Perennials

 We had such a pleasant weekend, calm, warm, and sunny. I started the outdoor chores in earnest. It isn’t time to plant the garden yet, so I was working back by the creek preparing to plant some natives. I’d been walking back there with my camera every day, waiting for the trout lily bud to open. First the bud turned upside down. Then it stalled out for a couple of days. Wouldn’t you know, on Saturday I didn’t take my camera because my hands were full of clippers, rake, and shovel to start my work. And there was the bloom. I had to walk back to the house to get the picture. I shouldn’t complain. I’ve waited 10 years for that flower.

The first flower on a trout lily that I planted years ago

Dandelions are blooming everywhere. They’re so cheerful in the spring. Their bright yellow blossoms brighten up the field and provide pollen before most other plants. Red admirals were frequent visitors. They were smaller than I remembered. Maybe the first generation doesn’t get as big. I don’t know how they overwinter. It doesn’t seem like they would have had time to migrate here from somewhere else. I’d guess the caterpillars burrow in somewhere and pupate until spring.

Red admiral butterfly on a dandelion

Last year was my first Big Experiment in growing native plants from seed. I did four different species, all of which germinated and made it through the summer. I am anxiously watching to see if they will come back this year. The partridge peas are annuals, so they will have to sprout from seeds. The other three are perennials. So far, only the cup plants have emerged. I’ve been able to locate almost all of them! Cup plant is one of those species that comes with a caution label, as they can be very aggressive. Jimmy Crack Corn, I say. I’m fighting reed canary grass, as I mentioned in my last post. The more aggressive, the better.

Two cup plants back from winter dormancy

The Virginia bluebells are starting to bloom. They are so pretty. I’m sorry my mom can’t be here to see them. She loved blue in general and blue flowers in particular.

Virginia bluebells

The mayapples are also emerging. We are getting more of those every year.

Mayapples unfurling

The cherry tree in the high tunnel is blooming a little. I wouldn’t say we will have enough cherries for a pie, but it’s early yet.

A cherry blossom in the high tunnel

My rain garden was submerged until today. Most of those plants are starting to grow, and I hope the rest will pop up now that it’s dried out a bit. Here’s a wild iris that is doing well. They are adapted to tolerate being under water.

Wild iris, a.k.a., blue flag

I intended to plant peas today, but step one is putting down the landscape cloth so I know where the row is. It is way too windy for that today. A storm is coming through tonight, and the wind is a prequel. Yesterday, I spent the calm day in the greenhouse potting up peppers and planting tomato and cucumber seeds, thinking the weather would never change. Oh well. My next opportunity to get outside will be Thursday afternoon. I hope the wind dies before then.