Welcome to Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for March 2010! (Yes, this is the place, May Dreams Gardens, with an updated blog template.)
Is it my imagination, or is spring just a few steps behind this year in my USDA hardiness zone 5b garden?
Or maybe I’m just a few steps behind? I have plenty of crocuses blooming, but I usually have crocuses blooming by mid-March.
I have them in a few flower beds where they are spreading out a bit.
That’s nice to see.
There are still a few out in the lawn, too.
But they don’t seem to spread that much.
Some of the crocuses were kind of sulking when I took their pictures, because of the cloudiness and rain.
But a few of them were open for awhile.
Elsewhere in the garden there are dwarf irises in bloom including Iris histrioides ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’.
And Iris reticulata ‘Clairette’, which is nearing the end of its bloom, already!
Whenever people see these dwarf iris flowers, they want them in their own garden in early spring.
If you’re thinking that, too, go right now to your calendar, turn to August, and write “Order dwarf iris bulbs for fall planting”. That will remind you to order them for your own garden. And if you can only order one variety of the blue irises, I’d definitely pick ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’.
While you are at it, you should also get Iris danfordiae, which is yellow. It was blooming in mid-March in my garden in 2008, but it is either late or a no show for this year.
I’m going to put a note on my calendar to plant a witchhazel this fall like this one that I saw blooming at the Indiana Flower and Patio Show, going on now.
I’ve always wanted one, so hope at least one or more will fit in with my new garden design.
Elsewhere in the garden, I’m starting to see a few buds on Helleborus sp. and there is one bedraggled pansy trying to rebloom after overwintering from last fall. But there are no signs of Forsythia blooms so I don’t think we are as far along as 2009 at this time. I think this spring is similar to 2007. April should really be something!
What’s blooming in your garden today?
We would love to have you join in for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day. It’s easy to participate and all are invited!
Just post on your blog about what is blooming in your garden on the 15th of the month and put your name and the url to your post on the Mr. Linky widget below. Then leave a comment to tell us what you have waiting for us to see so we can pay you a virtual visit!
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
I really like the new look of May Dreams Gardens. Beautiful!
Well, I feel honored to be making the first post for this GBBD. I like the idea of adding more Iris histroides to my garden for next year because that was the lead picture on my post this month. The colors are delicious. I like all those crocus you've got bunched together. Pretty nice indeed.
Carol, just a suggestion that you look at the Witch Hazel Diane for your planting this year. The red color is stunning and I think you would choose it over Jelena if they were side by side. See my post at http://macgardens.org/?p=1424
It must be spring when the first flowers are already starting to fade. You've got a great start for the green seasons ahead!
Love those dwarf iris. I wonder if they would do well in zone 8B.
Happy bloom day Carol! Yes, I was a bit surprised about the new look of the blog, and I'm especially missing the pushmower lady photo, but otherwise, why not?
Thanks for hosting. Love your crocus.
Your lady with the mower caught my eye so I knew I was in the right place! The design may change but the important things stay the same. Why is it that those purples and blues of the crocus and iris look so much more spring-like than white snowdrops? No real color in the garden here so seeing yours was a nice boost to the spirit.
Hoooray for the little bulbs! What a difference from last month, I felt so happy for you to see all this! Looking forward to hearing more of the saga of your garden design. Happy Bloom Day, Carol…
Lovely new blog design.
Thanks for hosting. I enjoy this every month, so much fun to see what's happening around the country. Your contrst from last month to this is remarkable–snow to crocus.
Okay, I confess… I'm jealous!!! Just a few hours' drive to the East, and I have NOTHING to show for spring yet here. Glad that you posted your beauties to share, Carol, for all of us to enjoy. (I particularly love those iris!)
Happy GBBD! 🙂
Thanks for hosting Carol. And irises and crocuses are two of my favorites. The last pic (of the two) crocuses is wonderful. And I really like those dwarf iris.
I'm posting pictures today mostly from my favorite Sacramento Garden. Hope you like them. Jeannie
Thank you for hosting GBBD, Carol. It's interesting to see that Indiana and Cheshire, UK have similar flowers out this month. I'll be back after work to have a look at all the great links to other gardens. Happy Bloom Day!
You make a very strong case for dwarf irises.
