Six on Saturday – 16APR2022 – Splish Splash

Splish because after a really nice Good Friday, with sunshine and light breezes, a cold front came through late yesterday afternoon, bringing high winds, chilly temperatures and rain. Splash not because of the puddles I’ll be splishing through this morning, but because of all the splashes of colour that have popped up in multiple spots around the garden this week. Spring is here, the yard and gardens are gradually getting cleaned up and early spring bulbs are making an appearance. Here are six things in my south eastern Ontario garden this weekend; to see sixes from around the world, be sure to visit The Propagator’s site.

First up is an old urn with pansies. You’re right, these aren’t spring bulbs, but these and some others are adding a bit of colour around the side patio.

Muscari latifolium make an appearance a few weeks before other Muscari in my garden.

Scilla siberica seemed to appear almost overnight; it’s starting to make a nice carpet in a few wooded areas, replacing snowdrops that are now fading.

There’s a few patches of this Kaufmanniana tulip – Stresa – that managed to escape the hoarding chipmunks last fall. Most other tulips won’t be blooming for about a month, but these are planted in a warm micro climate against the west wall of the house.

One of my favourite spring ephemerals – Chionodoxa, or Glory of the Snow, seems to have been setting seed and spreading all over.

Finally, if it had been maybe a degree warmer, for an extra hour, yesterday afternoon, this may have been a photo of the first Narcissus to open in my garden – the mini daff ‘Tête-à-tête,’ which is French for Head to Head, which is a lovely way to describe these tiny blooms since they often have two flowers atop a stem. In the coming weeks the stalks and leaves will elongate and reach 20 – 30 cm, but I love how they’re eager to open even when just out of the ground. Have a lovely weekend everyone!