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| Earliest crocus bloom ever in my garden |
Welcome to Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for January 2013.
Here in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6a garden in central Indiana, we had a brief warm up a few days ago and I saw four blooms in my garden that I’ve never seen in mid-January.
Since then, the temperatures have turned more seasonal, colder, and those blooms are still there but are surely shivering, tricked into blooming so early.
First up is a crocus. Though I have over a thousand crocuses planted between my front and back gardens, mostly in the back, I only found one crocus in bloom. Whew, I do not want the crocuses to bloom early this year. I want them to peak on March 31st, Easter Sunday.
After I admired the crocus, I found a snowdrop, Galanthus sp.
Snowdrops are supposed to bloom early, so this did not grab my attention quite like the crocus, but it is welcome, none the less, in a month that often finds my garden snow covered and me huddled inside seeing what indoor blooms I have.
This year, I shamefully ignored the Kalanchoe and Crown of Thorns blooming in the sunroom while I admired a common weed blooming in the lawn.
It’s amazing to me that this dandelion is blooming where a week ago the ground was still snow covered. And the grass is pretty green, too.
Finally, up by the south side of the house, with the radiant heat of the brick provides warmth during cold nights, the little violas keep on blooming.
We are a long way from the end of winter and the beginning of spring, but for a brief few days this past weekend, my garden acted as though spring is going to be next week. That is hardly the case with temperatures predicted to be wintry for weeks to come.
Thank you to everyone who joins in for bloom day, especially in the winter when blooms can be scarce. If you have been posting for bloom day since the beginning in February 2007, you now have six complete years of history about the blooms in your garden. It’s interesting to look back and see how different, yet similar the garden is from year to year. My January bloom day posts from 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and now 2013 each tell their own story, some with snow, some without snow, but always with something in bloom, mostly inside, but occasionally like this year, outside.
What’s blooming in your gardening on this wintry January day?
Whatever your circumstances and however your garden looks during these January days, I hope you’ll join us for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day this month.
All are welcome!
It’s easy to participate. Just post on your blog about what is blooming in your garden on the 15th of the month and then leave a link in the ‘Mr. Linky’ widget below, plus a comment to give us a hint as to what we might find in your garden in January.
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” – Elizabeth Lawrence
Hello, it seems we have had similar early spring weather for a while, the cold snap has reached us in Britain now, although no snow in London yet.
I have linked with GBBD for 1 year now, this is my 13th post, I am so happy I found this place, thank you for continuing GBBD!
Carol, it's so interesting to me that although we're in such different climates, we both have snowdrops blooming (one of my personal favorites.) I didn't find any crocus blooming yet, and honestly–I have so many bulbs still to plant! Ah, the pleasure of living in zone 7b. Thank you so much for hosting bloom day! Hope you have a lovely week!
Hi Carol. Thank you for hosting Bloom Day. It is so nice to actually see some blooms in your garden at this time of year. We have had a semi-mild winter so far in the northeast with few blooms but there is still some color in the garden to admire. Thanks to you we all get to appreciate our gardens every month of the year. Happy GBBD!
Amazing to see you have a collection of blooms so soon after snow. That little snowdrop is perfection itself.
Isn't it wonderful when the garden throws up little surprises for us. Love those hardy little Violas, and the early Crocus.
I've joined in GBBD too, but it's not so wintery in my part of the world. I'm really looking forward to the end of this summer.
It's summer where I am and my garden and I are enjoying the heat. It's nice to see your midwinter blooms – I hope the rest of your crocuses time their appearance a bit better!
Hi Carol
My snowdrops should be out in flower by the end of January though I still had an autumn crocus in flower last month.
Thanks for hosting GBBD as it's great to look back on my 3 yrs of posts to compare what was in flower.
Today my photos have all been made interactive to tell more of the story behind the images.
I'm surprised to find 13 different blooms this month, despite the recent frosts!
However, I'm focussing on unexpected developments on the houseplant front this month. Lots of new things to learn 🙂
Happy Blooms Day everyone!
I look forward to the first blooming bulbs of spring. It will be another month unless this warmth holds. Thanks for another Bloom Day, Carol.
Those blooms are amazing for my winter garden but when the snow melted this weekend I found a snowdrop…amazing! But it will soon be covered by snow again.
It made me smile earlier this month when we both had posts titled "All Aboard". Happy GBBD to you!
Happy GBBD to you & thanks for continuing to host this fun party (BYOB – bring your own blooms?) We've just entered a cold snap and I haven't seen any dandelions, crocus, or snowdrops yet anywhere in town. It's interesting that you have these already yet here in zone 8 not so much. Anyway, there are a few brave blooms still in my garden this month. P.S. I hope you get that garden fairy labor problem under control!
