Garden Photo of the Day

Late Winter and Early Spring in Cherry’s Garden

First blooms of the year

winter wreath behind winter container arrangements in rusty urns

Cherry Ong often shares her travels to other gardens in our GPOD on the Road feature, but today we’re in her beautiful home garden in British Columbia, looking at the flowers of late winter and early spring.

hellebore with small green flowers and silvery-green foliageHelleborus argutifolius ‘Silver Lace’ (Zones 6–8) is a hellebore that doesn’t have the bright colors of some of the hybrids, but it more than makes up for it with the silvery-green, sawtooth foliage.

winter wreath behind winter container arrangements in rusty urnsWinter wreaths make a backdrop for crocus (Crocus vernus, Zones 3–8) and greens in urns from Craigslist.

close up of dark purple helleboreHelleborus Winter Jewels ‘Onyx Odyssey’ (Zones 5–9)

close up of Kingston Cardinal helleboreAlways spectacular in the spring is my 15-year-old Helleborus × hybridus ‘Kingston Cardinal,’ a Dan Hinkley hellebore.

large planting of Goldfinch helleboreKingston Cardinal’s companion hellebore in the same bed, also 15 years old, is Helleborus × hybridus ‘Goldfinch.’ This one suffered from botrytis several years ago, and I tried my best to save it. To me, it looks much better, but there are still traces of it. Hopefully it will continue to get better and I can keep the plant for a lifetime.

various cut hellebore flowers in a bowlI cut some hellebore flowers and brought them to work! The best way to brighten everyone’s day is to bring them flowers.

close up of white daffodil flowerHere are the first blooms of Narcissus bulbodicum ‘Spoirot’ (Zones 4–8). Who can resist these hoopskirt flowers? I tried planting some in containers last year and am still waiting for the flowers.

close up of drooping pink helleboreI’m not really sure about the name of this hellebore in my backyard; it might be Helleborus × hybridus ‘Apricot Blush.’ It’s definitely a Marietta O’Byrne hellebore. I love her entire collection of winter jewels and wish I had the space to grow them all!

close up of succulent plantSaxifraga × geum ‘Dentata’ (Zones 6–9) is so easy to grow. It’s unbelievable how it’s grown into such a huge mass from one little pot.

 

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Comments

  1. user-7392754 04/04/2023

    Beautiful!!! Love all of your hellebores!!! The winter wreath with urns in front is quite a lovely scene!! Thank you Cherry for always sharing such amazing pictures with us all!!!!

    1. perenniallycrazy 04/04/2023

      Thank you for your kind words. Happy spring!

  2. Oxdriftgardener 04/04/2023

    Jealous of those hellebores!. A real uplift with my morning coffee as it is minus 11°C here this morning with a forecast of 15 -25 cm of snow tonight and tomorrow

    1. perenniallycrazy 04/04/2023

      Happy that the post provided you an uplift. Hope your own garden provides you with joy and happiness with its blooms soon.

  3. sheila_schultz 04/04/2023

    Spring has arrived and your many hellebores are as delicately magnificent as always, Cherry! I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment of photos from your summer gardens... always a joy!
    Yesterday was 82 in Tucson, tonight will be below freezing so my gardening chore today will be covering my tenders with frost cloth! Yikes!!! Luckily, we'll be in the 80's again this weekend. Freaky weather year.

    1. perenniallycrazy 04/04/2023

      Thank you Sheila. It’s always nice to hear from you. My frost cloth is on standby as we’re still getting cold temps on some days. It also hailed half the day on Sunday. I would love to see photos of your current garden so I hope you send in some photos. I miss all your fabulous container designs. Still keep a folder of inspiration photos to review before the summer container season starts.

      1. sheila_schultz 04/04/2023

        When we lived in Denver we had a lot of hail... I hate hail!!! Hope it didn't damage to many of your beauties! Maybe once I get our low desert gardens to my satisfaction I'll send in photos. I think I'm getting close?

  4. User avater
    simplesue 04/04/2023

    I'm so inspired to see your hellebores and your Narcissus bulbodicum ‘Spoirot’!!!! So beautiful, I saved your photos!

    1. perenniallycrazy 04/04/2023

      It’s so charming and irresistible. Got it from a local nursery last year. I’m waiting for my Arctic Bells to flower - fingers crossed since right now all I see are leaves.

      1. colleenak 04/04/2023

        I just added Narcissus bulbodicum to my Potential Plants spreadsheet! I don't usually "do" bulbs, but I hope to find these little beauties :-)

  5. btucker9675 04/04/2023

    That bowl of hellebores! Wonderful! Thank you for all of your terrific posts.

  6. User avater
    cynthia2020 04/04/2023

    Cherry - your urn groupings and photography are so gorgeous. Thank you for sharing. I did not know anything about Saxifraga × geum ‘Dentata’ and looked up more about it. The mature leaf margins are so eye-catching.

  7. jos29803 04/04/2023

    Cherry, your Hellebores are beautiful, especially the Onyx
    Odyssey. Thank you for sharing and Happy Gardening.

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