Then they look more natural to me.
Supposed to be better weather here soon.
One tiny snow drop and one tiny pushkinia so far.

Passed the property below today.



Got to admit Sue and Caroline that I'm not one for the casual spreading of Chionodoxa (the blue one), Puschkinia and Scilla siberica (latter, above).
A problem for me is that it's very difficult to contain.

Guess it all depends on ones style of perennial gardening.
I think also the amount of space you have to work with is relevant.

Still pleasant temperature today, but overcast, before it rained heavily.
The crocuses are all closed.



Nice that the Chionodoxa don't do that.
(species tulips beginning to flower)



First perennial to bloom here is lungbane.
Today in our sunniest location:

Sorry, forgot to say;
Thanks, Sue, Caroline.

Being a central Canadian I've heard of chinooks out West (they always say in Calgary), Caroline;
perhaps we tend to think you have a nice balmy warm chinook every other day.
If so, we must be wrong!

Hope your weather's better soon.

Snowdrops here would appear probably about a month before Puschkinia did.

Yes, puschkinia is usually later--but this one is in full sun near the sidewalk.
My nice surprise for today was the appearance of two Himalayan poppy plants.
They are smack against the north side of house and right outside the laundry room window.
They have made it through two winters now. They flowered last year.

Charlie, I don't even try to contain those little bulbs, I'm so glad to see something when they start blooming. When they get in the way as I'm planting other things I just throw 'em.
We still have two feet and some higher drifts here. We haven't much new snow but it's so cold that nothing's melting.18 degrees this morning and it only got up to thirty seven today I was so excited when we got a day up to 40 , but it's suppose to get up to 60 by Saturday the forecaster said.
That's why I'm enjoying everyone elses pictures cause I'm not even close to having anything blooming.

Nice surprise indeed, Caroline!

I noted several comments elsewhere from Calgarians saying Mecanopsis (Himalayan blue poppy) did well for them.
Zone 3?
As you also indicate, they can handle your winters.

I have an extremely horticulture-knowledgeable friend here (Aurora, southern Ontario), who grows them from seed, as annuals.
Some years he does better than others and says that it's the summer humidity (our summers are hot and humid) that limits his success.

Crossed.

That snow, Sue - not nice.
But Saturday sounds great.

I had a minor problem with contact dermatitis on my right wrist last year.
I'm right-handed.

I started gardening several days ago, but hadn't got back to always wearing gloves and long-sleeve shirts yet.
The dermatitis started again.
Only things I've been dealing with: Chionodoxa and Puschkinia!
I was suspecting the former last year.

If it's the culprit, guess that's an argument for leaving it alone.
The voles do.
Probably know: Chionodoxa and Puschkinia are poisonous.

Thanks for the heads up about the Chionodoxa and Puschkinia being poisonous. No I didn't know and my grandchildren love to come and pick the little flowers and their Mom would kill me if I was letting them pick something poisonous. That contact dermitisis is the pits it's good that you figured out what was causing it.

Think it's me whose particularly sensitive for that contact problem, Sue.

Know I read (wish I could find where!) that 40% of perennials are poisonous to some degree.
Source didn't specify type of poisoning (e.g. ingestion, contact) or what percentage of people were affected for each toxin.

I have a tray of Blue poppy seedlings.
I have yet to get them from seed through to flowers.
The sprouts, north of the house, were purchased as plants.

That is very interesting Caroline.

As said, my contact with Himalayan blue poppies has been through a friend, David Tomlinson,
whose perennial gardening course at Merlin's Hollow (the garden he built) I initially took.
He really is an expert, not simply by reading but by raising the plants which he (and wife, Dierdre) sold, on open days,
for the materials with which he built Merlin's Hoillow.

He always has a showing of Blue Poppies, as said, some years better than others.
Going to be interesting to raise Calgary and your experiences with him.

Charlie, sorry about your dermatitis, better wear gloves in future around those plants.

Sue, I hope you get some warm weather real soon, no fun not being able to get out and garden this time of year.

Caroline, the only problem I find with poppies is they take up a lot of space and the blooms last such a short period of time. But they sure are pretty.

Was nice but breezy here yesterday, I had a good afternoon in the garden, supposed to be even warmer today about 68F/20C.

The swallows returned and were checking out some of the 5 houses we have around the garden, also White-crowned sparrows and Audubon warblers.

Thanks, Margaret.
Same sort of weather here.

Sue's and Caroline's weather will come!

Another common interest between David Tomlinson and folk here.
He may be very accomplished in the gardening (hands-on and landscape designer) and ecology areas (city planner/environmental engineer),
but his first love has always been birds.

I proof read a manuscript: he went into gardening to be around birds, Merlin's Hollow is named for the hawk, he's been responsible for organizing bird boxes
in public wild areas in town and he's doing field research on bird habitats in the face of urban development of the Oak Ridges Moraine (where we live).
Latter: it's the meadow birds that are in trouble, not the wetland birds.

We just feed the birds when we return from Florida.
And (oh dear) I only eat birds and fish; namely, not my fellow mammals.

I try for mainly veges with some poultry and fish.
But occasionally other meat.
My one son and his wife only do fish and poultry---no red meat.

We're big on veggies too, Caroline.

Think there's a trend away from red meat.
There's obviously lots of things still to be discovered about diet and disease,
but it makes sense to err on side of safety, especially for younger people
and people with children.

It's quite amazing what large scale food growers and food processors get up to!

SunnyBorders said:We're big on veggies too, Caroline.

Think there's a trend away from red meat.
There's obviously lots of things still to be discovered about diet and disease,
but it makes sense to err on side of safety, especially for younger people
and people with children.

It's quite amazing what large scale food growers and food processors get up to!

I think that is why so many people are getting into gardening, so they can have fresher healthier food.

Caroline, are you finally melting today? I am. It had melted enough this afternoon that I could get to a
garden bench to sit-and look out at an ocean of snow. It was still lovely to be able to get
out and sit in the sun though.

Been complaining about a very late spring, but forget we've got it lucky
compared to others whose spring routinely comes considerably later.

Some of the crocuses in sunny spots are finished, but where it's more shaded they're just beginning to bloom.

Today:





First species tulips:



Lots of Chionodoxa 'Giant Pink':



Am going through our small garden removing the stray Chionodoxa forbesii (luciliae) (the blue one) and Puschkinia libanotica
which still coming after years of digging them out.
I just dug half a dozen Puschkinia, which must have come from us, out of the neighbour's lawn.
I knew about Scilla siberica, so it never got planted in our garden.

Just noted that Chionodoxa forbesii is in the Invasive Species Compendium (of the CABI, an international body that promotes world agriculture).
It's also officially classified as an invasive species in Germany.

Cheerful pictures Charlie, This is a later spring for us too. Last year I had all my flowerbeds cleaned and a lot of my plants potted up for my plant sale by this time.

I don't think there's such a thing as a normal Spring cause they're all different but this one has sure has been frustrating!
This pic is from last year at this time. that area is still covered with at least half foot of snow today.

Sue, very interesting to see your comparison last year with this.
Didn't realize how late your spring is too.

Pretty picture:
Love hyacinths: have them indoors during March and outdoors (delayed, as you'd expect).

I worked out what the very attractive little fritillaria was.
Fun. The internet is such a great thing.
Still common sense says I should have just asked you!

I don't now have any members of the lily family (lilies, fritillaria, toad-lilies) because of the lily beetles.
It's a real pity, but the beetles make a terrible mess of the plants.
I tried several approaches, but the beetles, which overwinter in the soil, eventually won.