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The week started with a view of the lipstick pink buds of the saucer magnolia through the kitchen window. The yellow daffodils are blooming in the orchard now. I think i bought three different types of large yellow daffodils to spread out the bloom time but i'm not sure i succeeded. By Thursday the white, feral hyacinth joined the apricot colored one in blooming. None of the Crocus vernus have bloomed yet. The nursery bread creeping phlox -- the candy stripe one -- has a single bud in the east yard and another flower under the twins. No sign of Robin's plantain.
Monday i mowed some of the places where the grass is growing lush -- in other places it's still not started back up.
I planted some very stressed herbs bought at 75% off a few weeks ago, and the cala lily corms i dug up in the fall. Darkness was falling quickly, so i didn't investigate closely: i think a cala lily overwintered just fine, sending up a green shoot hiding in the pine straw mulch. I won't dig them up this fall.
Bradford pears are blooming elsewhere.
Early in the week i found the tiny crab apple had all new green leaves -- i missed it budding out. No sign on the mayhaws or the witchhazel or two of the three plums. The Guthrie plum has leaves open, though, which seems odd. Last year there was at least one flower. I don't know if it's suffering in its cage, but it needs to get a trunk that can survive the deer before i will let it outl.
The pecans and hazelnuts seem still asleep, the chestnuts still have fall leaves. The buckeyes (still straight sticks) i bought from Dutch buffalo farm have a topknot of leaves, while the older buckeye has three fat buds.
Sunday morning - curse Dumb Senator Time - was at least rewarded with clear skies and starry view when i let out the cats. And after many grey days, the sunlight landed on a redbud and i could see that the flowers are just starting. The lilac -- yes, Tamena, one that has lovely scented flowers, although not nearly as big as lilacs i remember in Philly -- has flower buds. Two trout lilies (Erythronium) in the mossy glade sent up leaves (no sign in the HK).
Onions are going great: i tried some of the bulb parts and they were still mild. I'll try more with lunch today. Sochan is becoming bountiful, i've had salads with violets and violet greens, some fat chickweed tips, sorrel. There are various brassicas sending up buds in the warm weather .
Ponderings:
I think if i buy any more crocus it will be more Crocus tommasinianus, possibly 'Lilac beauty' for the more blue color, and the 'Ruby giant' is a bargain. More 'Roseus' is tempting, but i think i could just transplant. ('Pictus' and 'Albus" are more expensive.) They all bloomed before i was interested in cutting grass, so i think i could stick them out in the grassy stretch between the south berm and "The Twins" - a multi trunk tulip poplar, which i gaze at from the bedroom window.
I would very much like to find some more Erythronium bulbs for native species. (Hmm https://midatlanticnatives.com/product/erythronium-americanum-trout-lily/ ) Camassia scilloides is native, but i an happy to get more Camassia quamash from the flower trade.