Fragrant on The First-- March

How did it get to be the first of the month already?? Wow, guess all the wishing for spring to come helps.  The blooming fragrant plants in my garden are similar to what was fragrant last month with a few additions.   Walk with me around the yard as we see what is fragrant in my garden.

First, along the driveway, still blooming, Narcissus 'Grand Soleil d'Or', the yellow paperwhite.  What a nice long bloom period!

Walking toward the house the next fragrant (though only slightly) is my yellow crocus, Crocus chrysanthus 'Advance'.   None of my other crocuses have bloomed, yet.  

My poor little Hyacinths are still holding on, some have been eaten from below, so I enjoy the ones remaining.  Hyacinth 'Jan Bos'

As we head past the house and walk toward the backyard, the fragrance of the Edgeworthia is heavy on the breeze.  This is the prime time for Edgeworthia chrysantha.  You can smell the scent from up on the deck all the way down to the water.   How many of you have purchased an Edgeworthia this year??  My work here is done.  

A new plant to add to the list of the fragrant blooms is Daphne genkwa, Lilac daphne.  I read a number of reports that this pretty little shrub is slightly fragrant, though, I don't get any fragrance from it.  I will include it in my monthly post, but can't vouch for its scent.  

This is an unknown Narcissus from a multi-pack of daffodils.  It has a slight fragrance and really not very appealing.  I can't wait for some of my really fragrant daffodils to bloom.  

Coming back around the house and heading back toward the front, I have a number of Viburnum tinus compacta 'Spring Bouquet'.  This pretty bloom's fragrance is fleeting.  I remember last year finally getting a chance to experience the fragrance.  Some plants give off more fragrance at certain times during the day.  Maybe I miss this one more than I catch its scent.

In the front yard by the shed is one of the Daphne odora aureomarginata, Winter daphne.  It has a lemony fragrance, another great winter fragrance that keeps on blooming.  So glad both my Winter daphne are doing well.   

Finally, Osmanthus fragrans, Tea Olive, is still blooming and super fragrant.  This evergreen shrub blooms from late summer through fall and winter into early spring.  I have eight of them around my garden.   They can reach heights of 20 feet or more.  Imagine a shrub that size full of blooms -- heavenly!!

What do you have fragrant in your garden?  

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Spring is Just Around The Corner, 'Jane' Said So

We have had such a mild winter this year.  Some of my daffodils are blooming a month earlier than they have for the past couple years.  I know it is getting close to Spring because my Magnolia x 'Jane' is starting to open.  'Jane' is one of the Little Girl Series of Magnolias.  She is a hybrid cross between M. liliiflora' Nigra' and M. stellate 'Rosea'.  These 'girls' tend to bloom later in the spring, missing that late frost that causes damage to the delicate petals.

She isn't open fully, just a tease of color.  Love this tree. She will be a show stopper in a few weeks...and in years to come, wow!!

For those of us in the South who love lilacs but don't have a lot of luck with them, here is a nice color substitute.  Sadly it is not very fragrant.  Daphne genkwa is a sweet little shrub that blooms before its leaves come out.  Right now mine is full of light lavender tubular blooms.  This time of year I welcome all color!!

A little more color this time of year is the Pulmonaria, this one is P. 'Raspberry Splash' with its foliage sporting white polka dots.

and here is P. 'Diana Clare' whose leaves are silver with a green edge.  Will have to share the foliage later in the season.  Right now it is pretty ratty, but the blooms are great.  Pulmonarias bloom pink and age to a lovely dark purple blue.

A new plant in the lower part of the garden is a variegated Pieris.  This one is P. japonica 'Passion Frost'.  I bought three, one looks a little stressed.  Hoping these colorful beauties will do well and grow to their 4-5 feet tall mature size.  Pink blooms and variegated foliage....perfect!!  Another month or so and these pink buds will be open.

Like a new parent or a new puppy owner who is camera happy, I can't stop taking pictures of the Edgeworthia chrysantha.  She is in full bloom now and ever so fragrant.  If you live in zones 7b- 10 and don't have one of these babies, time is wasting!  Get one now!!!

Wanted to give you a wrap-up of the Great Backyard Bird Count-- had a lot of bird activity!!  My count was almost 180 birds in 45 minutes.   I got some feedback on the high count of the Brown-headed Nuthatch.  The seed mix in this feeder was popular with all sorts of birds.  At some points during my count I had 5 Nuthatches at one time on this feeder.

See the Nuthatch below?  Busy little guys.  They take a seed and fly off to eat it and return to get another.

Will be making the rounds to all the blogs I like to read, only have 113 posting in my Google reader right now.

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Fragrant on the First- February

I know many of you have had freezing temps, snow, and plain ugly weather.  Here in the Upstate of South Carolina this winter has been really mild.   Fragrant blooms in the garden are continuing to shine, so without further adieu, here is my presentation of February's fragrant blooms.

