Early spring carla: a concise orientation before we get practical.
Early spring carla: Quick notes
Hi GPODers!
When it comes to early garden color, Carla Zambelli Mudry in Malvern, Pennsylvania doesn’t fool around! We’re back in her garden today after enjoying a gorgeous array of early bloomers yesterday (be sure to check out Part 1, if you missed it), and we’re only scratching the surface of the early season interest that she has accumulated in her woodland landscape. Here is another scrumptious sampling of what was blooming and budding in Carla’s garden this March.
Hi GPOD!
It’s officially spring except I think we should say that with a question mark. We’ve had a handful of unseasonably warm days where temperatures plummet at night, reminding us that the calendar might say we’re headed in the right direction, but we’re not there yet. We even had snow flurries again a week or so ago.
In the garden, it has been galanthus and hellebores followed by some early crocuses and the early daffodils. A couple of shrubs are showing their early spring selves off. The giant Chinese pussy willows are working their way through their catkin season, and you can start to see the fuzzy greenness of the leaves that will follow. The witch hazel were fabulous while they lasted, and since the deer don’t like them and have decimated my camellias this winter, in spite of spraying, I might be adding more witch hazels to my repertoire.
I look forward to digging in literally, but I will have to temper those desires while I wait to have tree work done.
March came in like a lion and I think she’s going to leave that way too!
Carla Zambelli Mudry
Yesterday we saw a stunning witch hazel blooming in Carla’s garden, and today we have a relative of that winter bloomer that is even more underrated. Buttercup winter hazel (Corylopsis pauciflora, Zones 6–8) flowers a little later in the season than most witch hazels, and features these cascading clusters of light yellow flowers.
And there are many more cheerful daffodils in Carla’s well-curated collection. I have a particular fondness for these two-toned varieties, which better highlights the daffodil’s interesting form.
A pop of extra color from an orange trumpet is spectacular during the earliest days of the season.
Of course, most of the flowers that emerge this time of year are relatively low growers, but Carla isn’t afraid to get creative and find the angle that captures the simple beauty that makes this time of year special.
Even more elusive to admiration, nodding hellebores require some kneeling, bending, and/or crafty camera work to capture these stunning blooms.
One of the giant pussy willows (Salix chaenomeloides, Zones 5–8) that Carla mentioned in her intro, covered in catkins that have exploded into clusters of golden anthers.
Lastly, some bright pink azalea buds signal the succession of spring color that is to follow!
Thank you so much for sharing this stunning assortment of early season photos with us, Carla! Your assortment of bulbs and spring-flowering woodies is always a highlight on GPOD this time of year.
And I hope more GPODers join Carla in sharing the first signs of spring in their gardens! I know some gardeners are still patiently waiting for those first buds of the year to burst open, so anyone who has already had color emerge from their beds and borders would be a saint for submitting those scenes for us to enjoy on the blog. Follow the directions below to submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day!
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