Over the Garden Fence: A variety of blooms make an early appearance
Man, oh man, April is living up to its behavioral history − "April showers bring on the May flowers." That may be all well and good, but the warmth earlier brought on early blooming.
Daffodils have been showing off for at least a couple of weeks. Even the drops in temperature did not discourage them. A light snow did not kill them off. Driven to the ground with wet snow, their stems eased right back up to correct posture. And what is great is that daffodil varieties are coming in shifts due to the concept of early, mid-season and late-season blooming behaviors.
Tight spikes of grape hyacinths are showing just the beginning of their color. Clusters of primrose foliage reveal yellow blooms here and there, still tight against the green crowns. Since deer have discovered the yumminess, my approach has been to cover them with leaves and branches. Netting will go over them next.
In many yards the forsythia shrubs seem to have thickened its golden strands. Star magnolias are teeming with their sparkling white purity. Violets are hugging the ground playing peek-a-boo yet bringing happiness to pollinators in search of early pollen sources.
And there are numerous weeping cherry trees loaded with cascading pinkish beauty. The hellebores have been on the march for weeks blooming ambitiously surrounded by some tattered foliage from last year while blessed with this new season's leaves.
Daffodils: Survivors that get better with time
Going back to my daffodil thought, we have seen bulbs all over the city that were part of the bombing of Bucyrus which took place in November 2020. They may not be impressive, but give them time to mature. If there is one great virtue with daffodils it is that they multiply. They stand strong. Some currently bloom while other sites have sent up only foliages. They are survivors that get better with time.
This afternoon a walk through the yard while it was raining displayed daffodils buckling under the downpours. Some even stood in puddles. It was warm and it made me think of how cooler air really favors their blooming season. A warm, early spring is managing to trigger blooms that will leave those of us who arrange for a late April flower show scrambling. And taking a perfect daffodil stem to a Kingwood event will be nigh on to impossible. The weather will have the perianths and cups torn, tattered along with dried out. Crisp and fresh will be long gone attributes.
Do look up the Farm Hop plans for this Saturday. Visit local farms as they share their crops, marketing and love of growing with the curious people of Crawford County. It is a seemingly novel tour concept. Each stop will be displaying a large quilt square on wood painted by Peg Vasil.
In a few days so many of us will be putting on a pair of special glasses and looking towards the heavens. It is likely we are crossing our fingers that those heavens will have relieved themselves of dark, rain-laden clouds. That way this special historical eclipse can become fully viewed and totally striking.
Mary Lee Minor is a member of the Earth, Wind and Flowers Garden Club, an accredited master gardener, a flower show judge for the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs and a former sixth grade teacher.
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Daffodils and more blooming earlier than usual this spring
