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What’s Blooming Now - March 17, 2010
The First Flowers of Spring
 Welcome to What's Blooming Now for 2010! We will try to update this page every few weeks throughout the growing season letting you know what's blooming at White River Gardens currently and offering some tips on how to incorporate the plants and techniques from the Gardens into your own garden at home. The winter was long, cold and snowy, but spring has finally arrived, and with it, the first flowers of the seasons. This report from our horticulture staff is on the first signs that the Gardens are awakening. Be sure to monitor this page for news of the mass showings of daffodils, hyacinths and especially tulips - they are spectacular!
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Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) You might have seen their drooping, white blooms with green makings peek through the snow.
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Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) is a small, bright yellow, cup-shaped flower. Its bulb is not tasty to wildlife, a decided advantage when you have squirrels and chipmunks around.
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Reticulated iris (Iris reticulata), is the first of the dwarf iris to appear with blossoms of blue and purple. Its blooms are quite large considering the 4-6” height of the stem. After the flowers fade, the leaves continue to grow, reaching 10” or more in height.
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Unfortunately tasty to squirrels, Crocus (Crocus sp.) are still a welcomed sight in late winter and early spring. Try planting them in your lawn for a fun pop of color before your grass greens up! All of these are planted in the fall, are good in full sun or light shade, and are especially eye-catching when massed in groups or drifts.
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Hellebores are perennials that offer multi- season interest with late winter blossoms and dark green, leathery leaves all summer, holding their color well into winter. Hellebores are found in moist, rich soils in partial shade.
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Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis and H. x hybrid) features large, open flowers in shades of white, pink and rose-purple.
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The Stinking hellebore or Bear-claw hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) has clusters of smaller, greenish flowers, often rimmed in deep red. The “fetid” references a supposed unpleasant fragrance to the flowers and bruised leaves.
Snowdrops |
Winter aconite |
Reticulated iris |
Crocus |
Hellebore Lenten rose |
Hellebore and Snowdrops |
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