Mom likes this - Dicentra spectabilis

I'm not looking after our small flower garden for the sake of nice compliments and well, mom rarely says something but I remember her saying "that's a pretty one!" and pointed to this bush.

Dicentra spectabilis, by its common name "bleeding heart" and the Romanian one would be "lady's earrings".

What I like about it is the earliness and prettiness (are these English words???)

When other plants only wake up after a long, freezing winter, it is already in full bloom.

SO.. which bulbs bloomed?

Geez, it's been over a month. I'd say my life is real busy and I fail to find time for writing, but I'd be lying.
There's always time. WILL...this is something I sometimes lack! And... I forget about this blog, true!

ANYWAY...here I am. Beginning of MAY, already the temps are in the 30s (Celsius) most of the spring bulbs are done for this year.

Let's see what I had in my garden:

These tiny but really cute Erythronium(s) 

Then, some Crocus vernus Pickwick (transplanted last fall, so only a few scattered blooms :(

Tiny and cute Fritillaria uva-vulpis (probably)

Speaking of Fritillaria, this is the first spring to have F. imperialis blooming - previous bulbs sometimes generated green stems, no blooms, and sometimes died underground without any warning - and I was anxiously waiting, and waiting...

Fritillaria imperialis

And these Hyacinth(s) ... Jan Bos... not really the deep red I saw on labels and packaging but still... kinda cool. A good-willed neighbor decided 5 is way too many and snatched 2 if them. Good thing they didn't pull the out with bulbs-and-all!

A couple daffodils and tulips in the next... episode...

Who doesn't love bulbs ???

Bulbs are (in joint venture with alpines) my real cup of tea!
All kinds of bulbs - spring, summer, tropical. As long as they are not fussy about blooming.
As it's spring, I can only talk about spring blooming ones.
We've had a really cold winter and just like me, bulbs are springing out of the ground to enjoy all the sun they can.
I don't live in my garden, I visit it 2-3 times a week and I am quite surprised to see how quickly the action develops.
Here's some of the bulbs I am eager to see in full bloom:

Tulips (I've got quite a bunch, but I will only show these two... for the sake of interesting-ness)

 

 Hyacinths

I call this MONSTER

Jan Bos - NEW ones

Erythronium - probably dens-canis (dog tooth)
Got them from the woods (yes, bad CALIN, but they were everywhere, hardly endangered!)
I got to them a bit too late and weren't in bloom, so it's gon















Orchis purpurea (not really a bulb, but looks like one - and I'm nevertheless anxious about it)
This is it in bloom:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2832170310104010362FWtrmv
















Fritillaria imperialis
 probably the orange-ish. NEW!




















Allium - of some kind -
last spring they grew a bit, then just wilted and died back - I never got the chance to see what they are. I love the pink tips!

Tulipa tarda I have to put these on my list, last spring I thought I had lost them completely. I even see cute, small seedlings!!!

First blooms for 2012

There's nothing like some color in the gaden (besides GREEN) after a long long winter.
And every winter seems longer than the previous. And colder. And the snow thicker.

Well. Here's what I have had so far in my garden.

SNOWDROPS (of course!)
HEPATICA (in blue and pink) and
HELLEBORUS.
I wish they grew taller and looked up - I have to really bend down and even kneel to take pics :)

Here they are!

Hydrangea - a real bargain?

I went to the mall for Valentine's ... and I happened to go to the supermarket. Of course they had all kinds of flowers, cut and potted for this ocassion.
I stumbled upon a bargain.
I always envied people in the west, always bragging about their finds, and cheap plants they always seem to get... and I was wondering "why not me?"
Now it's me!
Found these 2 (the last ones otherwise i would have got 10!)

HYDRANGEA 

After I placed them in those white trays and watered, they perked up!
I will take pics later one when fully recovered!

Winter casualties (Succulents)

Forgot to close the window to my balcony and most of the succulents  I was testing (for hardiness) proved to be tender. Well, with temps of -15 C, no wonder! Plus the open window.
So... I can only cry now or look around for trades LOL

One of the mushy-dead ones is this TACITUS BELLUS

Which now looks like this... a real puzzle! (trying to root the ones that feel hard)

Erythrina crista-galii (right and wrong)

Funny. From the same batch of seeds I got these two. I call them the right one and the wrong one.
What can I do with the wrong one? The top is cut off and badly infected and the plant started shoots from the trunk.
How can I give it a NICE look... ???

The RIGHT one

The WRONG one

Cardiocrinum giganteum (seeds)

I fell in love with this crinum a few years ago. Bulbs too expensive so I gave seeds a short. Total failure. Not even one seed sprouted.
Now I got fresh seeds from another fellow gardener. I was shocked by how many seeds I received :)
I already have Cardiocrinum seeds sown in a small plastic container with a lid and stored in the fridge, another 5Liter container on tha balcony and another one wintersown outside in the garden.
At least one seed must germinate!

This is actually a small container. And got a lid. 

Just in one of these!

Gardenia jasminoides Kleim's Hardy

I got this Gardenia In October? November last year. So I've had it for a couple months now. Not doing so great. Tops have all turned brown.
It's in a plastic pot, on my balcony.
I can see the roots coming out from the bottom of the pot.
Any idea what is wrong with it?
Would it survive cold winters of -15C out in the garden? (In case I save it...)