Hocus Pocus Crocus

Well nearly all the crocus I planted last fall have came up and are blooming.

This is Crocus ancyrensis "Golden Bunch" the first crocus that bloomed this spring. It is kind of leggy but produced lots of blooms.

Crocus sieberi "Tricolor" below

Above and below is crosuc "Flower Record" these are very big and showy around 6 inches tall.

Crocus "Pickwick" another common yet showy crocus nearly as big as Flower Record.

My new favorite crocus  above and below Crocus chrysanthus "Blue Bird" Looks very white inside!

I mixed these in with Blue Bird which bloomed first. Here above and below is Crocus chrysanthus "Blue Pearl"

Below is a mass of crocuses we saw at Pine Knot Farms last week.

 Below is an all white crocus, do not know the name.

Just wanted to show the maple tree flowers blooming right now! Most people never notice them, they are very small.

Can anyone tell me what this is? It apparently came with some hellebores we dug up last fall. This cluster is about 8-10 inches wide and the leaves are about an inch across.

Planted grass seed today and aerated the soil, hoping some of the mud will become grass someday. The best time I have found to plant grass is into snow, but I never got to do it this year. Also planted Texas Sweet Onions, Red onions, Swiss Chard, Rapi (kale) and radishes before it rained.

More on Pine Knot Farm

Thought I'd show a few hellebore photos from the open house at Pine Knot Farm.

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

This is Paperbush, Edgeworthia chrysantha I took this photo at Duke Gardens, yet Pine Knot's gardens had much larger plants.

Today Meg and I cleaned the house in the morning and worked in the gardens in the afternoon. I cleaned up the large perennial bed next to the deck and hand pulled 15 gallons of acorns that had 6 inch roots. Then raked up the side yard path and  back yard. Meg cleaned out the veggy gardens and planted 3 small patches of Sugar Snap Peas.

Today's Wildlife report: I found a Spring Peeper, Meg dug up a Bull Frog too cold to jump away. Heard Upland Chorus Frogs, saw Eastern Red Newts and Eastern Painted Turtles in the pond.  Meg saw the first yard butterfly while I was making lunch :( it was an anglewing meaning either a Question Mark or Eastern Comma..