Tag Archives: early bloom

bulbs, garden visits, months 01-03: winter, months 10-12: fall

Embarrassment of Riches

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It felt so awkward,  I couldn’t talk about it – – – until now.

At first, I was in disbelief.  Here I am with errands done & time on my hands. What to do?

Check out Abkhazi Garden.   🙂    Each visit, I pick up a few more seasonal tips.  It is always lovely, no matter the month.

snowdrops blooming at Abkhazi Garden November 20, 2015 garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

This time, even before walking through the gate, I’m awestruck.
Snowdrops!
At this time of year?
That’s crazy early.

I dig out my camera to prove the sighting.
An embarrassment of riches.

snowdrops blooming at Abkhazi Garden November 20, 2015 garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

Now, I’ve heard the Oak Bay area is within the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains (just across the Straits of Juan de Fuca).  Under the rain shadow, there’s more sunshine & less rainfall than anywhere else on Vancouver Island.

It’s real.  My buddy RG, who lives only 3 km down the road, and on the border of Oak Bay, has crocus 3 weeks earlier than we do.

snowdrops blooming at Abkhazi Garden November 20, 2015 garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

But these snowdrops – – these are super early.
Unbelievably early.
November 20, 2015.

I asked gardening expert Jeff de Jong about them & he said they were regular snowdrops… no unique species or cultivar… just well established, in a prime location & very happy to be there.  Wow.

I wanted to tell y’all about the blooms, but though it might be taken as bragging instead.  For a while, I contemplated El Nino, & stewed about global warming.

variegated camellia blooming in mid Februarygarden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

Then Jeff posted a picture of a variegated camellia he spotted on December 14.  (Similar to this one I’d come by mid-February last year).  Perhaps his is a natural fall-blooming variety, but the posting took me by surprise anyway.  Even by Victoria’s standards, It felt too early.  Under our grey skies, this seemed an omen of climate change.

Daffodil blooming mid December at Deep Cove Chalet garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
photo by Bonnie Manning

Then on December 20, BM posted a shot of daffodils blooming at Deep Cove Chalet.

Are these a super early variety?
Or just well established and happy in a prime location?

Again, I’m awestruck.
On the last day of Autumn – before winter even begins – –
blooms!

Snowdrops, camellia & daffodils before Christmas?  Seems crazy.

Now that Solstice &  Christmas have passed, and we’ve delighted in a few days of sunshine, the snowdrops are just starting to bloom in our garden.  I’m looking at the world with fresh eyes.  No matter El Nino or whatever else is going on, I’ve decided to enjoy the flowers along the way.

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PS Here are some other snowdrop patches I admire:

bulbs, garden visits, months 04-06: spring, natives

Camas Identification

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Uplands Park Camas meadow, garden Victoria BC, Pacific North West
photo by SVSeekins

This spring, the camas meadows are a delight.  Uplands Park is exceptionally beautiful.
(Who knew the park is more than Willows Beach & a boat launch?!?
It’s so much larger than that.)

An evening walk with the native plant enthusiasts of Friends of Uplands Park was fun AND educational.

Common Camas vs Great Camas

another camas meadow in Uplands Park, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins
  •  Common Camas flowers first, sometimes starting as early as March in the Pacific Northwest.
    Great  Camas follows a few weeks later, peaking in May.  The whole show is usually over by June.

    Great Camas along Uplands Park path, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
    photo by SVSeekins
  • Common Camas is shorter & sticks to meadows in full sun.
    Great  Camas is taller & likes the meadows too, but also tolerates the partial shade along woodland paths. (see photo right)
    (Ergo the only camas to survive in our day-lily beds are the Great Camas)  

    common camas after bloom, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
    Common Camas
    photo by SVSeekins
  •  The Common Camas bloom opens quickly, with most of the spike in full flower all at one time.
    The Great  Camas bloom opens gradually from bottom to top. Sometimes the flowers at the bottom of the spike are finishing while the very top is yet to begin.

    common camas after bloom
    Great Camas photo by SVSeekins
  • A funky way to tell the two apart is with the withering bloom.   The  Common Camas flower petals die back willy-nilly. (see photo above)
    The Great Camas flowers die back gracefully, with the petals wrapping themselves into a hug.  (see photo right)

    a white camas - not a death camas, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
    photo by SVSeekins
  • A white camas flower is usually just an albino version of an ordinary camas.  Some say the same bulb will often produce a regular flower, but some years it’ll throw an abnormal one.  Unusual but not dangerous.

