Bogturtle's Garden- March 17 to 31, 2025

 

Frequently called the 'White Forsythia' this shrub is not one. And it seems to bloom while they are all still in bud, here. Abeliophylum distichum. Unlike Forsyrhia, also, it has a perfume. I am convinced that in an open, Sunny situation, it would be a dense fountain of bloom. I did take cuttings, yesterday, scraped the ends, dipped them in water and then in rooting compound. Now in a pot with a good many other cuttings. Hope springs eternal. 

The three kinds of Winter Honeysuckles, here, all look pretty much the same. This may be Lonicera standishii. Reaching over the lattice fence to the rear of the little rock garden. Several little works of art by grandkids hang on the fence. 

Edgeworthia chrysantha seems in full bloom, and, as I said, it does have a perfume, but I don't care for it. Not strong at all, though. And, technically, it is a Winter flowering shrub, going by today's date, 3/17

Above is another L. standishii, I think, in another spot on the property. Threat of rain, today. Otherwise, what with it being not too cold, I would expect lots of honeybees. But I didn't notice a smell.

And here we have the finest, while it looks the same as L. standishii and L. purpusii. It's L. fragrantissima, and I think the Chinese name, which I don't know, means 'Breath of Spring'. It really does smell great. 

I insist there is something wrong with the color reporting by the 'flower' setting on my little camera, and other settings, as well. Much more intense a peachy pink on Prunus mume.  

And that is pretty much in full bloom here. 

A few 3/4 inch wide blooms on Ipheon, the Spring Starflower. Many plants line the walk in the back of the house, and unlike many another small Spring bulb, it puts out foliage that is green all Winter. I. uniflora, I think.

Hyla crucifer, the Spring Peeper, with a cross on the back that can be seen when the animal is lighter in shade, and they do change tone with stress, temperature and humidity. Finally removed the leaf catching net from atop the pool cover. Should have done that after Fall, but the ice was there so much. My grandson grabbed the little frog, for a photo. I only this morning put chlorine powder around the edges to repel them, as one year I did not and then had thousands of little black tadpoles to rescue and move to a local pond. And then I probably still did some frogicide, unfortunately.   A lot goes on that you just

 can't make up.

Should have patiently waited until Cornus officianalis was fully in bloom and on a Sunny day. C. mas 'Golden  Glory' is fully in bud.

Only a wealthy or free spending person could afford what time has given now. Probably a single bulb, in each case, and the terrible acid, sandy soil, here, has not inhibited them one bit.

Again, probably one bulb. Planted before the rectangular bed was put here. And the bed was installed in a season where the bulb was totally dormant and not seen. I hope I remember to dig them up, later, for planting somewhere else. I moved dozens, last Fall, from where they were too tall for the little rock garden, and they are all up, in the circular bed I can see from where I dine. But, strangely, few flowers. Well, maybe next Spring.

A favorite, yet not in an ideal spot. Lots of shade and competition is limiting this extraordinary Rhododendron. R.mucronulatum 'Alba' is the rarer white flowered clone of this Korean native. The usual is purplish pink, and a special clone exists with bubble gum pink flowers. Purchased for its unusually early, sometimes Winter blooming flowers. But very frequently, they get blasted by the bitter weather. Not so far, this year. 

Corylopsis 'Gotoana' is the earliest, and I think the most graceful of the various Winter Hazels here. Each time I saw a distinctive sort, I would order it, as they, often may bloom at the very end of one of our warmer Winters. I don't think this past one was anything but cold. 

The rather unimpressive twin blooms on the Wicopy, or Dirca palustris got this plant here because they, also, might be in bloom at the very end of Winter. And, as I said before, when I retired and was around every day, I wanted any of the Winter blooming plants that I came across. The Wicopy is interesting, if a person wants native craft material, as the bark strips off in long, unbelievably tough strips. I suppose our native tribes found that useful.

From another year, when snow came in March. I have heard of folks worrying about frost and Spring flowers. Most do just fine. But I don't think R. mucronulatum 'Alba' in the first photo, usually does.

A more accurate photo, colorwise, I think, to Prunus mume.