So this is what I do when I can't sleep at night. I get some photos ready and write a new post for my blog. Thank goodness, you're ready with the GBBD. Love your new look. Nice and clean and ready for spring.
Oh Carol. how lovely everything looks, both here on this new-look site and in your garden.
Indiana is way ahead of the UK this year.
I do like the look of your blog – very user friendly. Makes me want to think about updating mine
I love your new look – fresh and green just like spring, perhaps Indiana in May even?
Thanks for your visit over at mine yesterday, it was good to see you 🙂
It looks like our gardens are in synch at the moment, though I've chosen to focus on just crocuses this time 🙂
Happy Blooms Day everyone!
Hi Carol! I love those blue irises , but can't grow them here. Have a nice day!
It's a great new look Carol! I love that the green is still a part of the blog~Your garden is looking spectacular in spring bloom. gail
Hi Carol! Thanks for hosting GBBD. It was fun going through the posts. Sorry, I had to do mine twice, because the link was broken the first time
Lovely crocuses and irises. Spring is definitely on its way!
Carol, the new look is very pleasing. And a very good idea about writing on the calendar to get some of those gorgeous iris!
33 varieties blooming in my Florida garden this morning even though our temperatures are still running about 10 degrees below normal for this time of year!
I love your irises. Spring is definitely a step behind (make that a Texas two-step behind) in my Austin garden. I think this winter shocked a lot of plants, not to mention gardeners.
I wish my crocuses would spread like yours are doing….looks so pretty. Thanks for the reminder about ordering the dwarf iris bulbs in August. This time I've written it down.
donna
Hi Carol, your blog looks maahhvelous! Very springey with the green, and I do know how you love the color green. Your iris are ahead of us, hard to believe, not even buds on the retics yet. Your crocus look great and all the iris are so wonderful, we indeed will be ordering that type this fall. Jelena is a queen, she will look grand in your garden. 🙂
Frances
Happy Spring, Carol. As usual it arrives at May Dreams Garden ahead of us here in Chicago.
I've posted for GBBD.
Your new blog look and its colors really enhance the photos, and no it is not your imagination, spring is late here as well, but like I said in my post – Better Late Than Never.
Crocuses, crocuses, crocuses. Lots of sprouts, and an amaryllis bulb. Five blog posts in the last four days, so no blog for this month's blooms, but I loved loved loved everyone's pictures!
I'm definitely off to write a note to myself in my August calander. More irises are a must for next spring – just showing slivers of colour today 🙂
Happy GBBD. Your irises and crocus are looking good.
I like your Crocus in the lawn. I had them growing in my lawn at my old house, but I don't know why I haven't done that here. I should make a note to myself to plant some this fall. I also have a Pansy that overwintered, which is a first for me.
I have nothing to show for GBBD except chickens. It is too embarrassing to keep showing the same dependable abutilon and the two or three blooms on the begonia. As for outside, the snow is still deep and even my pussy willows are half the size of my neighbor's.
Happy Bloom Day to All! Love everyone's pic's…so much fun to see what's happening in different locales. Thanks for hosting Carol!
Diana at Tidewater Garden Goddess
Carol, It's interesting that in this El Nino year, your garden is experiencing a late spring. Here in my Maine garden, on the Zone 4/5 border, we are experiencing a very early spring. Usually mid-March is very definitely still winter here. It is strange to see almost all the snow gone and some bulbs up now; I keep thinking it must be April. -Jean
Nice job with the new Maydreams template. They do make it so easy, don't they? I love the sweeps of crocus. Maybe one day mine will look that way- which is the way they should. I have Iris reticulata for the first time this year but nit enough to make a statement. I'll go straight to my calendar now. Thanks for hosting this wonderful spring blooming day.
Believe it or not your garden looks like it is way ahead of mine! No crocuses yet although they are coming. The daffodils are almost there, just not quite!
Carol, your beautiful crocus and iris are so cheerful! Crocus is one of my favorite spring bulbs that I can no longer grow since I moved to FL. I especially love them in the lawn…so fun!
Thank you for hosting your very popular Bloom Day! I enjoy it and it's a wonderful way to keep a monthly, annual log of what's going on in gardens everywhere!
I love your new page design! Isn't redecorating fun?
I so wish every spring that I had planted some bulbs in the fall *sigh* Your tommies are gorgeous! I didn't realize that they were critter resistant until recently.