Mine is a little tongue in cheek but thanks for providing an excuse to get me out and poking around.
Your crocus is such a sweet surprise! I hope for the sake of all the rest of them, that the others realize it's much too early and they wait until March to bloom. And a dandelion! Don't you wish the plants in our gardens were this tough! My selection this month is pretty paltry, but I wouldn't have missed a Bloom Day, Carol–going on five years here.
Carol – I ALMOST posted a picture of a lone dandelion blooming on the Great Lawn! Wish I had now – it's in good company. Despite the warmth here though I didn't spot any early crocus like yours… Happy Winter and thanks for your comment on Layanee's tour of my little garden!
Thank you for such a long run of Bloom Day.
We are having a warm spell in the Southeast. So warm that I have different Blooms on 3 blogs. I only linked the Camellias which are more spectacular than usual, or maybe I just forget from year to year.
A dandelion in January? I'm shaking my head in consternation. It's like our gardens have moved several latitudes south. It's just not right.
I would have thought you'd have been covered with snow in mid January! Any bloom is welcome at this time of year.
How interesting that you have so many more flowers this year! Happy GBBD
We've mostly had seasonably cold weather here in Ontario, so of course my post comes from indoors today.
Great, early color splashes…enjoy being on the other side of the weather pattern from us, in case it shifts the other way. And a green lawn, too?
The Snowdrop is exquisite–such elegant lines.
Yes I have found the bloomday posts valuable, to look back and see if this years flowers are early, or late, if the plants are getting bigger and happier, or in decline.
Thanks!
There is never a dull moment. Mother Nature is anything but predictable! Thanks for hosting!
Today marks my very 1st Bloom Day post and I'm pleased to participate. I started my blog at the end of December and am still learning about all things blog. I have a long way to go before I can begin to approximate the quality of your blog and the others I regularly read. Thanks for hosting this event!
This is such a lovely idea! I was looking over my gardens this week and it is a LONG time til blooms here in Southern Vermont(Zone 5). So fun to see your Indiana blooms – thanks for organizing this and for sharing!
Sincerely,
Tammy at Wing and a Prayer Farm in Shaftsbury, VT
Happy GBBD Carol…xoxo
No crocus here yet, but I've actually had some early blooming daffodils! I think it's the first time that they've beaten my early crocuses (unless all my crocuses have finally been eaten by critters..) I am enjoying the strangely warm weather we've been having, though it's sure to get cold again soon! Thanks for hosting!
All my bulb foliage is up, but don't think my crocus or snowdrops are blooming yet — put maybe should go around and pull back some leaves after the rains stop here to double-check.
PS Thanks again for hosting GBBD!
Since I didn't start blogging until 2009 I don't have quite the long history of Bloomdays that others do, but I still find the monthly roll-call a wonderful took for sizing up where my garden is to past years. Thank you!
Happy New Year Carol! Hope that you get a cooler spell soon, so that you still have those flowers that you associate with Easter out at the right time. I'm behind you over here and definitely behind on last January. Each year is so different 🙂
My crocuses aren't blooming yet but I do have hellebores. Happy new year!
Thanks for hosting again this month, Carol!
Love sharing our blooms!
Note to self… add more crocus!
Thanks for the continued inspiration!
Jayme B
Look forward to seeing all your crocus in bloom! My garden in the UK is showing early signs of spring promise (but no crocus!)
This is my first foray into Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, and fortunately my crazy kniphofia rooperi cooperated! Torch lilies in January here in Zone 7b, Cary North Carolina – what will they think of next? Thanks for hosting this – it's fun!
Hi all, relative newbie here just wanted to put my pics up and love seeing what real gardeners do!
I can hardly believe you have crocus and snowdrops blooming before me. That just doesn't seem right. It makes me anxious to see my first of the season. Happy GBBD.
I have only 6 months, but I hope to reach 6 months with you and all other people here!
My Bloom Day post is up, although I haven't much to offer this month. I'm looking forward to visiting gardens around the world for inspiration. Happy Bloom Day to all.
I must, must add Snowdrops to my garden this year. That should be at the top of my New Year's resolutions list. How beautiful and dainty. I can't believe you have Crocus and Violas blooming. We had a major meltdown here, too, but snow is on the way. Surprisingly the grass is very green – must have been protected under that white blanket.
I'm surprised since joining the bloggers bloom day how many plants flower in the winter here in Portugal. I never noticed before
Lovely to see the dandelion flowering in solitary splendour at this time of year!
