If you've been following along since the beginning of this meme, you hopefully remember that it is February when we begin a new year of bloom day posts.
On that first bloom day post wayyyy back in 2007, my garden was covered with snow. Today in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6a garden in central Indiana, there is no snow and the temps are on the warm side. But it is overcast and rainy so the crocuses are stubbornly refusing to open. They are like that. Closed on cloudy days, wide open for the bees on sunny, warm days.
In other years, precisely six out of the last 12 years if you count today, and I do, we've had snow on the ground in the middle of February.
Out in my garden this year, the beginning of the 12th year of bloom day posts, the witchhazel, Hamamelis vernalis is just starting to bloom. I find it difficult to take pictures of its flowers with my iPhone camera so you will have to trust me that it has a few tiny blooms.
Other than that, the garden is stubbornly staying wintry, unlike last year when I had a crazy number of spring blooms in mid-February. But that's okay, I like this slower pace of seasons much better than last year's big rush of spring-too-soon.
Indoors, I have hyacinths blooming "on vase". It wouldn't be February without them!
In the sunroom, one crazy Amaryllis, which I've had for several years, is choosing now to bloom.
Nearby, not to be outdone, the Thanksgiving-Christmas cactus is reblooming. I guess it didn't think it got enough attention when it bloomed a few months ago so is trying to get my attention now.
We don't always know the whys and wherefores of plants so we take blooms as we can get them, especially in February where in my garden, even without snow, it is still winter.
What's blooming in your garden? We'd love to have you join in for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and show us. It's easy to participate. Just post on your blog about what's blooming in your garden then leave a comment below to entice us to come and see what you've got and a link in the Mr. Linky widget to show us how to get there.
And tell us on your blog post what hardiness zone you are in. Then we can envy you if you are warmer than we are, console you if you are colder than we are, or be jealous if you are the same as us and have more blooms!
And always remember...
"We can have flowers nearly every month of the year." ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
Hi Carol. We have been having a few milder rainy days as well and there are some signs of spring here and there. Your crocus is showing promise of continuing warmth. Congratulations on the beginning of your 12th year of Bloom Day posts! I have known you for eight of them and continue to be inspired each month to venture outside to see what is blooming! Happy Bloom Day!
ReplyDeleteYes, congrats on 11 years! Keep going Carol, I so look forward to Bloom Day.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which hardiness zone we're in, I always thought about 7 but it's a different scale in England. This year it's been a relatively mild winter overall and it seems we are blooming early!
Congrats, Carol, and Happy GBBD. I've been with you since (perhaps) June of 2011. A crocus - it gives me hope for spring. Actually, today it is supposed to be rainy and in the 50's. We are below our normal snowfall, a relief since last year was a record for us. And, as usual, we are all starving for an outdoor flower. Thank you for keeping us going!
ReplyDeleteThe 12th year? Very many congratulations! Here's to the next 12!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about gardeners in hardier zones - it's a great boost to see the plants we might be enjoying in our own gardens once the weather improves.
Happy meme anniversary, Carol and congratulations on the publication of your second book! Your hyacinths must smell divine. Spring seemed to have arrived early this year in our gardens but now we've got colder temperatures again and the weather forecasters are calling for the coldest temperatures of the winter to happen within the next couple of days, maybe even snow. I guess old man winter didn't want spring to steal the show quite yet.
ReplyDeleteWith the very limited pics in your post, as well as those in vases instead of the actual plants, i believe that you are still cold. But those crocus are hardy plant, they can emerge though very cold. I love crocuses together with the snowdrops.
ReplyDeleteHi Carol,
ReplyDeleteI am happy to tell you that I am enjoying quite a lot of blooms in my garden this month. The hellebores and cyclamen coum are doing very well. They also started self-sowing. I also have some snowdrops blooming at the moment. Interestingly, the crocuses aren´t flowering yet in my garden. Maybe next month.
Enjoy your blooms!
Best wishes,
Lisa
Hi, and thank you for the linkup. Love that your Christmas Cactus is re-blooming. Mine are setting on new leaves, but I'd love to see some blooms.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on reaching your 12 year milestone.
Have a lovely rest of the week!
Toni
Twelve years! What a ride...
ReplyDeleteI am in Zone 8, and it's been a warm one up until this week, when all of that is changing...
Twelve years of Bloom Day posts - what an achievement! Your GBBD post are part of what enticed me into the blogging sphere. This is the start of my 6th year participating in them. Thanks so much for hosting, Carol!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 12 year anniversary! That is awesome.
ReplyDeleteA few of my crocus have finally bloomed. The weather has been cold, rainy and dreary for what feels like forever. I am in lower Tennessee, zone 6b/7a. I never know which zone since I am right on the line.
I am ready for Spring!!!!!
Jeannie
Wow! 12 years! Congrats! I have unopened Crocus too, but quite a few other flowers that are open -- Hellebores, Cyclamen coum, snowdrops. Happy GBBD!
ReplyDeleteI am way behind you. Snow still covers just about everything, but the next 10 days are supposed to be warmer than average, so we'll see what the rest of February brings.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on twelve years of GBBD! It's such an uplifting project in any month - so much more when the garden is 'under the weather'!
ReplyDeleteCarol, Although we have been having some mild days, I can pretty much count on snow cover in my Maine garden in February, and this year is no exception. Crocuses are still at least a month away here. Like you, I am cheered by the sight of flowering houseplants in February -- in my case, amaryllis bulbs and cyclamen.-Jean
ReplyDeleteHi Carol, it is so useful to track the appearance of our flowers from year to year and to note the newcomers from the careful planning of the year before. Thanks for all your efforts.
ReplyDeleteMy garden is covered in snow now, so no flowers visible now. I suppose the Hellebores will be OK. Your houseplants are doing well, I actually lost my Amaryllis somewhere in the basement in conjunction with Christmas visitors and I hid it as little too well, so blooms will be very late this year. Yours looks lovely for Valentine's Day.
ReplyDeleteI don’t have a bloom day post, but did want to tell you that I was speaking of you today about your lawn full of crocus! It will be soon I imagine.
ReplyDelete