Welcome to Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for January 2017.
Many people think of January as the beginning of another year of bloom day posts. Actually January is the end of a year of bloom day posts since we started this tradition back in February 2007.
That’s right. February 2007. That means those who have joined in from the beginning now have ten years of bloom day posts. Ten years.
And many of you said you were terrible at keeping records of what is going on in your gardens. Now you can no longer make that claim. Now you have up to ten years of records, depending on when you joined in.
Wrapping up this tenth year of bloom day posts, here in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6a garden in central Indiana, we are so far being spared the ice and snow that is gripping much of the U.S. to the west of us and to the north of us.
So far.
I am actually writing this post on the 13th, just to be sure there is a bloom day post on schedule. I realize that by the 15th, I, too, could have ice on my garden. I hope if there is ice, there isn’t a lot of it.
I walked around my garden and saw many shoots poking up out of the ground. “Is it time yet?” Not for many of them. Above is a snowdrop sprout. It could bloom at any time and likely will bloom before the next bloom day posts.
I’d prefer these crocuses wait a bit.
For those concerned with the corm being exposed, rest assured I threw a handful of dirt and mulch on it after I took the picture.
I think these reticulated irises seem a bit rambunctious for this time of year.
At least I think those are the reticulated irises. If not, well, it will be a nice surprise to see whatever they are once they are blooming.
Nearby the witch hazel’s buds (Hamamelis vernalis) are puffing up.
Not too exciting yet, but in a few weeks perhaps we’ll see some color on them.
We might also see a few of these Helleborus niger open up, too.
I think I’ve shown these buds in previous bloom day posts. I hope for a sunny day soon when they will actually open up.
In the meantime, there are always the plants in the sunroom.
The amaryllis buds are taking their time.
I’ve forgotten what color they are going to be but will soon find out.
I also don’t know what color these hyacinths “on vase” will be.
But I do know from looking at past bloom day posts that they are pretty much the same at this point every year.
But where are the blooms, you ask?
Here they are!
Once again I’ve purchased pre-chilled pips of Lily of the Valley to force into bloom. I’m happy to have them now, in the middle of January when little else is blooming. They remind me that spring is really not that far off.
What’s blooming in your garden and home on this January day? Please join in for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day and show us by posting about your blooms on your blog. All are welcome, whether it is your first time or your 120th time. Then leave a link in the Mr. Linky widget below and a comment to let us know what you have for us to see.
And to commemorate the conclusion of 10 years of bloom day posts, please also let us know in your comment how long you’ve been joining in.
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
Thank you for hosting all these years. I've been posting Bloom Day posts now going onto seven years thanks to you, and it is a wonderful way to keep track of the gardens. My neighbors watch me venture out into drifts of snow just to get pictures of the garden in January, and I wouldn't have it any other way! Happy meme anniversary and Happy Bloom Day!
Wow! Ten years of bloom days is pretty impressive, Carol! Congratulations and thanks for being such a welcoming host. I joined four and a half years ago, shortly after I began blogging. We're a bit colder than usual out west but there are still a few blooms in my garden this January in honor of your tenth year!
10 years! Congratulations! And Thanks!
My first Bloom Day post was October 2011
I hope you have a beautiful, wonderful day!
Congratulations. I have not been around my yard for awhile, so I don't know what's coming up. My amaryllis just finished blooming.
Happy GBBD. 10 years. It is hard to believe it has been that long. I didn't start posting until October of that year. Wow. That is a lot of posts. Congrats to you for keeping this meme going that long. It is one of the most enjoyable I have ever seen. Keep on…
Congratulations on 10 yrs hosting GBBD!
We are a bit further on than you are, we must be a bit warmer, bulbs and shrubs are flowering in between the frosts.
Happy GBBD, Carol, and thank you for 10 years of hosting and blogging. I joined in in May of 2011 and have posted every month since. Thank you for enabling me to create a garden journal without knowing it.
Ten years is an incredible achievement. Congratulations, Carol, in leading the charge! This is my 4th anniversary GBBD post and I certainly appreciate the boost your meme has given to my record-keeping. I can see from today's post that spring is waiting in the wings for you. In SoCal, where we never have what most people would regard as a true winter, we have, at last, had some good rain and my garden has more than its fair share of blooms.
Thanks a lot for hosting this great meme, Carol! Have a great 2017!That Lily of the Valley is magic!
Been participating for two and a half years, since shortly after I moved into my current house with all its established plantings. Thanks for hosting, Carol! While I do keep a gardening journal, I don't think I would have such a meticulous photographic record of my plantings if not for Bloom Day!
I started in March 2007. I suspect I just had nothing blooming in February. We had a blizzard on Valentine's Day and I wasn't prepared for the first GBBD, meaning I didn't have the foresight to buy a blooming plant from the grocery store. This year, like you, I have a hellebore in bud, but I don't have any of the sprouts coming up that you do. We have been getting too cold at night for the ground to thaw.
I have been posting on Bloom Day since Feb 2007 although at some point I became very sporadic. I do however always enjoy visiting other gardens for Bloom Day.
Hi Carol, Congratulations on 10 years of GBBD! What an accomplishments. I've been blogging since 2008 but I did not join GBBD until 2011. This monthly event has been a wonderful way to find new blogs to read and make new blogging friends. I've enjoyed it so much! Cheers, Jenni
Congratulations on a great decade, and thank you. I've enjoyed via your blog seeing flowers from around the world, and it's been a fine way to record my own as well. Here's to blooms!
Congratulations on ten years! I'm just reaching one year and already happy to be able to look back at what was happening in my garden last year.
Hi Carol,
As you note in your posting there is a lot of potential in the ground right now, just waiting to burst forth with the first warm spell. It would be better for the plants if they waited, but personally, I can't wait!
Wow, you do have quite a few plants poking up even outside! I think I need to do a walk-around after the ice storm passes. Thanks for hosting!
10 years–wow! Thanks so much for being such a faithful host all these years, Carol. In March it will be 9 years that I've been participating, and up until last year, I think I participated every month. I would have participated this month, but I really don't have anything blooming or even poking up through the ground. I should have amaryllis buds at least, but since I can't remember where I put them last fall, I don't even have that. I'll try to do better next month:)
I also took photos early, which is a good thing since the garden is covered with snow. My first Bloomday participation was April of 2009!
I am clearly a newbie by GBBD standards 😉 but I've so appreciated the journal it gives me of my garden – thanks, Carol! It's so nice, too, to be able to link twelve months of the year as the bloom schedule here in the desert is totally different from much of the country, and summer sees my garden at its bleakest. I hope the ice misses you and your brave little bulbs!
Good to see what's going on in your garden – and reading your post reminded me that I intended to buy some lily of the valley to do the same, but forgot 🙁 Perhaps next year! Thanks for hosting
A little late, but better late than never! My humble contribution to GBBD. Best, Lula
I can never seem to get on board with Bloom Day, but that's okay, I suppose. Most all of my blog posts are reports on what is currently blooming anyway. Still, I enjoy seeing what's up in your garden, because our climates are nearly identical here in Columbus Ohio. I haven't gone out to check on bulbs poking up, but I see that I'll need to do that soon. It's supposed to be pretty warm all week, and I know my bulbs will be quite confused. I just hope they don't do anything foolish with the extended warmth.
Wow, your bulbs are further along than mine! I hope you don't get too much ice. Thanks for hosting this wonderful meme.
Carol, I'm amazed that you have buds and foliage out in your garden at this time of year. Here in Maine, although we've had some warmer than average temperatures in January, we've had snow cover since late November. -Jean