What's Blooming Now?

These Anemone blanda, Grecian windflower, popped up under some birches. We've never seen them in the 6 years we've owned the property and I don't ever remember planting them so how they got there remains a mystery.





I believe this is a Berberis thunbergii 'atropurpurea', B. vulgaris, Japanese barberry, Common barberry which is blooming now. The flowers are tiny but noticeable especially in the large numbers blooming. In all the years we've had this plant I didn't ever notice it blooming. Surprising how clueless one can be in what goes on about you.




Our 'Prairie Fire' crab apple. This small tree we planted last year is literally covered with flowers on every branch.




A slightly better picture of the Epimedium 'shrimp girl'.




Surprisingly the Magnolia 'Vulcan' still has a few flowers yet to open. I may have to change my opinion about this tree even if the flowers are not red as advertised. This was the first year it's bloomed so I expect more flowers will be on the tree next year.






The Fothergilla gardenii, Dwarf Fothergilla or Dwarf Witchalder, Family: Hammamelidaceae is blooming again. The ball-like bottle brush look is fascinating and quite lovely.





This yellow Columbine, Aquilegia is the first one to bloom in our yard. It seems to be about a week earlier than the rest of the Columbines which are almost ready to bloom.




I'm happy to report the Tradescantia in a previous post seems to be happy where I planted it and has opened many more flowers. Thank heavens the stamens have not turned pink which may be an indication of an increase in gamma rays.





I don't know the name of or if this is a Rhododendron or Azalea but I love this delicate plant and flowers.




Leaf shape of the Acer japonicum, 'Otaki'.





Several of the Viburnums are blooming. Here are pictures of two.




I planted this white Rhododendron in too sunny a place. The Rebud tree that was supposed to shade the Rhodo. died leaving the Rhodo. in full sun. It managed to survive for a year in full sun but the leaves were scorched unmercifully and several large branches dies. I finally moved it last week and it rewarded me with these few blooms. Now I feel terrible I didn't move the shrub sooner.




Variegated leaves of a Red Twig Dogwood, Cornus stolinifera.




The Daphne x burkwoodii 'Carol Mackie' I bought last year is blooming for the first time. I acquired this plant because of the variegated leaves and its supposed cold tolerance to zone 6. The flowers are not very fragrant and the smell is a bit stinky to my nose but I do like the yellow, green, leaf variegations.




A lilac colored azalea.




The Helleborus niger is still blooming.




Bleeding heart, Dicentra spectabilis. This plant was so vigorous it crowded out several other plants so we relegated it to the hinterlands. Despite the dry location it happily proliferates.




This is a mutation of the 'Kwanzan' Japanese flowering cherry. The leaves are a dark purple instead of green in the original 'Kwanzan'. I like the look of this tree much better than the regular 'Kwanzan'. However, it doesn't seem to be as robust nor as floriferous as the original. We like it so much we planted two in front of the entry to our home.




Original or normal flowering Japanese cherry, 'Kwanzan'. The flowers are just a bit lighter in color than the mutation above. It's not that there's more light on these flowers. If you held both up to the light the mutation would look darker.




The Blueberries, Vaccinium are starting to bloom.




Redbud, Cercis canadensis.




And last but not least the common Dogwood, Cornus florida.