As others in various parts of the country have been noticing, this was the winter that wasn't. At least where I live it wasn't was;~}  Many of my plants are at least 2 weeks ahead this year. Others seem more like months ahead...

I have barely been able to keep up with the blooms that pop daily out of the ground and begin to show off their colors. Every day I walk through the garden and take photos--and without fail, the very next day, there is something new. Sometimes it all happens within the same day: I'll go for a garden walk in the morning, and again in the afternoon--and there is frequently something new that has emerged or opened up within a span of a few hours. It's overwhelming at times, very surprising, and wonderful!

Mertensia surprised me about a week ago...

...and Hepatica has been blooming for at least a week and a half--again, weeks before last year as shown in my March 23, 2011 post.

This has been the best March I can ever remember! (Of course, February was pretty good, too. Plants were surprising me then, as well). It's just that this month, some of the plants that have opened don't usually bloom until later on in the spring. So it sometimes feels as if I've hit the jackpot when I do a walk-through! Look at my Bloom Day post from mid-March, 2011. There wasn't much blooming last year! This year things are definitely different.

The Kerria opened on the 15th--my post on Kerria from a year ago showed it opening the last week of the month (about the 27th).

Helleborus niger (Christmas Rose) started blooming in January, which is normal...but many Helleborus hybrids were blooming in February, and by early March, all were blooming. (Except for those gnawed off by squirrels. Luckily I have found a way to keep them at bay and have been spraying with Bobbex regularly. It seems to be working!).

Buds are ready to pop on the native Rue Anemone:

In fact, on one of them, they already have:

Just planted Fritillaria bulbs (in January--very late!) so this is the first I've had one coming into bloom in my garden. I don't know if it's early or not, but I'm happy I 'Bobbexed' it before the critters could get to it:

Lots of Heuchera are up and have small blooms already (such as Heuchera 'Georgia Peach', and others). Heucherella is also blooming in my garden:

The Arabis has taken off, as has the Creeping Phlox (both lining the driveway):

Euphoria 'Blackbird' with blooms opening:

Blooming for a couple of weeks, with plants opening at various times, are Hyacinth:

...and of course, Narcissus.  While some daffodils bloomed early and are finished, others are still in full bloom, with yet my newest varieties just now popping their foliage through the soil. I'll upload the newer ones when they start to bloom, but those that have been in bloom and are currently blooming are:

 Pieris 'Valley Valentine' has really increased her blossoms since my last post:

Hydrangea is really budding out...

The Trillium haven't bloomed yet but are above ground, fairly early;  I just hope I can stay ahead of the squirrels with the 'Bobbex'.  So far, so good:

I was surprised over a week ago when Polemonium began to bloom...

It just gets more lovely each day:

I just planted light blue Muscari (in January, when I planted other bulbs) and they are coming up nicely:

3 crocus varieties have been blooming for a couple of weeks:

Many Iris reticulata are still blooming--but I think they are about finished:

I was really surprised to see Golden Groundsel already in bud...it was not this early last year (I got it last year at Carolyn's Shade Gardens in April and didn't bloom until late April)!

With several Forsythia varieties, 2 have been in bloom for about a week, with one type a much later bloomer. It's funny to see in person, as they are planted right next to each other:

A 3rd variety is planted in a different location, with about half of the branches in bloom:

Creeping Speedwell and Lamium are really pretty on one side of the house:

Bloodroot was another plant that I posted for Bloom Day last year in mid-April...this year, it bloomed  before mid-March!

I am linking this with Garden Bloggers Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens. GBBD is on the 15th of each month, and features garden bloggers around the world who show us what is blooming in their part of the planet.  Even though I am a few days late, my photos show a pretty good 'mid month view' of my Virginia garden. After I publish this, I can guarantee something will have changed in the garden. Another bud will have opened up, another plant sprouted. I'll walk outside and hosta leaves will have shot up a quarter of an inch from where they were this morning. It is truly a season of change!

Well, that's all for now. I hope you are discovering gifts every day in your garden of life, too:-)

It's March 8th and I've decided to show 'what's blooming right now' in my garden. The last time I blogged was in January and I had 'vowed' to blog at least twice a month. Somehow, February completely slipped away without a single post. Did anyone notice?! Probably not!

