IT’S OFFICIAL: A NEW GARDEN SEASON IS UNDER WAY. Or so the winter aconite, Eranthis hyemalis, told me today, once the fast-receding snow finally let it speak up. My official sentinel of spring, whom I have mentioned before, has reported for duty. Hallelujah.
THE LECTURE that he’s been giving for a number of years is not-so-subtly called “Kill Your Lawn.” Ecological horticulturist Dan Jaffe Wilder knows that starting over and creating an entire native habitat instead of a lawn isn’t for everyone. But Dan just wants to grab our attention and get us to start to make some changes at least in the way we care for the turfgrass we do want in our landscapes. And maybe give up a little square footage of it to some other kind of more diverse planting, too, like the wild strawberries (Fragaria virginiana, inset). Alternative, more eco-focused styles of lawn care, along with some lawn alternatives is what he and I talked about on the podcast. Dan is Director of Applied Ecology at Norcross Wildlife Foundation in Wales, Massachusetts, and its 8,000-acre sanctuary. He’s also co-author with Mark Richardson of the book “Native Plants for New England Gardens.”
(Stream it below, read the illustrated transcript or subscribe free.)
I suppose I was led astray by “Down the Garden Path”…I was sure that I would see winter aconite before March, but it’s been the same two years running in my zone 5b garden. Mine hasn’t bloomed yet, but it’s characteristic ruff is up. Spring is really here!
Lovely! Hallelujah indeed. We made it through another winter!! Looking forward to seeing photographs of your lovely corydalis solida and reading about where the plants turn up this year.
Ahh, my favourite along with snowdrops.
Lene
I am so jealous!! I got sprouts but no blooms yet!!
Is that the beginnings of a buttercup? Yeah!
Welcome, Sandy. I don’t call it a buttercup, but you’re right, it’s in the same family, the Ranunculaceae. And “Yeah!” is right, thanks. It’s beginning to look like we’ve turned the corner. Hope to see you soon again.
Margaret, are you familiar with British author Beverley Nichols? If not, you must read him. He is brilliantly acerbic and opinionated about all things garden, yet when he loved a plant, he loved it. Here is what he had to say about winter aconite:
Of all the winter flowers I know none is braver nor more trustworthy than the winter aconite. You simply cannot keep it down. I believe that if you asked it it would come up on an iceberg. In fact, in my garden, it almost did, because once I planted some aconites under a tree and very shortly afterwards the ground was flooded. Then a frost came along, and the ice remained under the tree for weeks. And in spite of this, the aconites came up and actually had the impudence to flower under the ice.
I took a very similar picture of my aconites
on Februar..they are really like a bit of sunshine after the long winter indeed
Welcome, Belen. We are twins (well, at least our gardens are twins though not at this very moment). :) Thanks for your visit and link, and hope to see you soon again. Here’s to sunshine in all forms.