Early Spring Preview

Anemone blanda and Orange Sedge (Carex testacea)

The first day of spring is not until tomorrow, but the garden is ahead of the game. The blooms are everywhere. Some of them are minuscule and require looking very closely.

I was thrilled to see a new addition in bloom—Epimedium 'Amber Queen.' I have many of these plants, but this is the first with orange blooms. They are not that easy to spot on a new plant, but the orange makes it easier.

Epimedium 'Amber Queen'

Another new one, this was a gift from my friend Linda Rectanus. It is Haquetia epipactis, a plant native to the woodlands of the European Alps.

Haquetia epipactis

I forget how early some of the groundcovers are, in this case, Lithodora and Omphaloides cappadocica ('Blue -eyed Mary') -

Lithodora 'Grace Ward'

Omphaloides cappadodica  (Blue-eyed Mary)

No blooms yet, but I love the foliage of Potentilla 'Orange Starlit' -

Potentilla 'Orange Starlit'

The most spectacular native plant, the Red-Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum). I pruned ours back drastically last year and as a result, the plant looks tiny this year. This can be a large shrub if you have the space to let it do its thing.

Red Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)

Brunnera 'Diane's Gold' just starting to bloom -

Brunnera 'Diane's Gold'

Of course, the hellebores are still going strong. 

The bay tree, in a pot on the back deck, has never bloomed like this. We didn't even realize it did this. What a treat! -

Pansies in a pot with tulips that haven't started to bloom yet -

Spirea 'Ogon', another shrub that I pruned strong last year. It is always a reliable bloomer -

Spirea 'Ogon'

As are the Lily of the Valley shrub, the Pieris. This one is 'Little Heath' -

Pieris 'Little Heath'

My favorite Rosemary, the 'Foxtail' variety -

Last, but certainly not least, are the camellias -

Camellia 'Bella Rosa'

Camellia 'Donation'

Camellia 'Magnoliaflora'

Camellia 'Mathotiana'

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy