Tuesday, March 23, 2010

First Bloom & Sights of Spring

I've been pretty ill since last Friday with a nasty cold and in turn my mug shot has been up for to long on the blog. Today I am feeling better so I headed out in the yard to see whats been happening. Out front the first spring bloom was out. It was closed though due to the cool, damp and sunless weather we have been having lately.

I believe this is a Siberian squill of sorts, they usually are a deep blue though so I am not totally sure if my belief is correct. I scoped this plant from an abandoned lot last spring, I'm such a rebel.

*just looked this up and it is a Striped Squill, ie. Puschkinia libanotica. Learn something new everyday :-)

There also was lots of buds and shoots coming:

A true Siberian squill, from the same abandoned lot.

Crocus, looks like the squirrels have been at work again.

Daffodil

Iris Reticulata

Species Tulip shoot.

Peony shoot.

Delphinium shoot.

Himalayan Dandelion. These are kind of cool, they have single
yellow blooms that open just after the sun goes down. You
can watch them open.

Rose shoot, this is a 'New Dawn' climber.

I then checked out the season extenders and everything seems to be doing well in my absents. The only thing that has not done well without my attention was the napa cabbage.

It has fully bolted and I think it is beyond harvest now. Not much of a loss though as it never really developed anyway. It seems to be a crop that would be better as a late harvest as appose to an over wintered crop.

Other veggie action:

Overwintered Leeks

Mache

Garlic. All but one has grown which I am happy to see. I
planted them late December so didn't know what to expect.

The Wee Tatsoi is growing still.

Rhubarb, can't wait to have some! These crowns will also
be moving which needs to be done sooner then later.

15 comments:

  1. Hope you get fully better soon. Some amazing photos there of the emerging garden.

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  2. Seems like something is going around, but I'm glad you kept your "official" blog picture -or whatever it's called- the forked one. It's a good picture.

    Spring certainly is here, isn't it!

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  3. I need to incorporate more bulbs in the garden as it lacks in Spring interest. Those squills are really lovely and are going on the list.

    The leeks have beefed up nicely and are looking fab ! Lots of wonderful Spring growth going on. Happy Spring !

    Take care of that cold !

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  4. Spring really is here at last! My garlic is about the same size as yours. So are my overwintered leeks. Fascinating to see your squill. The only place I have ever heard of squill is on the ingredients list of my cough syrup as 'tincture of squill' alongside liquorice and eucalyptus. So now I know what squill is.

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  5. Sorry to hear you are ill....the flowers are looking great...I don't believe I have ever heard of squill...

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  6. I'm afraid that the napa cabbage I transplanted a couple of weeks ago with end up bolting prematurely as well. You never know unless you try right?

    I'm excited to plant out my rhubarb. Too bad I'll have to wait a year before harvesting.

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  7. Nice Photos...so nice to see the flowers coming... :)

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  8. Oooh - lots is growing. I've always called Squill a Bluebell - but I suppose I'm wrong. They are really invasive here, if you get a bulb any where, you'll find gardeners with the largest shovel they can find digging that sucker up! Pretty - but they sure takeover. Are the striped ones are much more manageable?

    Your veggies look great. All my perennials and bulbs looked like yours back in January and now they are in full bloom or finished for the year - but my veggies are really far behind. Such a 4-season inspiration!

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  9. Get well soon, Dan. It's nice to see the daffodils sprouting in your part of the world.

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  10. Prue - Thanks, spring is underway on this side of the world.

    Ribbit - I got the bug from my sister, she brought my three buckets and illness too :-)

    Miss M - I could use more bulbs too, like snow drops, more crocus and tulips. We have so many squirrels that it makes bulbs a bit of a challenge. I am looking forward to leek soup when the peppers that their place.

    Matron - I didn't know it was used for medicine. Looked it up and yes it is in cough syrup & heart medication.

    Sunny - The squill's are quite nice, a really nice deep blue when they bloom.

    Thomas - My tatsoi and bok choy bolted pretty fast last spring. They really have to be watched closely. If your crowns are vigorous you can pick some in the first year. I planted some new crowns last spring and picked some, couldn't resist.

    Jannett - It is nice to see flowers again.

    Stevie - I think these are different from a bluebell. They are a Scilla siberica and a bluebell is Hyacinthoides. Either way the squill's are quite invasive as well but die down fast like a spring bulb.

    The season extenders really do make a difference. I am starting to get the hang of timing planting with them so this fall's planting should be the best yet.

    EG - I am feeling pretty good today so hopefully tomorrow I will be back to 100%. Won't be long and everything will be in bloom and I will have lots of greens again!

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  11. I'm glad you're feeling better and hopefully you're over it. Thanks for the visions of spring. I can never get enough of them. It's such a great time of year (when it gets a bit warmer at least).

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  12. Hopefully you are fully on the mend and don't suffer any set backs. I have never heard of the Himalayan dandelion before - how cool is that?! Watching it bloom in the evening would be really something.

    The leeks, mache, and garlic are all looking really good.

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  13. Lovely spring bulbs there. In Hull there is a roundabout with a huge plantation of squills to one side. It looks like a small lake!

    Hope you are soon back to full strength - it's awful to feel physically low when you are mentally geared up for action!

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  14. It is squill, I have a few that bloom lighter as well. They're such a wonderful little bulb to have in the garden!

    Hope you start feeling better soon!

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  15. Ah, the price you paid for those free buckets, sigh....

    If all these great sights in the garden did not perk you up, chicken soup will not either!

    Hope you are feeling better now and ready to hit the yard...

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