    Death Camas in Uplands Park, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
    photo by SVSeekins
  • Death Camas is dangerous.  It has a white flower too but looks quite different.  After the blooms are gone, it’s pretty tough to tell the types apart from just the foliage.  Indigenous people used camas as a food source, but they were very wary of the Death Camas.  It makes sense that they harvested while the plants were in bloom.  I’m told it’s toxic to the touch …. so hands off!

That certainly calls a halt to the romantic sunset stroll, doesn’t it?  It’s all pixies & fairy dust until someone is poisoned…
Hmmm, that kinda sounds like the setting for a murder mystery.  What do you think?  Would you read that book?

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Other places to see Camas Meadows:

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garden chores, months 01-03: winter

January Garden Activities

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bus stop snowdrops in January, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

I’m so glad we planted some winter interest within the sight lines of my winter vantage points.  Over morning coffee, I spy the first patch of snowdrops to open. Is there any better way to start a January morning?

 Winter Protection

  • While there’s more elbow room in the beds, spreading a 2-3 inch layer of mulch is easier now than at any other time.  It insulates the garden  & provides a tidy backdrop for all those early bulbs that are getting ready to burst into life.  The effort this month pays BIG dividends over & over again through the entire year.
  • If it does happen to snow, get out there with a wee broom & shake off the cold, wet weight from the evergreens.  Start with clearing lower branches, so their load is gone before the snow drops from the upper branches.   Rhodos are particularly susceptible to breaking.
  • As long as it isn’t frozen, the rains have softened the ground for digging, so it’s easy to stomp the edger between the beds & lawns. This protects the beds from the grass’ invading as soon as the lawn starts to grow again in February.
  • Celebrate the occasional sunny weekend, but don’t be fooled.  January is contrary, and cold snaps are still likely to visit.
eranthis, winter aconite, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest,
photo by SVSeekins

Pruning

  • Hellebore are prepping their blooms for the new year, but some older foliage can detract from the show.  Trim back the ragged or blackened leaves.
  • It’s almost shocking to see the blooming Hardy Fuchsia react to a snow flurry.  The poor thing withers the moment a flake touches it.  But no fear – it’s really  only hibernating.  Just the same, I trim back the skeleton & dream  of the renewed spring growth.
  • The evergreen Strawberry Tree blooms & bears fruit right up until the snowfall too.  When it’s hibernating is the time I like to tidy up any unwieldy branches.
  • This is all good, but seriously – – prioritize mulching above the rest. When that’s done, be happy & relax with a good book for the rest of the month.
unusually early crocus in January, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

Veg / Berry Patch (& Orchard)

  • It’s astonishing  how well some vegetables survive in the  cool if protected from soggy ground:   kale… chard…  leeks… 
  • This is all good, but seriously – – prioritize mulching above the rest. When that’s done, be happy & relax with a good book for the rest of the month.  Seriously!
    🙂
sarcococa, fragrant sweet box, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

Seasonal Color

trees: holly… mountain ash… paper bark cherry… paper bark maple… Twisty Baby (dwarf Black Locust)…
shrubs: . sarcococca…   viburnum bodnantense…. winter camellia… jasmine…  pyracantha (firethorn)… beauty berry (callacarpa)… witch hazel.. heavenly bamboo …  berberis…  cotoneaster… mahonia…  snowberry… rosemary… dragon claw willow…
perennials:  early hellebore… variegated yucca… Chinese lantern…  hens & chicks, sedums…
bulbs: snowdrops… eranthis (winter aconite)… iris reticulata… early cyclamen coum… early crocus… early narcosis…
ferns: Hart’s tongue fern…  sword…  deer… licorice…

unusually early cyclamen coum in January, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

Planning & Events

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© SVSeekins, 2015