March Flowers

You can find out what's blooming around the world in March if you visit May Dreams Garden for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day which is the 15th of each month.  Take a look and see what can be added to your flower parade.

Wine Helleborus x hybridus

 The hellebores have been blooming since February and the flowers will last for many months.

Helebore x hybridus

Many gardeners are complaining of their losses this year due to the harsh winter; but, the hellebores have been unaffected and are flourishing.

White Helleborus x hybridus

For some reason, I favor the white ones.

Helleborus x hybridus

Narcissus 'Tete a Tete'

Short in stature but color intense, mini Narcissus 'Tete a Tete' can command your attention. Tete a tete means head to head and there are two flowers per stem seemingly in a conversation. This fact may help identify them if they get lost among other minis.

A mulch of leaves remains in the beds until April when it will be removed and added to the compost bin.

Jonquils 

Unlike other narcissus, jonquils have tubular rather than flattened foliage.

Forsythia

You can always count on forsythia for a big splash of color.

Lycoris squamigera/Naked Ladies

Lycoris adds a lot of green to the garden as early as February. They will soon be covered with daylilies. Then after the daylilies bloom like a big surprise out will pop the naked ladies.

Texas Red Flowering Quince

For color as intense as any azalea but earlier,  plant quince.

Pond

The plants have started growing in the pond but, the fishes are the main attraction now.

Bradford Pear

Fruit trees are the showiest elements of the early spring garden. 

Confederate Violet

Lastly, the violet is lifting its pretty head from the beneath the woodland leaves.

Surprise Lily, Resurrection Lily, Naked Ladies

Lycoris squamigera

No trouble bulbs that have beautiful pink blossoms in the middle of summer. Plant them and forget them. Their noses should be planted just beneath the surface.

These bulbs can take a lot more cold that most people think. Since the foliage comes up with daffodil foliage, I have mine planted where they get winter sun and are well drained. Mulching would probably be a good idea in colder zones. Our coldest Zone 6 winter was last year and mine were not mulched and came up bigger and better than ever. We usually don't get much snow here so the foliage is never covered completely or for very long. After a few years, the foliage can become very lush, robust, and about two feet tall.

 

When they bloom they are in dappled shade.

Here is a picture of Christmas hiding in the Lycoris foliage earlier this year (April). Learn more about Lycoris from the Pacific Bulb Society. The foliage dies back in June about the time my daylilies begin to bloom.

Succession planting here is daffodils, daylilies, Oriental lilies, Southern Shield Fern, Naked Ladies.

I have noticed the terrestrial Eastern Box Turtle a couple of times lately. His red eye and concave underside denotes male.

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. John Muir