Hi Carol,
Hope you are doing well and I hope that you now have a working dryer. It is nice to know a women who will take on home repairs.
Debbie
sorry for posting mine twice I didn't see it the first time…
Happy 2013! My post is up. It will be fun to compare how my garden develops differently each year.
Thanks for doing this for so long Carol! I have been hit or miss with my GBBD posts, but it is really great to amass years of record. Finally planted crocus this fall, they are just peeking out of the ground.
Snowdrops of course. A most reliable January bloom.
Here in upstate New York, our snow mostly melted off but it is cold again, and we are supposed to get at least an inch of snow tonight. Then the arctic air will come in with a high of 15 F forecast for next Tuesday. I am amazed at your stray crocus. As much as our ecology depends on snow, I wish I could say we haven't had any.
I found your blog today and decided to join in with GBBD. It's a lovely idea.
You may be surprised with my bloom of the month… but it's all I have. We're actually living in a deep freeze. Enjoy all the blooms you collect today!
Such crazy weather. Nice to see your spring blooms though, even the dandelion. Happy Bloom Day Carol.
I've enjoyed the January GBBD post most of all, as I too look back at what was blooming last year and previous years. Despite weather changes, I think my increased blooms are a result of increased planting!
You know it's winter when we're excited about dandelions. I don't have any outdoor blooms after that last cold blast. However, I do have some pretty indoor ones. Happy Bloom Day my friend. I'm glad we got to know each other better over the years.~~Dee
Happy Bloom Day! Thanks for starting it all those years ago 🙂
Carol, I can't believe you have outdoor blooms in Indiana in January! We had several days of January thaw here in Maine (up to 50F yesterday!), but we still have a few inches of snow on the ground, with more coming tonight. So my blooms are all indoors. -Jean
Oh i am so disappointed, i forgot the dates, when i looked at the links it is already full. Next month is still far away!
I'm jealous that you have a few blooms. We have nothing but frost. Thanks for hosting!
Lovely to see what's blooming around the world. I cheated a bit today as it's -7*F out 🙁 Too darned cold! If you visit my blog and go back a post, you'll see my new lovely little primrose. That's about the only thing going on in my Minnesota (indoor) garden right now – beside orchids. There's always orchids….
Thank you for hosting Bloom Day. This is my 3rd year to paricipate, and I always look forward to seeing what other gardeners have growing in their gardens!
Hi, This is Sarah from . I love gardening so I am here fist time joining you to learn more tips.
Carol, thank you for giving us the opportunity to share our works in the garden, HAppy GBBD!, Lula
Sometimes I act like I'm getting old… wait… maybe I am. I added my post yesterday (#74). Then I began getting comments on a GBBD post from November. Curious, I thought. Why are people commenting on an old post? Took me awhile to figure it out. I forgot to change the URL to my newest post. Oh silly me. Just added the correct URL, now I'm #90. That's a good number, don't you think?
Thanks for hosting Carol! I'm glad to be back after a few months break 🙂
-20 degrees in Winnipeg today, so all I have blooming is my winter urn. It is a nice treat to see that others have things still growing and even blooming at this time of year.
I think you have more blooming in Indiana than I do in Texas! Thanks for hosting.
I can't believe you have a dandelion in January! LOL. Only some store-bought violas blooming here, but they're better than nothing.
We had a bit of a warm spell and whatever snow we had melted. Many bulbs are showing signs of life and even some annuals which normally get zapped in winter have some growth low to the ground.
Thank you for hosting. LOVE this event!
A sweet snowdrop and crocus in January? Well, at least you had snow so something is normal!
Six years down and I hope there will be many more, Carol!
My January Bloom Day +Foliage post is up at the Transplantable Rose, with the January Bloom List with botanic names on Annie's Addendum.
Stay warm & watch out for those Rabbit Holes!
Annie
Thanks a lot for the hosting.. Cool post..
No snowdrops blooming for me. The fact that some are even poking about ground is a small miracle.
I keep seeing this GBBD popping up in blogs, so decided to find out a bit more about it – hence my visit to you today. Love the idea, so am going to get organised and try to join in monthly!
Sorry I'm so late to the party. I haven't joined in this meme for a long time- now, in dreaming of a warm spring and the blooming flowers, I just had the urge. So nice to be back.
Looking forward to making my first post. Pleased to see so many great blogs.
Carol,
It is so wonderful to see things poke through the snow. When I lived in Indy, the crocuses were the first welcome sign. Robins were the second. Here in the Pacific Northwest, things are up, but only the hellebores and sarcacocca are blooming so far.
Yael from Home Garden Diggers