I suppose as with most folks nowadays, I find time is racing by. Each season seems to zip past while I’m busy seeing to routine chores and new projects in the garden. I find I have to actually stop and make time to thoughtfully examine, absorb, appreciate all of the progression that our garden is going about, all while as these weeks are passing by.

Early spring bulbs are long gone, most without a trace of their even being here. just like the Juncoes of winter, which brought life to the garden for months on end. The sight of their telltale, white tail feathers as they flit and zag thru the shrubs and trees ( for me ) act like bookends to my gardening year. Always noting their arrival and ultimate absence.

Cleanup, pruning, planting, dividing, moving, weeding, and on and on. I was caught off guard at just how much calendar-time had transpired, and I hadn’t gotten out for a good tramp about in our native woods.!

It was Mid-May, still way too much needed attention, but I’d gotten a call, that “the Trillium were in peak bloom” in the north woods!! Verlie & I jumped into my little, dirt-colored truck and shot out of the gate!

Growing up in SE Michigan I spent most all of my childhood rummaging about in what I knew of as “the woods”. In reality they were derelict farm woodlots or once fields reverting back to forest succession. A few violets, some bloodroots and Jack-in-the-pulpits, an exotic Cardinal Flower, even stranger, Bottle Gentians. But that was pretty much it.

Its not that Trilliums were not to be found in such humble ,if not urban environs. Rather my experiences in the Metro-Parks System was limited to the Swimming Pools and Pic Nic areas only, or the sledding hills in winter. It wasn’t until decades later, when I’d met Dick Punnett that I was introduced to the magical-abundance of ground smothering trilliums in Michigan.

Sadly, there are precious few sites left “Downstate” where one can experience these first-rate garden plants, that once carpeted nearly the entire State.

However, there miles upon miles of trillium-infested acres to be wandered about in, a mere drive to the North!.

As delightful as this over-emersion in snow-white glory is ( and it really really is ) there are a few added bonuses to making the drive.

Morels and mutations! The former need no explanation, while the later is a matter of endless interest. Over the years of wanderings, there’s always new and unusual forms to encounter.

Some weird,

others interesting, while still others are …

somewhat odd.

In one particular woodlot there are some that skip flowers all together but produce a multitude of leaves.

The possibilities seem endless.

There is often a surprise or two with each trip. This handsome little warbler was flushed from the forest floor, only to very into a branch of one of the countless, fallen tree-tops (that came down in a previous ice-storm ) and momentarily stunned itself, allowing us the added pleasure of a brief, upclose, encounter.

On rare occasions, there are truly some simply exquisite forms…

…that need no description.

All in all, a great day in the woods.

A good bit of the Midwest was subjected to high winds this past Friday, March13th. Fortunately, there was very little damage to my garden other than a lot of twigs and small branches littering the ground.

In just a couple of hours ( using my leaf blower, wheelbarrow/ and leaf-rake ) I had all of the paved areas and gravel pathways pretty much in order.

Removing all of the same sort of debris, out of the rockeries, will be a different matter all to- gether. That’ll take days, as every trig, cone, and deciduous leaf will have to be picked out from the rocks, by hand!

Despite the cooler temperatures, new flowers are opening and more plants are coming up.

The first blooms of Adonis amurensis ( one of 3 plants purchased from White Flower Farm, seemingly a lifetime ago ) opened this morning.

The paucity of flowers on all 3 older clumps, cause’s me to think, its high time to lift each plant, divide these geriatric stems, work in some compost into their planting holes, and perhaps site a few elsewhere in the garden.

This younger addition to the garden, is far more presentable.

I had hopes for continued sunshine after lunch. That could urge still-closed blooms on a number of recently emerged plants to open. Alas, clouds have moved in, and non-sunny days are forecasted for the remainder of the weekend and on till mid week. Blustery, wintery mixed lows in the mid teens as well ! We’ll have to wait and see, what looks camera worthy when the sun returns.

Actually, there was little going Ion in the garden prior to Thursday’s rain.  But since then, the rush of spring is certainly on here.

A paler yellow-form shown above yesterday, and once more a day later.

Mike’s honey bees are hard at work,  should be another year of great seed set!

Galanthus nivalis are also appearing everywhere as well.

Including some with yellow ovaries ( below ).

