Spring Flowers
James Waddick (Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:51:42 PDT)

Dear Friends,
What a difference a few hours of sun makes in Kansas City.

We've been under a veil of gray skies, damp air and serious
chills. Spring bulbs have been 'straining' to open blooms very
literally for weeks and suddenly the clouds parted and things popped.

Numerous crocus from tiny tommies and bigger 'Ruby Giant' to
sieberi 'Tricolor' even the large Dutch hybrids such as 'Pickwick'.
'Jeanne d'Arc' and others.

Snow Drops spread their wings and the summer snowflakes
(Leucojum aestivum -ssp carpaticum) raised their heads up and showed
their delicate yellow tips. I was thrilled to find my 2 year old
planting of Leucojum aes. carpaticum 'Gertrude Wister' has tripled in
size - counting bloom stalks. More curious than attractive, the
double -or multi-petalled form is quite charming. It has the yellow
petal tips on all segments. I think it deserves better distribution.

This 'summer' Snowflake always bloom ahead of L. vernum, the
Spring snowflake in contradiction to their Latin names. The latter is
up, but not yet showing color.

Tulip foliage perked up, as did Fritillaria. I optimistically
bought a few more Frit. imperialis last fall and tried 4 bulbs in 2
new spots. Amazed to see all 4 actually came up. Past experience has
most often produced NO winter survival. Maybe I lucked on a decent
spot - or two. Planting Frit imperialis is usually an exercise in
futility and I might as well drop cash money in a hole in the ground.
I wonder if there's a better chance that these will last a little
while.

The winter aconites got beat by all the cold gray weather.
Many buds just could not hold on and went down without ever opening.
Now Pushkinia have started blooming and Chinodoxa 'Pink Giant' are
showing color. Corydalis 'George Baker' is showing color, too.

Adonis has reopened its waiting flowers and looked good this
afternoon after a long delay for sunshine. Of course hundreds of
hellebores perked up greatly, too.

My Lycoris are all showing spring foliage - some up to 6
inches tall. So are Juno and Aril Iris, all in preparation for the
bloom in a few weeks if the deer don't eat them.

You'd think it was suddenly spring for an afternoon, but the
then the forecast for the weekend shows a low of 21 and snow one or
both days. If we are fortunate the forecast will change for the
better.

Many more spring plants are pushing buds, expanding foliage
or floral buds etc. Even the earliest daffodils, some of which got
frozen out a few weeks ago managed to put out some late buds and they
are opening, just fewer than there should be. The regular early daffs
are just pushing buds and then there later season cvs to follow.

I am sure I have missed some bulbous arrivals, but we are
enjoying these all for their abbreviated season.

Enjoy. Jim W.
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +