Late Winter Garden At Sunrise

In only a few short weeks Crocus, Helleborus, Snowdrops and more will reveal another Spring to come.

Crocus x Yellow Mammoth

The earliest Dutch Crocus to bloom, this one opens shortly after the earlier species.

Helleborus orientalis

The "Christmas Rose" takes the edge off a snowy late Winter chill.

Iris bucharica

An exotic member of the Scorpiris or Juno clan, this beauty is nonetheless a tough early Spring customer. I have 3 clones which vary a bit in color and marking.

Muscari Armeniacum Blue Spike

The double form of the familiar Grape Hyacinth.

Narcissus x Carlton

A fragrant golden large-cupped Daffodil.

Narcissus x Accent

Introduced by Grant Mitsch in 1961, this older pink has stood the test of time.

Narcissus x Pipit

Another Mitcsch intrroduction, this time a reverse bicolor jonquilla.

Narcissus poeticus simplex

The late flowering, fragrant Poet's narcissus, and the source of pink and red coloring in modern hybrids.

Mertensia Virginica

Virginia Bluebells is a popular woodlander which takes sun too. It disappears quickly after blooming, a nice habit most gardeners come to appreciate.

Mixed(?) Triumph Tulips?

Bargain mixtures - like this one from Menard's - are often not mixtures at all!!! Though the color was a pleasant surprise, the gardener is best to order bulbs from more reputable sources which guarantee that stock is true to name.

Tulipa x Uncle Tom

One of the finest of all Tulips, and a fragrant double to boot. The rich, glossy mahagany red, late in the Tulip season, will leave you speechless.

Tulipa x Uncle Tom, Tulipa x Lilac Perfection, Narcissus x Pipit

Plant this combination where all who pass by can enjoy it!

Magnolia x Elizabeth; Tulipa x Red Shine

I borrowed the idea for this photo from Mike Voss.

Tulipa x Lambada

The last Tulip to bloom in my garden this year, and a total riot of color and fringed form.

Allium x Globemaster

Worth the price, these 10" wide globes bloom for 2 weeks above clean, glossy foliage.

Allium x Globemaster

A close-up.

Fothergilla gardenii Mt. Airy

Selected by Dr. Michael Dirr, the honey scented early Spring flowers are only the beginning --- Summer foliage and Fall color are exceptional.

Syringa x (Unnamed Seedling)

I selected this lilac seedling early on, watched it bloom for the first time this year after eight years, still am not sure if I will introduce it, but I love its compact habit and mildew resistant burgundy-tinted foliage.

Rhododendron x Klondyke

One of the all-time greats, towering eight feet tall in my back yard.

Rhododendron x Klondyke

Close up.

Dicentra spectabilis

The common bleeding heart is an uncommon beauty.

Hosta x Golden Tiara

Before the ravages of Summer take their toll, the leaves of this Hosta redefine the word "green".

Geranium cinereum Ballerina

An early blooming hardy Geranium which repeats from time to time all season.

Iris variegata

One of the original species responsible for today's bearded hybrids, both tall and small.

Iris x Reprise

Reblooming Siberian Iris should be grown more - this is one of the late Bee Warburton's finest.

Iris x Chapagne Waltz

From Rick Ernst, this gargantuan monster has color, form, and tons of stalks which bloom over a long period.

Iris x Prom Night

Looks purple here, but it is a rosy mulberry on stout plants, always an attention-getter.

Iris x Rock Star

A dependable Fall rebloomer.

Paeonia x High Noon

This yellow Tree Peony which occasionally reblooms in Fall ALSO is occasionally flushed with rose - depends upon the year.

Paonia x ?

This tree peony actually grew from the roots of a generic herbaceous peony which I purchased in one of those chain store tube packs, by color only; Obviously the unscrupulous grower had a bunch of tree peony grafts (on herbaceous peony roots) which didn't take, and saw no injustice in selling off the culled herbacous stock! When the single TP stem emerged from the clump a year later, I removed the hebaceous sprouts and voila, here we are today!