4-4-20 SHORT HILLS: A gorgeous day today in early spring. It’s been a very, very early spring after a mild winter [climate change, anyone], and everything is appearing sooner than usual. The previous few days were cool, windy and rainy, more typical of what’s expected for this time of year.
Even though society is in chaos from the COVID-19 pandemic, spring is providing a respite, for me at least.
Last year at this time forsythia, spice bush and pachysandra were just opening. This year they were out on 3-13, 3-21 and 3-13, weeks earlier. Saucer magnolia opened on 4-5 last year, but on 3-28 this year. You can confirm these dates by looking at last year’s posts for these and other blooming dates.
I have been outside doing more clean up on the nicer days. Usually I fertilize everything at this point, but a trip to Home Depot for the big bags seems unnecessarily dangerous this year.
New blooms: pulmonaria, violet, lamium.
Marsh Marigold in pachysandra. The flower and leaves will shortly disappear until next spring.
Violet amid garden debris that I refer to as 'mulch'. These plants will last into summer. In Vermont they're almost shrubs.
Pulmonaria, these leaves will persist.
Lamium, purple variety, also comes in three other flavors, white, yellow and pink. It's an excellent ground cover.
More magnolia flowers.
South Philippine dwarf kingfisher was pictured in today's NYT. It hasn't been at my feeders. Photo by Dr. Miguel David De Leon.
Even though society is in chaos from the COVID-19 pandemic, spring is providing a respite, for me at least.
Last year at this time forsythia, spice bush and pachysandra were just opening. This year they were out on 3-13, 3-21 and 3-13, weeks earlier. Saucer magnolia opened on 4-5 last year, but on 3-28 this year. You can confirm these dates by looking at last year’s posts for these and other blooming dates.
I have been outside doing more clean up on the nicer days. Usually I fertilize everything at this point, but a trip to Home Depot for the big bags seems unnecessarily dangerous this year.
New blooms: pulmonaria, violet, lamium.
Marsh Marigold in pachysandra. The flower and leaves will shortly disappear until next spring.
Violet amid garden debris that I refer to as 'mulch'. These plants will last into summer. In Vermont they're almost shrubs.
Pulmonaria, these leaves will persist.
Lamium, purple variety, also comes in three other flavors, white, yellow and pink. It's an excellent ground cover.
More magnolia flowers.
South Philippine dwarf kingfisher was pictured in today's NYT. It hasn't been at my feeders. Photo by Dr. Miguel David De Leon.
1 comment:
My saucer magnolia is about five days ahead of yours. So far everything looks like it’s benefitting from mild winter
Post a Comment