Went to close the Pit-House (forecasted to be in the low 30’s tonite)
And spotted the first Crocus ‘De Jager’ in bloom.

There are a potfull of bulbs in this pot,  originally a gift from Bill Brown.

My Hamamelis ‘Pallida’ does not have a lot of blooms this year.

Not the case with H. ‘Jelena’

Spent about an hour outside yesterday removing old foliage from the hellebores before the rain chased me back indoors.

I believe this is Helleborus x Ballardeia ‘Pink Frost’ ( below). Pretty sure I purchased this from Plant Delights about a decade or more ago.

The clump got so big the center died out.  I need to dig up several of these separated clumps and move them elsewhere in the garden.

Here’s what ‘Potters Wheel looks like in the bed across the driveway.

But down in the lower garden, out in more sun, they are in bloom!

So with all the flowers quickly pushing,  it’s high time to get busy deadheading old foliage.  This small load, was about an hour’s worth of work on Thursday, the rain put an end to working outside.

This morning Andrea & I took Verlie for a walk down the road and back.

Upon arriving back home I went down to open up the Pit-House, and check the rain gage 1.7” since Thursday. A pretty good start.

That rainfall increased the water table of the ground water by about 3″, so now there’s a wee puddle in the bottom of the pond.

On the way back to the house, I happened to spot one of several Helleborus tibetanus in the garden. With the forecasted weather for today and tomorrow, I’ve little doubt it’ll be in bloom shortly!

The Eranthis season has commenced!

During the business meeting at the GLC’s annual January Pot Luck Meeting, one of the topics for discussion, was the GLC’s web site. I posed the question to the membership “How many of you are interested in, or care about the GLC’s web site”? Of the 30 some in attendance, 4 hands were raised, mine was not one of those in the affirmative.

The future of the GLC’s website was one of two main topics discussed, at the recent meeting of the Board held via Zoom earlier this week ( once again my apologies to Lisa, for my omitting her from the notice )! The first item on the agenda was discussion and approval of the GLC’s acceptance of Joyce Fingerut’s request to handle the distribution of the NARGS Seed Ex.’s Surplus Seed Round, for the years of 2028 & 2029.

This web site is to continue as is, for the time being, while other possible options are explored. The request for more submittals to this blog was made to the membership, so once more I will be putting together material for this Blog, and I hope more of the GLC membership will make the effort to do so as well.

Since last we connected…

One area of gardening-interest which has occupied my time, has been volunteering at the Hidden Lakes Botanical Gardens ( in Tipton MI ) working with a small but dedicated group, working in the Conifer Collection for the past 3 + years.

 

In addition to pruning, the Wednesday Workgroup’s duties also include weeding, re-edging and mulching the beds.

Pruning out crossing branches, dead, damaged, and diseased wood, in addition opening up space within the tree canopies, to allow for better air circulation and sunlight to the trees interiors.

In short we strive to make each specimen as healthy and presentable as we can.

Twice annually, the HLG staff is joined by a dedicated and knowledgeable group of volunteers ( many traveling from great distances ) who serve as an advisory board for the Collection. Together this diverse group tour the entire Harper Collection.

Bed by bed, every conifer is evaluated to determine if it remains worthy to maintain its place within the collection, in addition to nominate new cultivars worthy on adding to the collection.

On occasion, surprises do arise. such as this witches broom found on a Norway Spruce.

Actually there have been a number of these witches brooms, that have been found growing at Hidden Lake Gardens, three of which have made their way into the Nursery trade.One growing on Abies Concolor near the Hosta Collection ( A. c. ‘Hosta La Vista ), another even tighter growing broom found years later, growing on the original ‘Hosta La Vista’ ( A. c. ‘Hosta

This large broom, noticed by Gary Gee who named it T. d. ‘Gee Whiz, ( along with the 2 previously mention Abies concolor broom’s ) are all on trees, not growing within the Harper Collection.

Almost a year ago in late march, our group set to removing as much built up debris as we could from the interior of this broom.

We had also removed several branches growing above the broom in order to allow more sunlight to reach the broom.

This work was in preparation of the installation of a supporting prop that would be installed beneath the broom, to prevent it being broken off by excessive ice or snow loadings, a common fate of large witches broom’s.

Here is a view of the support in place. We were all very happy to have this job done, especially with such cold and snowy conditions.