Monday, November 12, 2007

The Beginning Of A New Gardening Season...


Well, work with me on this... what you're looking at is the beginning of the new gardening season; Galanthus elwesii, the early snowdrop, rising out of the ground by the hundreds, its white-tipped leaves furled tightly. Admittedly there is this modest interlude called winter that is pushing its way down from Alberta, but these small bulbs could be considered the first stirring of spring... more a promise than a reality now, but Iowans live on optimism (that and Bud Light).
These intrepid little garden pioneers will get frozen, snowed on, and blasted by gales blowing unimpeded across the short grass prairies, but they will persist... and one day they will bloom on a day when the pale, watery sun finally warms the dark earth. November is here... can spring be far behind?
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Comments:
Oooh, I always loved the new arrivals. Sigh.

Have to live vicariously through you, these days.... Although I do need to investigate the no-chill jonquils.

Keep those beautiful pics of little green things coming!
 
Jenn... well, if global warming and drought continue as to progress as they seem to be, we'll all be right there with you. Nice to hear from you (I miss your musings from the north).
Don
 
You certainly have found interesting and unusual plants for your gardens. I did a google-search and found that Galanthus elwesii bulbs need to be consistently moist, even when dormant. It also mentioned planting seeds as well as the bulbs. Do they self seed?

(This reminded me of another item for the 2008 Spring "to do" list...placing a soaker hose in an area of desperate need!) :-)Another looking-toward-Spring phenomenon!
 
shady... They do self seed, and they also multiply by division fairly rapidly. The nice thing about elwesii, is that actually it tolerates dryness and sun much better than nivalis, the small, or late snowdrop.
Don
 
I just noticed yesterday that my Galanthus elwesii are sprouting too. I wonder if I'll have blooms this December? (That happened that year with the really warm November and December.)
 
Shucks, you are always months ahead of me. But maybe I should go peek. . .
 
MMD & Kathy... it seems like the snowdrops are behind this year. I just have this feeling we're going to have a very cold December.
Don
 
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