Enjoy the Spring procession:)
Happy March Bloom Day, Carol! Love the new look, and that iris too… must make a to-do note as you say. Smiles all round for the crocus today… it’s the main flower in my garden at the moment too 😀
I really like your new look, Carol! And I am definitely going to add those dwarf irises to my August calendar–what a gorgeous shade of blue! Thanks for adding my link today; there are lots of blooms in sunny Arizona today:)
Love the Tommies, miss the Mower Lady. Thank you for hosting BBD. Spring is moving ever northward, coming to a garden near all of you very soon.
I was so proud because I was all ready right at the stroke of midnight…came gallumphing over happily to leave my link for my post…and then I figured out you were on a different time zone (probably 2) than I was. And I wussed out and went to bed because I was beyond exhausted from the weekend. So here's my link.:-)
My crocuses are nowhere near that far along yet. Love the new redesign… I look forward to dressing up my own page!
Your flowers are amazing! Do you know the cultivar for the crocuses in the second photo? Just gorgeous! Happy spring!
Love all those crocuses together, Carol. They make such an impact. You are far ahead of us on irises – isn't that funny? Lots of leaves here but no blooms at my house. I think just a few Austin bloggers have seen a bloom open. My daffodils are feeling sad from our heat. My post is up at http://bit.ly/bpShwy
I have these cute little irises blooming on my backyard slope. They're pretty little things on those skinny stems! Happy GBBD to all! Can't wait to see what you all have going on.
As usual, Chicago is a bit behind Indy. The big crocuses aren't even up yet here, but I'm happy to see the little lawn crocuses and the snowdrops. Can't wait for the forsythia – ours didn't even bloom last year!
When you plant your Jelena witch hazel, make sure to have something green (a conifer) behind it. The little coppery flowers disappear in the browns of late winter unless Jelena has a stage to perform on. I've been fussing with various witch hazels this year, and saw the loveliest ones recently displayed against some kind of backdrop.
Your iris and crocus are so beautiful. We are just beginning to have straggling patches of flowers around here.
I posted a link to my article about what flowers are blooming in my city, so if you think it is too spammy I would understand if you took it down.
I'm so anxious to look around at the blogs to see a sign of spring. I have to apologize for my pictures. I wrote a poem and posted the blooms that I have in the house. There isn't anything blooming yet…as the snow just melted off my gardens.I'm in the far Northern Illinois. The leaves and buds are there…just about ready to pop.After this week in the 50's the garden will wake up. Your pictures are so pretty…love all the tiny Spring flowers.
Balisha
I love the new look of your blog, very Springish! Your Crocus and iris are both very pretty, love the colors. I'm waiting for my purple and white Crocus to bloom still. Our gardens are ahead this year, it's more like April after such a mild winter.
love all your spring bulbs!
Hi, Carol, Thanks for hosting Bloom Day; I think it is such a great idea! I really like your little iris. I'll have to see about some for my garden! 🙂 It is so good that spring is almost here and there are more and more flowers!
Happy GBBD, after 2 months of nothing to post, I now have a few blooms showing, but here in the UK, it is still very cold, and we are way behind. Lovely to see those that have blooms on show.
Hi Carol, thank you for hosting Bloom Day! I like the new blog look – it's clean and direct, and enhances your photos and comments. Nice job!
In my garden this month I have quite a few Pacific Northwest natives blooming, along with some of the shrubs that do well here, like camellias and rhododendrons.
Carol, Your bulbs are day brighteners for sure! And I really like your new look.
Happy Bloom Day Carol! I love the new look. Spring does seem a little later in coming this year. It seems to be catching up nicely here, now that our winter-long snow cover is melted.
Your spring blooms are lovely things to see after a long, cold, snowy winter.
Not much to report in dreary Philadelphia this Monday morning – but there are a few hopeful signs of life!
This is my first GBBD – hope I've done okay! I've got crocus, hazel catkins, Iris and an almost daffodil.
Spring is right on time here in the Pacific NW. No crocus or witch hazel for our Bloom Day post – they're already bloomed out!
Love the color, Carol. It reminds of my favorite crayon, seafoam green.