I took photos daily, or at least several times a week, throughout the month of February, so it's all 'on record' if I want to share anything. I'm not sure what the reason for lack of blogging was, but it could have been the fact that most of my blooming plants were being completely destroyed by squirrels. It was kind of depressing, to say the least!

Anyway, I just noticed today that the Candytuft is blooming...it seems early to me:

The Pulmonaria started blooming in late February...I could hardly believe it. Much earlier than last year!:

 Here are some of the Hellebore's that are and have been blooming. Some since January, most of the others were blooming the whole month of February. I couldn't show them in February, however, because they were gnawed and eaten, with blooms cut off and looking scraggly! I finally got some good 'critter spray' (Bobbex) and have had good luck with it so these photos show 'intact' plants. (Wait until my next post when I show all the ugliness that the squirrels created here...!):

A couple of different Hellebores...both 'hybrids'.

(The one below had part of the flower eaten by

squirrels but you can still see the pretty interior as

it opened up).

H. 'Phoenix' (above) was totally chewed off so I had to wait for a new flower to form...

Corsican Hellebore was the only plant that wasn't touched by the squirrels:

I have a lot more Hellobores but couldn't show any blooms because either they bloomed and were destroyed, or they haven't bloomed yet. As I said earlier, I have another post 'brewing' about that issue.

I think it's early for Hepatica, compared to last year:

H. nobilis:

H. acutiloba:

Same with Jacob's Ladder...it is much earlier than last year!:

I just planted these Iris reticulata bulbs in January...so not sure if they are 'early' or not. They began blooming over a week ago:

Daffodils have been blooming for a few weeks, on and off...but I still have several varieties that haven't even broken ground yet. Here are some I've had for years...nothing 'special', really. I planted a bunch of new ones in January and will photograph them when they bloom...

I had to show this guy...usually I'd pull him out but in February, he was welcome!

If you noticed a white 'film' on any of the plants, it is spray to keep away the squirrels and deer. You might wonder why it would be on things like daffodils, hellebore and pieris. If I didn't know better, I would wonder myself. However, it is necessary, believe me! I have a whole series of photos showing the damage and destruction caused by squirrels alone. I have never had so much hellebore damage. It's a crime, it really is! I'll explain in my next post...

Until then, did you remember to say

Thanks for Today! Unwrap the present; discover the gifts! ?

What gifts did you discover today?

Every year we look forward to an influx of colorful birds in our yard. The numbers generally pick up in January, and usually coincide with colder temperatures. While birds are here at any given time throughout the year, there is more obvious activity at the feeders during the winter months:

What do we do to attract the birds?  One thing we do is provide a variety of seeds, nuts and berries in several different bird feeders.  Black oil sunflower seed, hulled sunflower nuts, peanut pieces, safflower seed, nijer seed, and suet is available and enjoyed by many different birds.  Here are some birds on the suet feeders:

Here are others on the seed feeders:

  Nijer (Thistle Seed) feeder:

Despite the food offerings, probably the most important thing we do is offer water. Birds love bird seed, but they need water. We started out with a heated birdbath which the birds really love because it prevents the water from freezing over:

Last summer we also installed a meandering stream. It has proven to be an attractive addition and/or alternative to the birdbath and I've immensely enjoyed watching the birds get to know it:

Something else that helps to make the birds feel safe is having some shelter, such as evergreens or bushes/shrubs that don't lose their leaves in the winter. We planted Leyland Cypress on either side of the house, and birds can frequently be seen resting on the bows of the trees, seemingly hidden from sight (except for mine!):

We also have holly trees in the front yard, and on either side of the house. This morning I spotted this colorful guy up in the icy-covered branches:

Many birds don't even go to the feeders, but enjoy the food that drops to the ground:

Even when birds aren't eating, they are simply fun to watch, as they hop on railings, bird feeder poles or tree branches:

I hope you've enjoyed these photos--I have captured them all within the past couple of weeks. Our weather has finally gotten cold and we've had a little snow a couple of times and even a minor 'icing'. I've said it before, but I do believe it: Winter is for the birds!

What do you do to attract birds?