The view out the window, 3/22, with the quite bright yellow Winterhazel, Corlopsis 'Gotoana', and above it the dull yellowish budding of the Cornelian Cherry, Cornus mas 'Golden Glory'.  While Cornelian Cherries are, apparently, a real source of fruit for jelly or flavorings, while terribly sour, I have only heard that they are popular in the Caucusus Mts. of Europe. But I was surprised that they were on the plantations of some of our founders, like Thomas Jefferson. I might have seen them at Mt. Vernon, also.

The Starflower, Ipheon uniflora has bloomed more, and one single bloom of a slightly darker and smaller sort, called I.u.'Rolf Feidler. A nice color, even darker in real life. So I may order more, later this Summer.

Corydalis G.P. Baker has come back in the rock garden. One of the few that ever did, of the several I have planted, over the years. An easy plant from bulbs, and many a Corydalis does not form them. I cannot say if more flowers will come, and I believe it dies down later, in early Summer. Nor bigger and better, as compared to last year.

But my Lenten Roses, Hellebore hybrids,  are thriving in the shade in the main perennial bed. They are increasing, and I am sure that is from the seeds I never harvest. White, and light and dark pink.  Pretty expensive to buy the plants, usually, but a great range of colors is now available. Since they are so easy and successful, here, new ones would probably thrive, also. 

A gardener even more fanatic than I am would probably get down and cut any Winter damaged leaves.

They are welcome to do that, at any time. I need a nap.

As Spring comes on, even the strawberry jars keep looking better and better. 

This is another of the Winterhazels, Corylopsis pauciflora. The species name is about there being only a few flowers in each cluster or chain, as compared to C. 'Gotoana'. But there are masses of them, so the shrub looks like a pale yellow cloud. I suspect the Cardinal in the photo is starting to nest nearby. 

C. gotoana, with the chains of flowers fully developed.

And here is another. Corylopsis spicata. I think this is the one originally released to the market from the amazing Winterthur estate just across the border from PA in Delaware. But the squirrels find the flowers appetizing, and so the blooms slowly disappear. Who would have thunk it. 

Really do wish I had planted this deciduous Magnolia in an area where it had less shade. It is Magnolia 'Wildcat'. Flowers are way up and I had to use my zoom feature on my camera. 

Certainly wanted a Forsythia, when I first started planting the property, and a company, long out of business now, offered Karl Sax. With considerable shade, it still shows that the flowers are quite large. A good many plant sorts came from this company, and I still have a few.

Even more of the Spring Starflower have shown up. But no more of the deeper blue 'Rolf Feidler'.

And, as I might have mentioned, not one single 'Valerie Finnis' or any other Muscari, although they did fine, here, for many years.  I did reorder some for this Fall planting. 

The last day of March.

This Mahonia is in bloom, and I thought it was M. bealii, but I think that one bloomed in Fall. If I find the name, I will add it here. 

The blooms just kept coming.

Taken out the bedroom window, and showing Magnolia soulangiana.  Just beyond it, the fading blooms of R. mucronulatum 'Alba'.

To the left is the fine Camellia 'Red Jade'. I have one species that blooms in Fall and two sorts of another that blooms in Spring. Which is which, Japonica or Sasanqua, I am unsure about. To the right is C. pauciflora, and the good increase in the Lenten Roses, simply by seeding, shows.

Annoyingly, I cannot delete a photo accidently posted in duplicate. Just don't know enough, I guess. 

On the walk to the barn/tool shed, this Camellia is in bloom. C. 'Red Candles' shows red in the bud all Winter. 

Recall, as a child, being fascinated by yellow flowers in the dark woods we drove past. N. Jersey has lots of wood with few evergreens, so they are mostly brown, quite a while into Spring. The shrub was Lindera benzoin, the Allspice. How it was used and earned that name is something else I must learn. 

Not too common locally, but this is certainly doing fine just behind the fence to the little rock garden.

 

A mystery. In all the years this plant has been here, it bloomed with a single flower years ago, And for what it is supposed to be, that blooming was at the appropriate time. Now it is in bloom before the leaves come, and it is supposed to be Magnolia virginiana, I think. The common little swamp tree called, locally, the Sweet Bay. And this form appealed to me as being very unique for double blooms. I would not have bought it if these flowers, in appearance and number are typical.