what’s blooming in your garden?
Last fall, for the first time ever, I planted bulbs: a handful of daffodils and a few alliums. Though one of my motivations was to give our bees some early spring eats — and now, sniff, the hives are no more — I am so thrilled to have some color sprouting in our little garden. We’ve had no time to do anything in our yard recently. Old leaves are scattered about, dead branches need plucking, dormant bushes needed pruning… but yet, there’s hope! Our daffodils are in gorgeous bloom, and alliums look like they’ll be following nicely. I’m so pleased. Now, I just need to figure out what flowers to plant next. A nice mid-to-late summer bud? Any suggestions would be dandy! — Angela M.
A lot of it depends on the Zone. Things start blooming early in Seattle since we’re sheltered from snow by the mountain ranges. Magnolias are about to bloom, tulips and daffodils are up, and my viburnum has lots of flowers. We had kind of a rough winter here so things have been a little slower than normal. The clime here isn’t perfect for palm trees, but a lot of people have them, and they are looking really dead.
I absolutely love zinnias for showy blooms. They’re annuals, but they usually reseed themselves. They are very easy to grow — I’ve grown them in Ohio and here. They look just gorgeous and are so colorful. I usually just throw down seeds and then let whatever happens happen. The only time I was disappointed was when they all got some kind of weird fungus when I was in Ohio, and I had to pull them all out. But for super-tall plants with blooms that look great for ages, I recomend them.
PS Snapdragons, also annuals, are lower to the ground but also look fantastic and do often reseed. They bloom well into fall.
Maybe dahlias? So pretty with all their different shapes and colors.
I’m jealous you have a garden!
Yellow and orange nasturtiums are happily growing in a pot in my living room. Unfortunately I live in a badly lit apartment but fortunately the nasturtiums love it with a little CFL light supplement from a lamp. One day I’ll have a garden outside.
I don’t know much about annuals, but around here (zone 6) after the bulbs come up, we have rhododendron go into bloom. Also, everyone should have some lilac around. Colors range from white to pink to purple. I also love phlox!
I’m so proud – those are the bulbs from my daughter’s school fund raiser – they look beautiful!
Funny you should ask. I just recently posted my garden updates at Here and There.
For summer buds, my favorites are cosmos, but they tend to go a little later rather than earlier. Depending on the height and color, you could consider marigolds. There are always impatiens (but I find them a bit too commonly occurring for my taste).
While dianthus starts in spring, if you deadhead it, it will bloom all summer long. If you like climbing plants, I recommend clematis. Some bloom earlier than others, so you might want to ask the person who sells it to you.
Last, but far from least, consider hydrangeas. They’re colorful and lush. And, they can grow to become quite large, if you’re looking for a space filler. If you don’t like the color, simply change the ash in the soil for a different look!
Oh, I forgot, Black-eyed Susans, but they will take over if you don’t watch them.