Thursday, March 15, 2012

First GBBD in North Carolina

A great big HEY Y'ALL from North Carolina where the question for my first garden bloggers' bloomday is :  What's NOT in bloom ?   I have been amazed by Camellias blooming in January, Star Magnolias in February and now in March the Forsythias, Quince,  Redbuds and Bradford pears, to name a few.   I am enjoying, as many of you are, one of the mildest winters on record.  Chicago broke four records in one week with the mildest temperatures ever for the dates - 80 degrees in March !

The garden center has been opened for business since March 1 and of course  stopped by to see what was in bloom there.  This stunning Camellia immediately caught my eye.  I have a fondness for Camellias as they are the state flower of my home state,  Alabama.



Camellia R. L. Wheeler


Then I spied a beautiful evergreen in bloom and was astonished to discover that it was a Viburnum.  I have never seen one before and I think its great that when not in bloom it provides a beautiful evergreen background of shiny, leathery leaves.



I know its early and I may be sorry but I purchased some hardy perennials, herbs and lettuce for my deck garden. 


                                                             Rosemary, Parsley and Mesclun

                                                  
                                                   Hardy perennials :  Licorice Plant, Coreopsis and
                                                       Salvia

I will add colorful annuals to my containers as they become available.  My exposure is full hot sun so I couldn't plant the colorful pansies so abundant at the garden center because I know they'll fry .

As you may be able to see in the above photos I live at the edge of a forest.  The leaves of the mature trees have already started to green up and soon the beautiful dogwoods there will be in full bloom. 

Happy GBBD to all.  Visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see what's blooming all over the USA.


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15 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 15, 2012 at 5:03 AM

    Good to see you back! I am adding you to my Favorites.

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  2. garden girlMarch 15, 2012 at 6:36 AM

    Congratulations on your first bloom Day in your new home Carolyn!

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  3. carolynMarch 15, 2012 at 7:42 AM

    Thanks, Linda. So much in bloom here in Carolina this mild first winter .

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  4. _emily_roseMarch 15, 2012 at 1:39 PM

    There is nothing quite like spring in the south. Happy Gardening!

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    Replies
    1. carolynMarch 21, 2012 at 9:20 AM

      Well this winter would be a close second, Emily Rose.

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  5. VPMarch 15, 2012 at 3:10 PM

    Hi Carolyn - I knew you'd only be having a blog 'holiday' :)

    Good to see you back and settling into your new state, even though not a permanent home as yet. I'm sure your deck will be 'decked out' with plants in no time!

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    Replies
    1. carolynMarch 18, 2012 at 5:07 PM

      Hey VP, so nice to hear from you. I'm glad to be back among my gardening blogger friends.

      Delete
  6. HELENEMarch 15, 2012 at 4:04 PM

    Hi, my first visit to your blog, congratulations on your first GBBD :-)
    I have a lovely evergreen viburnum in my garden, Viburnum 'Eskimo', it produces white snowball flowers in spring and is green all year round. It tolerates down to -15C. And I also have a lovely camellia in flower, come for a stroll in my garden if you like!

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  7. carolynMarch 16, 2012 at 12:59 PM

    Hello Helene and welcome. I see you are in Merry Ole England, land of my father's ancestry. I visited your lovely country several years ago and was so impressed with the many beautiful gardens there.

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  8. LeaMarch 17, 2012 at 1:00 PM

    I love Camellias - yours is a lovely color!
    Happy Gardening!
    Lea
    Lea's Menagerie

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    Replies
    1. CarolynMarch 17, 2012 at 3:52 PM

      Thanks, Lea. Lea is the name of my one and only grandchild.

      Delete
  9. greggoMarch 17, 2012 at 5:51 PM

    In a new world as compared to Chicago.

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    Replies
    1. CarolynMarch 18, 2012 at 5:09 PM

      Exactly how I feel Greggo. Thanks for stopping by.

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  10. nanneMarch 18, 2012 at 3:34 PM

    so glad i found your site!!

    i'm a life-long alabamian, 7 or 8 generations on both sides of the family, who moved to the midwest 3 years ago.

    i have been re-learning gardening here...but, have to say this is a great place to grow things!!! winters might be hard, but my 5b zone, colunbus, indiana weather is almost perfect spring, summer & fall.

    i do miss my camelias...we lived in an old home in alabama where the original owners not only loved camelias , but propagated originals. we had them blooming from november through march.

    however, i finally have peonies and lilacs!

    nanne

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    Replies
    1. CarolynMarch 18, 2012 at 5:12 PM

      Hey Nanne and thanks for visiting. Alabama will always be near and dear to my heart as my childhood home and the home of my ancestors for many generations as well. Although I loved Chicago, I did not like the brutal winters which seem to last more than 6 months.

      Delete

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