I thought I’d get out of the forest and back into the garden again for this post. Flowers are beautiful no matter where they grow, so you’ll find a little of everything from everywhere here.
Pheasant Eye Daffodil-also called Narcissus poeticus. This is supposed to have been one of the first daffodils cultivated in ancient times, and this is the latest and most fragrant one to flower here. I’ve seen more and more of these in fields and along roadsides so they are naturalizing. The yellow center cup with a red fringe and the late blooming period are good ways to identify this flower.
Azaleas are blooming heavily this year, with bushes so full of flowers that you would think they would topple over under the sheer weight of it all. This deep pink one is in my yard and is a dwarf evergreen azalea. All azaleas are in the genus Rhododendron, and evergreen azaleas are in the subgenus Tsutsusi.
This is a deciduous azalea that is much larger than the previous one shown and very fragrant. It grows in a local park. Deciduous azaleas are in the subgenus Pentanthera. I’m eagerly anticipating the native azaleas that will bloom soon.
This deep purple Beaded Iris (Iris germanica) was in the same park and looked almost black. I don’t know the name of the cultivar. I’m sorry about the harsh lighting in some of these photos, but with a full time job and home renovations on-going, I just don’t have the luxury of waiting for an overcast day to take pictures.
I thought this white bearded iris (Iris germanica) was especially beautiful. Too much shade will cause weak blooming in bearded irises and these that I found in a park were being shaded by trees and shrubs. If they were moved to a sunnier spot they would do better.
This is a Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) that blooms before all other irises in my gardens. This native to northern Asia and Europe is such a tough plant that I usually use an axe to divide it into smaller plants. Partial shade doesn’t bother this iris. In fact, nothing bothers this iris.
This yellow daylily (Hemerocallis) is very early, blooming just after the Siberian irises bloom. This plant was given to me many years ago by a friend who has since passed on and I have divided it many times for family and friends. Two things make this plant special: the early bloom time and the heavenly fragrance that smells of citrus and spices. I have a feeling this is a Lemon daylily (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus) which is a very old species brought to America in colonial days and originally from China and Europe. The Greek Hemerocallis means “beautiful for a day,” and that’s how long each flower lasts. It’s a shame that many of today’s daylilies, bred for larger and more colorful flowers, have lost their ancient fragrance.
Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis) is a beautiful plant in the pea family. This is a native plant that is sold in nurseries because it is so popular. Its flowers resemble those of the lupine, which is also in the pea family. Native Americans used this plant to make blue dye. True indigo (Indigofera) comes from the tropics.
The pink flowers on this horse chestnut tree were really beautiful. I found it in a park so I don’t know what cultivar it is, but I’d like to have it in my yard.
Believe it or not this is a columbine-a double flowered variety. Interesting, but I think I like the ordinary, single flowered columbines more.
Ornamental perennial salvia is blooming already. The culinary form of salvia is the herb known as sage. I’m wondering what fall will be like this year. Everything is blooming so early; I wonder if there will be anything left to bloom in September.
Dogwood used to be a tree that you saw only occasionally, but now you see them everywhere-even at fast food restaurants. That doesn’t mean they are any less beautiful though. The sepals on this one were beyond white-I think the whitest I’ve seen on a plant.
In a post I did recently called Under Cultivation I showed a photo of this flower and said I thought it might be a button bush, but I couldn’t be sure. Now I’m sure; it’s a native shrub related to witch hazel and is called Witch alder (Fothergilla major.) I’ve never seen this before this year, but I like it because it is so unusual.
Witch alder (Fothergilla major.)
Seed head of the pasque flower (Anemone patens,) which is almost as beautiful as the flower itself. One is just coming into bloom in the upper part of the photo.
I saw a flash of color in the corner of my eye as I was driving and what I discovered, after I backed up and jumped out, was a wisteria vine trying hard to make it all the way to the top of a cherry tree. The problem is I don’t know if it is a Chinese or Japanese wisteria. It’s doubtful that it is the American species because that one isn’t supposed to be hardy in New Hampshire. Whatever it is, it’s beautiful, and I want to go back later and try to identify it. Wisteria can grow under siding and shingles and actually tear them off, so they should never be planted near a house.
Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum), though beautiful, can overrun a garden. These flowers grow from a bulb and are native to southern Europe and Africa. The bulbs contain toxic alkaloids and have killed livestock, so they are now listed as an invasive species.
The common purple Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) is the state flower of New Hampshire so I guess I’d better include it here. Their scent, along with the honeysuckle and autumn olive, makes doing anything outside so much more enjoyable. Lilacs were first imported into New Hampshire from England in 1750 and grown at the Portsmouth home of Governor Benning Wentworth. The original plants are still blooming today in that garden and are believed to be the oldest lilacs in America.
Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed. ~Walt Whitman
As always, I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing what is blooming here in New Hampshire, and this day I hope you’ll forgive my forgetfulness! Thank you for stopping by.
I agree about the seed head of the pasque flower. It’s stunning!
I think as many people grow them for the seed head as they do for the flower.
i ‘m so shocked at how early everything seems to be open! I lived in Boston my entire life until 2.5 years ago and never recall such early bloomtimes! So wonderful! Love your blog, and will be following it from here on out!
ps. i miss lilac terribly!!!!!!!!
I’ve never seen plants bloom so early either, but we had a mild winter that was unheard of. Everything seems to be running sbout 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule, which makes it interesting for those of us who photograph wildflowers! Nothing is where it should be in time. I think I’d miss lilacs too-I’ve known them my whole life. Welcome and thank you for following my blog.
Loved it, as always….
Thank you Scott. I’m glad you did.
Very much. 🙂
These are all so pretty! We have some of them here and the others I find interesting and beautiful as well. When in North Caroline I fell in love with azaleas and finally found one that will grow here but so far it hasn’t done all that well. I think it just needs more time.
I wish I had more time for reading. It is fascinating to me why some plants will grow in one state but not another. Azaleas are beautiful but they don’t like the cold. Snow often protects them well and I’ll see mine bloom where the snow insulated the flower buds and there will be not one flower above the snow line. Forsythia will do the same thing, so if I suspect that it’s going to be a real cold winter I shovel snow onto the bushes to insulate them.
I will remember that next winter. I know snow is an excellent insulator, but I had not thought about using it to protect plants.
Hey! A few of these I could have actually identified. I do miss the old flower gardens though. I also agree with you about breeding the fragrance out of some flowers, why stop to smell the flowers if they have no scent?
Glad you’ve seen some you recognize! Apparently plant breeders haven’t been able to figure out how to have bigger flowers and scent, so they sacrificed scent. This is most notable on roses, of all things! Personally, I think they should leave well enough alone, but that subject could be a three page post so I’ll shut up about it and just say that I agree with you.
Especially roses! I planted many floribunda roses rather than hybrib teas, both for the scent and the profusion of flowers.
I know what you men-planting roses with no scent is a waste of real estate.
Enjoyed the view from the garden. The horse chestnut blooms would be nice in a yard. The star of Bethlehem come up in our front yard each spring and are simple elegance. Did not know they could affect livestock.
Glad you liked it. I think you mentioned that horse chestnut blooms in one of your posts (?) and I was surprised to find one here. Yes, star of bethkehem has been known to kill cattle, so keep it away from grazers and children. It’s a bad one that works on the heart.
You got some really nice shots for today’s post. Thanks for naming that first flower. I photographed it up north last week, but hadn’t gotten around to identifying it yet.
Do you have a wild azalea there? I have seen a plant that looks like one in the woods, but don’t have a shot of it handy.
Thank you Sandy. Yes, we have native azaleas. One of the best known is called “June pink” (Rhododendron prinophyllum)which is found all over New England, so I’d bet that you have it too. It a deciduous species and is extremely fragrant. I’m hoping I can find one up in Jaffrey, NH soon.