Carol,
You are just a bit ahead of me, so I am thanking you for the peeks of irises I have to look forward to. Love your large drifts of crocuses, mine are still small dots…but growing!
Go with 'Jelena' – she is gorgeous and one of the few (only?) fragrant orange blooming Hammelis available. I am in love with her and can't wait to add her near my basement door. She'd be beautiful with your hellebores carpeting her feet!
Thanks for organizing Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!
Hi Carol,
It's interesting to see how different our 5b zones are. My little iris are covered in leaves, and I'm not sure if they are even up yet. The drumstick aliums came up through the leaves. I only have one crocus. I mentioned the lateness of spring on my post, too.
I enjoyed seeing your little beauties, and hope spring comes soon. I need to get some veggies in!
There's a lot going on in your Zone 5b garden this bloom day. I can attest to the witch hazels. I love them when nothing else is going on in the garden. What great plants they are. Love your iris.~~Dee
Your colors – so true so vivid so spring has sprung!!!
Love the purple and yellow of the crocus! And thanks for hosting Bloom Day.
How could people see those dwarf irises and not want them with some crocuses, too. Very nice. Thanks for hosting, as always.
My favourite combination in the garden I no longer have was a bright yellow Hamamelis underplanted with blue Iris reticulata. Still drooling when I think about it.
A Bloom Day where I actually have flowers, including Iris reticulata! I need to get some more and add 'Lady Beatrix Stanley' to the list. Some bulb vendors offer discounts for ordering early (before August), which is good because I usually forget what I wanted by August.
A good word or two for 'Jelena' – she's a very pretty witch hazel, especially with the sun shining through those coppery flowers – something for your garden designer to think about when trying to find a place for her.
Love the new blog design! Very fresh and springy! Thanks for GBBD!
Huh. I planted some iris reticulata. Where the heck are they? Your crocuses are lovely. The blue ones are my faves.
Hi Carol – your crocus still look so fresh and lovely. (sigh) It's slim pickin's here but I'm very glad to have had the excuse to go out for a look. Thanks as always for hosting!
Carol I love the new look of your template…I like the soft green.
The purple and yellow crocuses are so dainty and cute, So are the dwarf Irises…prreeety!
Witch-hazel is a nice choice because it's lovely and medicinal.
Cute new layout. I do like the green mottled background. Very nice.
I am glad to have something to offer this month.
Love all your crocus! I tried some Tommies this year in my garden, but they really aren't very spectacular. Spring Crocus and zone 9 do not go together so well. I'll have to settle with living vicariously through your garden instead. 😉
First time in a while that I have gotten my act together for a GBBD. Enjoy!
Once again, thank you for hosting GBBD. Seems the theme of the day is "crocuses", but there is a lot of other stuff going on to accompany their chorus.
Hope you have time to stop by and visit at The Havens.
Your crocuses and irises are so delicate and pretty, and I love your new template-very fresh and spring-y!
Your blog looks great! Refreshingly Spring-like! And I love your Crocuses.
Wish I had that witch hazel. My own fall-blooming little guy got stomped on by the blizzard – no recovery possible 🙁 But the bulbs are popping up and open so spring blooms eternal!
We're a little later than you this spring but still ahead of normal. Nothing flowering outside today so more Orchids & African Violets.
Love all your pretty purples and blues, Carol!
I love the new look to your blog! Well done. Happy (almost) spring!
Yay! I'm glad to have found the place to participate in GBBD! I love looking at photos of what's blooming today all over the world. So many crocuses and daffodils! Northern springs are so beautiful and soft! My garden today smacks of bright hues…those of bromeliads, roses, and azaleas. Thanks for hosting this fun day!
This is a wonderful BLOGGER EVENT and I am so happy to be able to be a part of it. I hope spread some SPRING FEVER for those who stop by my entry today.
HAPPY BLOOM TUESDAY TO YOU!
Wow, I'm the 86th poster here. Guess March is the month we're all waking up from hibernation! Can't get enough of those crocuses! (Or is it croci?)
have you tried the katherine hodgkin reticulated iris? it was my favorite spring bulb discovery when i gardened in ny.
happy bloom day!
Whoohoo! Doesn't Bloom Day look divine with your new design?
Robin Ripley
Carol, nope, it's not your imagination. I do think what's happening in the spring garden is much delayed from last year. Luckily we can now see what we had blooming back then. I think my garden is about 3 to 4 weeks behind.
