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Friday, April 9, 2010

First Flowers of 2010


photo label

Today certainly didn't begin or end with flowers. This is what we had off and on all day, mixed with rain and wind. It was pretty nasty, and I only went for a short walk. But yesterday! It's as if plants appeared overnight. Is that possible?

common blue violet

There isn't going to be anything unusual in this post. This is common blue violet, which is sometimes white, or partially white. Viola sororia. It probably grows in your lawn if you live in the eastern U.S.

Carex plantaginea

Here's another sedge. This one is REALLY easy to identify because of those broad leaves. It's sometimes called plantain-leaved sedge (it's Carex plantaginea , or seersucker sedge. If you look at the leaves, and know your fabrics, you can understand that name.

Dutchman's Breeches

Here's one of our little beauties, called Dutchman's breeches, Dicentra cucullaria. Now you'll have to make that fabric into a little pair of pants and hang it upside down to find the name. This is a close relative of the bleeding heart that so many people plant in their gardens.

There is a fern that grows in a gully in the cemetery that I have been trying to key out for three years. (Remember, I'm really just learning the ferns). It has refused to work out to anything, which means that I'm doing something wrong. But yesterday I figured out my mistake, and I think I have it now. I'll probably show you that tomorrow. It's very cute!


See Green Things for some spring flowers last year
See Northern Wildflowers


11 comments:

Duxbury Ramblers said...

What a good set of flowers - they are popping up everywhere arn't they. Love the Dutchman's Breeches and we do find it's pink cousin D. formosa - Bleeding Heart, don't we give plants some strange names - good job someone decided to make a universal naming system. The Violet looks like our Common Dog Violet - V. riviniana.

Looking forward to the fern - A cute fern :)

RNSANE said...

I especially love ferns. Over thirty years ago, when I owned my first home in Florida, I grew about ten varieties at the entrance way to my home. They were so wonderful!

rainfield61 said...

I can take the pictures of ferns for the whole day. I can find many beautiful ferns along my hiking trail.

wenn said...

love the flowers!

Joanne Olivieri said...

Just beautiful, fern adds such an interesting dynamic to gardens. Along the redwood trail here in the botanical gardens, they are growing all over. I just love them

Ann said...

We had the same kind of weather here. We were getting 70 and 80 degree weather and then over night flowers were popping up and trees started turning green. Today snow. It's just not right :)

Rick (Ratty) said...

All of this cold and rain seems like a bad thing to a lot of people, but it really has made the green finally come out. I had to wait for the wind to die down a bit, but I went out today just to see the new green that's popping out in the forest.

Lin said...

Hooray for those first flowers that lift our spirits and show us what is to come. God bless them!

Ann Flower said...

Nice Blog. Can see the hardwork in your garden. Expecting some more pictures of bloom in your garden on your upcoming blog.

Sharkbytes said...

Carol- I seriously think they just erupted in one day. I don't think we have V. riviniana. Looks similar to our V. palustris. I think that's our only blue one with the flowers so far above the leaves.

Carmen- You and my adventure buddy, Ellen, would have a blast. She is trying to plant her yard with ferns.

rainfield- Go for it!

wenn- they really cheer me up!

Jo- they have so much variety, and the deer don't eat them!

Ann- It is a bit weird, but the snow didn't stick.

Ratty- the wind was the worst, but we needed the rain really bad.

Lin- yes, yes, and yes! I'm smiley.

Hi Ann Flower- well, these are in my "kingdom," not really my poor neglected garden, but I do love 'em.

Julia said...

The bleeding hearts are one of my favorites. I used to plant them when I had deep shade but I lack the right micro climate at our house now. Nice pics!