winter cheer

kevin inkawhich kevin_ink@mac.com
Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:40:09 PST

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 21, 2010, at 1:32 PM, Jim McKenney  
<jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com> wrote:

> Galanthus elwesii is beginning to bloom in the lawn here in USDA  
> zone 7
> Maryland.  These plants in the lawn are scattered and don't show up  
> very
> much.
>
> On the other hand, on December 18, 2009, I dug a clump of what I  
> call my
> Christmas snowdrop and planted the clump - in full bloom - in one of  
> the
> cold frames. I did this because a heavy snow fall was predicted.  
> Now, over a
> month later, this plant is still in full bloom and is very handsome:  
> no
> complaints here about that!
>
> In one of the cold frames given over to pots of seed sown in  
> November there
> are already many signs of germination. It's always interesting to  
> observe
> the patterns of these germinations. For instance, Tulipa cretensis is
> germinating strongly, yet several other species of Tulipa show no  
> signs of
> germination yet. Fritillaria tuntasia is germinating strongly, yet  
> so far
> it's the only species of that genus to show germination. Iris  
> dichotoma is
> germinating freely, but other members of that genus are still quiet.  
> Several
> Allium are germinating, others are still. Various umbellifers and  
> crucifers
> are germinating freely, too.
>
> There is still snow on the ground from the December 18 snowfall, but  
> most of
> it has by now melted. Helleborus foetidus and various Hamamelis are in
> bloom.
>
> It's still winter in the open garden, but in the protected cold frame
> Narcissus bulbocodium pallidus has been blooming for about two weeks  
> or so.
> In fact, this year there has been a Narcissus of one sort or another  
> in
> bloom since September.
>
> I'm getting close to the point where it will be possible to have  
> various
> representatives of the genera Galanthus, Crocus, Cyclamen, Narcissus  
> and
> maybe even Iris more or less continuously in bloom from mid-fall  
> well into
> late winter in the protected cold frame. With the addition of some  
> Primula
> acaulis and Helleborus niger, it makes for a very cheery winter  
> season.
>
>
> Jim McKenney
> jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com
> Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, 39.03871º North, 77.09829º West, U 
> SDA zone
> 7, where a red fox has been visiting the garden.
> My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/
> BLOG! http://mcwort.blogspot.com/
>
> Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS
> Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/
>
> Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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