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| Creeping Phlox P. stolonifera |
Yesterday was Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Carol at May Dreams Gardens asked, "What’s blooming in your garden today? Are the blooms early?" My answer -- flowers that normally bloom in May are in full swing in my garden already! This includes the lovely Creeping Phlox (P. stolonifera) that forms large patches of purple color at the edge of my borders, in stone paths, and around the pond. Each mat of semi-evergreen foliage grows 4-6 inches high. It blooms steadily and thrives even in poor soils. This pretty, native ground-cover dominates my garden in early to mid spring; a signature plant indeed.
Other early blooms are brunnera, barren strawberry, lamium, ajuga and viola.
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| Brunnera Brunnera macrophylla with its forget-me-not-like flowers. |
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| Barren Strawberry Waldsteinia ternata |
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| Deadnettle Lamium maculatum |
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| Bugleweed Ajuga and (very early) dandilions under the maple tree. |
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| My favorite violet Viola sp. |
Most of the daffodils are faded, but there are still a few 'late' ones blooming early.
Most surprising are the early blossoms on the very old pear tree. Pear trees are not known for their longevity, but this one is at least 60 years old. It's branches are sparse, but there seem to be more blossoms than ever ...
To further celebrate this April Bloom Day, we were honored with a special visitor -- the first Eastern Towhee we have seen in my garden.
Thank you Carol for hosting the lovely meme, Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. I am also linking (early) to Diana at Elephant's Eye with my Signature Plant 4 (Creeping Phlox) for her Dozen For Diana meme. Do click on the links (colored red) to join the fun.
The weather is very hot for the time of the year, my garden is blooming early, and I am so happy to be working outside all day again! I hope you are enjoying your garden, too.
Pamela x
~~ I love reading your comments. I hope you leave one so I’ll know you visited!
I look forward to visiting your blog in return.
Our weather at the moment is totally different to the lovely weather we had in March, today it's raining, the wind's getting up and it's rather cool, so no gardening for me today. It looks like you may be in for a bumper crop of pears this year. The blossom on my cherry tree is out but there doesn't look to be as much as there was last year. What a lovely little bird the Eastern Towhee is, I've never hear of them before.
ReplyDeleteEverything looks just wonderful, Pam! So nice to see those daffodils. I'm not sure if things are that early here. But they are certainly coming along. Tomorrow my friend and I are going to 'tour' each others gardens to find things to share!
ReplyDeleteCheers
Rain today, but that's good for the gardens! I've already set out tomato plants, and we bought pepper plants yesterday. This is two to three weeks earlier than last year.
ReplyDeleteMost of the creeping phlox near here is pink - your purple is lovely! And those yellow and white daffodils - gorgeous!
Happy gardening!
Lea
Lea's menagerie
Despite the miles we have many of the same plants flowering now. Never heard of Creeping Phlox though. Love that little speckled Viola.
ReplyDeleteDon't know why you've had problems commenting on my blog but I've had loads of problems commenting on Wordpress blogs. Hopefully they will sort it out...soon.
I'd love to see the spotted violet with the purple creeping phlox. I imagine a very satisfying duet!
ReplyDeletePam that speckled Viola is just so pretty. Your Lamium are blooming a head of mine here. Towhee's are so pretty. I usually have a few stop by here but I have not spotted any yet. Have a lovely week.
ReplyDeleteSome lovely delicate spring blooms you have there. I especially like that yellow daffodil with the lighter colored cup - so cheerful!
ReplyDeleteHi Pam,
ReplyDeleteLovely to see so much blooming :)
It sounds like you've probably got our nice weather now if so many blooms are early... Shame, as things were going so well here and then it got cold agian.
I need more creeping Phlox too, the one I have isn't too happy I don't think... Perhaps it needs a different spot!
Congratulations on the Towhee! Very exciting. I love the little spotted violet. Somewhere I used to have one but it was probably trampled long ago.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to our meeting!
Julie
have always admired your creeping phlox Pam but the speckled violet raised a smile - reminds me of a birds egg.
ReplyDeletep.s. the lamium attracted my attention greatly even though I've sworn to be less pink orientated
Such beautiful spring flowers. Love your assortment of daffodils.
ReplyDeleteYael
from Home Garden Diggers
Finally catching up on reading blogs. You and Julie arrive later this morning. I'm excited.
ReplyDeleteLovely to have things forward! In March everything was ahead of time, but April has been cold and wet, so a bit of a go-slow from this point. Still, we need the rain, so mustn't grumble, as they say!
ReplyDeleteDear Pam, I love the little speckled Violet, that is so unusual. I had a terrible problem with violets in my garden. They took over and spread everywhere. It's taken ages to get rid of them and I am still amazed to find some growing in little crevices. I love them but they really need a large space to colonise which I don't have. Your garden always has some wonderful plants flowering.
ReplyDeleteM xx
creeping phlox is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI have that lovely little phlox blooming in my garden here in the UK and the pear blossom on our pear tree was stunning this year. Our tree unlike yours is a youngster, only 5 years old.
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are lovely!
Creeping phlox, ajuga, and lamium are all such lovely and dependable spring blooms! That speckled violet is so pretty, is it wild?
ReplyDeleteLove the robin they flower our water hoses and bath in the over flow
ReplyDelete