Tiny Plants…

by Susan | Apr 5, 2019 | Plantswoman Design

Why do I plant tiny things? Sometimes I wonder why I chose to buy such a tiny plant in the first place. I look at it and think ‘will I ever find it again?’ ‘Will it get lost in my garden?’ ‘Will it get weeded out never having a chance to say, ‘stop! don’t pull me out’?

Then on a cold brisk day with a feeble sun shining I see those tiny plants. And it occurs to me that early spring is the perfect time for them.

The tiny snowdrops first show up first, then the aconities and scilla, with chionodoxa, hepatica, ranunculus, and frittilaria come next. And yes, even tiny trilliums make an appearance before the big trilliums make a splashy entrance. As I look at these beautiful miniatures it occurrs to me why it is perfect timing. 90 percent of the garden is just waking up and in the height of summer these sweet babies won’t be noticed. Only the big billowing hydrangeas, hostas, brunneras would be noticed.

Just as your inner gardener is desperate for just a little bit of spring these little guys show up. Bravely facing blustery spring winds, cold temps at night and fitful sun. They shine on!

Here’s a look at some of the tiny bits of spring growing in my garden this week.

Trillium Rivale

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Trillium posilum ‘Early Alabama Spring’

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Scilla siberica

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Scilla siberica

chionodoxa luciliae 001

Chionodoxa luciliae

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Chionodoxa luciliae

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Chionodoxa luciliae

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Chionodoxa luciliae alba

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Hacquetia epipactis

Green is the Color of Spring

by Susan | Mar 18, 2016 | gardening

While I wait for the seeds I ordered to arrive, while I wait for bulbs I planted to come up, while I wait for it to quit raining so I can start working the soil, I can enjoy the colors of green.

It has been an incredibly rainy spring so far. Yes, you say it always rains in the Pacific Northwest, but we have been keeping our dryer springs a secret. I guess it wasn’t a secret last year when the cry of ‘drought’ even reached our corner of the U.S. This year, not a worry in the world. The snow pack in the mountains is a 125% of normal and still climbing. We can feel it down in the lowlands even if we can’t see it. That is because the cloud cover has been low and wet. We know the peaks are there white and beautiful, but we only get to see them if we tweet, facebook, or text all our friends when a sighting occurs.

So while we wait the plants don’t. The herbaceous greens are pushing out and the warmth of the winter has things leafing out a little sooner. I even have hosta leaves showing along with trilliums. I thought I would share the brilliant green colors in my garden right now. You should picture me with a camera in my hand, waterproof boots, down vest under a raincoat and hood covering my head. Wait a minute, that has been my attire since January. That is the wardrobe of spring this year.

Even the dog is waiting for it to stop raining.