come along later  after the flowers are fascinating too!  Best of all the plant seems to do well under less than textbook conditions.  I know I got mine at Catskill Native nursery in Kerhonkson, NY.  This plant is worth the hunt!
 

A new Twinleaf plant looks like this. Planted last year, it has just two leaves.  I really don't expect this one to flower this year.  I  am just really happy to see it come back.

This plant has a few leaves and more coming.  Perhaps flowers this year are not out of the question.  

Sure Signs Of Spring

As we come to the very last day of March, it's a delight to be out in the garden.  There are certain signs of spring everywhere.  I wondered if this winter would mean the end of many of my perennial garden plants.  Here to my delight is the Virginia bluebells that I planted last fall just emerging.  A spring ephemeral, this plant comes, blooms and disappears  again in the Spring.  I might not look like much, but it's cause fore celebration for me!

This is my Twin leaf plant. It blooms in the spring, but the beautiful butterfly like leaves flutter in the breeze all summer.  Boy was I glad to see it return!

The squirrel corn is coming back strong and it is several weeks ahead of last year.

Soon these lacy green leaves will be joined by dark pink bleeding hearts. It does my heart good to see them again!

Here the desirable plant is the Toothwort.  I will have to decide how much to tidy up around this plant and whether or not I should bury the roots.  John Burroughs called it Crinkleroot and talked about chewing the roots.  To my way of thinking you should have lots of plants before exhibiting that
kind of behavior. I want these to grow!

Last year when I visited Catskill Native Nursery in Kerhonkson, NY, I bought this Heartleaf Alexander.  I had never seen it before,  but it was an adorable plant with heart shaped leaves. With the kind of Winter we had without snow, I was concerned about frost heave.  It looks fabulous! No wonder I brought it home.
 

My pink trout lilies are coming up.  Beautiful speckled leaves and the beginnings of buds give me a thrill.  Ed carefully removed the cage top and teased the dandelions away from my prized plants.  Ed in the garden starting his war on dandelions is also a sure sign of Spring.  It might be my very favorite!

He wins a prize for the removal of the dandelion with its long taproot  intact. What could be better than that?