Thursday, April 1, 2021

MARCH TOWARD SPRING



When I posted the above photo on my facebook page I got hundreds of hits, much more than my usual gardening posts.  Go figure !

Anyhoo, March marks the official beginning of Spring but of course it doesn't always happen  according to plans.  This March has been very rainy and the temperatures fluctuated from very warm to freezing, which of course plays havoc on emerging plants.  One day of 80 degrees fried the blooming daffodils.

I love to watch Spring unfold in my garden -begining in late February when the two Japanese ornamental apricots  ( prunus mume ' peggy clarke ' ) is covered with double-pink blossoms.   Edgeworthia, aka, Chinese paperbush has its overwhelmingly sweet fragrance and beautiful blooms as well.  I have three kinds of viburnum that are early Spring-blooming :  Chinese 'snowball ', Korean Spice and a rare evergreen variety, 'Spring Bouquet. '  The 'pocahontas ' Lilac's bloom emerges as it is a very early blooming variety and one  that can take the Southern summers.


Chinese 'Snowball' Viburnum

In the woodland garden daffodils, hellebores and red buckeye emerge, along with the cobalt blue Ajugas and various ferns. 


                                    A Carolina native -Red Buckeye

The evergreen clematis 'armanii ' was spectacular this March and its fragrance as I walk along the garden path is very pleasant.  

                                                   
                                      Korean Spice Viburnum

Late  March and Kerria japonica has put on its sunny yellow dress in the deep shady area of my backyard garden.

Another end of the month bloomer is the Viburnum 'mariesii ' a lovely shrub that has lateral branching filled with white flowers and followed by red berries. 


                                                       'Mariesii ' Viburnum

                                        
                                       'Spring Bouquet ' evergreen Viburnum

To say I love Viburnums is an understatement.   They have so many wonderful attributes -lovely flowers, foliage and berries and  are very hardy and low maintenance.

Now onward and upward to the month of real Spring in the Piedmont - April.



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