Your crocuses are just gorgeous! I like your new template too.
Carol, love your blog and love that you host Garden Blogger's Bloom day! I'm off to "walk" thru all the flowers on here!
May Dreams are closer each day. I did mark my calendar with Iris h. 'Lady Beatrix Stanley'. I am also going to work at large drifts of snowdrops. If I live long enough. Great blooms you have there Carol and nice new design.
thanks for doing this Carol! We have a hellebore and some crocus blooming.
I am excited to share my first daffodil. Looking out the window and seeing Spring Flowers makes me smile. Thanks for hosting this virtual window into so many gardens.
I feel bad that I have nothing blooming yet. I even went out this am to see if the daffodils. No luck, very shady day, maybe tomorrow!
Eileen
In the mountains of western North Carolina, all I have is helleborus. Not a crocus, not a daffodil, not even henbit or dandelions. Not even the leaves of the dwarf iris are up. It's been a long, cold winter and it's not yet over 🙁
Carol, I like your new theme a lot! Very peaceful. March seems behind here, too, but you're way ahead of us with so much already showing. I have Iris reticulata 'Katherine Hodgkin' peeping up and can't wait until she opens. I saw crocus up today, but not open yet. Happy March Bloom Day and thank you so much!
Everything that was blooming last year is blooming this year, so our mud season (pre-spring) seems right on schedule to me!
I've been following GBBD for months, but this is my first time participating. I look forward to it every month, then for get to post! Keep up the great work.
Amazing how much further along you seem to be than we are. Maybe I just need some more early bloomers. 🙂 Love the Iris reticulata.
The new design looks great!
I think it's been a slow spring for many (I'm surprised about your forsythia). Usually we have azaleas by now – but the buds on mine are being stubborn.
Spring has sprung! Three weeks ago you'd be hard-pressed to find anything blooming in my garden. What a different some sun makes! Love your crocuses; I planted saffron crocuses in the fall, but so far only leaves, no blossoms.
What a beautiful spring green background you've chosen for your blog, Carol. It's very cheery 🙂
I'm going to follow your suggestion and write a reminder on my calendar to order those lovely "Lady Beatrix Stanley" Iris in August. They certainly add beauty to your garden.
I'm longing to see my crocus blooms. Yours are gorgeous.
All I have blooming are the faithful little snowdrops..shy today because of the clouds.
Happy Bloom Day!
I love the site. Hopefully, something will be blooming by April 15th!
Carol it is still the 15th on Maui and I have a long lost tropical Bloom Day for you.
Here's some of my blooms. Sorry it is short and late, I got hit with a stomach virus yesterday. Feeling better today though.
The little bulbs are the best as the break ground in the late winter. Happy bloom day, Carol. P.S. I would like to suggest Iris reticulate 'Pauline'. The two purples would work very nicely together.
H
It seems strange to me that you have so many lovely crocus' blooming when none of mine, here in VA, have even appeared yet! Guess it's a product of our extremely harsh winter. Here is my Late bloom-day post…an apt reference, since my blooms are Late;-)
http://thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/2010/03/mid-march-blooms-and-foliage.html
Carol – love the new look to your blog – very fresh and the header is a delight.
We are also very behind in the UK – about 4 weeks by my reckoning so everything is poised to burst into bloom for next month.
Your dwarf iris are delightful particularly the colour of "lady Beatrix"
K
This is my first bloom day post! I'm excited to join in the fun. I love the color of your mini iris!
SO MANY GARDENS!! So little time! Good luck everyone!
Carol, thank you so much for hosting again. I'm so happy to see all the flowers after such a snowy (unusual) winter here. You're right about the Iris reticulata 'Clairette.' I planted some last fall and I want a LOT more! The fact they are the earliest thing I have blooming doesn't hurt.
I'm also in zone 5b and you're ahead of me! But since I've declared Garden Bloggers' Bloom Week at my house, perhaps I'll catch up by the weekend. LOL.
And THAT is my excuse for being late. I'm tellin' ya – they don't call me The Queen of Procrastination for nothin'!
This has been fun, my first post on GBBD! Love your site design Carol and will look forward to more of these "bloom days" Thank you so much. I'll be having even more fun checking out all these blogs!