Daphne odora aureomarginata

Close up of the VERY fragrant blooms, Daphne odora aureomarginata

I have two Daphnes, both were the small size when I bought them....now the one in the top photo is about a third larger than the one in the second photo.

Hamamelis vernalis, Ozark witch hazel

This witch hazel is a new plant, only about 24 inches or so tall.  Can't wait for future years to have a nice large clove-y fragrant shrub along the driveway.

Narcissus 'Grand Soleil d'Or' yellow paperwhites, now along the driveway, happy after the recent rainfall

Osmanthus fragrans, Tea Olive, has been blooming since early fall

Rosmarinus officinalis, Rosemary,  great shrub if you have the room

Now for some photos of last month's bloom -- it is growing more and more fragrant as more of these little tubular blossoms open.  Oh how I wish there was Smell-O-Vision.  I love this plant so much I bought another for an area by the front door in a large container.  The front door has a small alcove, the fragrance greets you as you go in or out....heavenly.

Edgeworthia chrysantha

Edgeworthia chrysantha

Edgeworthia chrysantha

And finally, some of my Hyacinths are starting to bloom.  In one area the Hyacinths have multiplied to a nice clump, can't wait for them to bloom!

Hyacinth 'Jan Bos' 

  What do you have blooming on February 1st?
©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

A Warm and Balmy January Bloom Day

This winter has been so mild for those of us in the Upstate of SC.  Today I was able to plant two crabapple trees, Malus 'Red Silver' and M. 'Golden Hornet' and two Spirea van houttei that I ordered in November.  While working in the yard I was happy to see my Daphne odora 'aureomarginata' was starting to bloom.    I thought I would walk around the yard and get a few photos of all that is blooming today.  Carol from May Dreams Gardens has the Garden Bloggers Bloom Day each month on the 15th.  Be sure to check out what is blooming from other bloggers.

Ozark witch hazel -- fragrance of cloves
Hamamelis vernalis

This is the first year to have this one in my garden (note the dog hair!)

Osmanthus fragrans still blooming and fragrant

Drain field-  see the Paperwhites?

Here they are, Narcissus 'Grand Soleil d'Or'
They are so small, will move them along the driveway soon.

Distyllium myricoides is starting to open, a member of the witch hazel family

Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' has been blooming since October!

Daphne odora 'aureomarginata' Heavenly scent

Helleborus x ballardiae 'HGC Pink Frost'

Edgeworthia chrysantha with a visitor

Bee in midflight

See those orange bundles of pollen?

Paperwhites with Ajuga 'Black Scallop'

Rosemarinus officinalis in bloom

My new garden art with blue bottles, adding a little color to the shady part of the garden.

From another view.

Thanks for joining me to see what is blooming in my garden.

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Three Hundred and Counting on GBBD

This post is my 300th posting.  It is hard to believe I finally hit the 300 mark.  Since we moved to South Carolina I missed two anniversaries.  I started this blog in early December 2008, so am into my fourth year.  It has been a great adventure and I am really glad I started blogging.  The wonderful friends I meet every day in the blogging world are just amazing. 

This coming spring I will get to meet many of the garden bloggers at the Garden Bloggers Spring Fling!  It is like getting to meet a penpal face to face. 

Today is the 15th of the month and that means it is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, please make sure to go to Carol's blog.  She has been hosting this great gathering for a long time!  I just checked her sidebar, GBBD has occured 81 times!  wow.

So let's see what is blooming in South Carolina -- First is my favorite spring weed.  This was taken along the roadside while walking the dogs.  (Three dogs, a camera, and holding my jacket as it was warmer than I thought) These little flowers have four petals, ranging from lavender to dark purple.  I have checked my sources and I do not have a firm ID.  I think it is in the Houstonia family, but it is blooming in February!  Any ideas? 

Bloom day in the winter wouldn't be complete without another shot of my lovely Daphne odora.   Her blooms are few now, but I have great expectations for winters to come!

The Muscari I planted last year are starting to bloom.  They are circling a sundial next to the driveway.  If you look closely you can see some black ears...my shadow, Newton.

I believe this is Narcissus 'Foresight' blooming now.  I have three daffodil blooms open right now...but just wait a month!!

The red flowering Quince has some swelling buds.  Can't wait for them to pop open.

Over the last two years we planted eight Osmanthus fragrans, Tea Olives.  These guys have been blooming since last fall!  Their fragrance is out of this world. 

Coming into the backyard you find the Edgeworthia chrysantha.  I shared the close-up before, but I wanted you to see the shrub in its lovely naked winter glory.  I love this plant.   In the summer the leaves are large, oval, kind of velvety, and blue green, shading the ferns under them.

Many of the hyacinths are coming up.  I have pink and dark pink. 

Here is another view of the Edgeworthia,(there are two)  along with the Sarcococca hookeriana, soon the Sarcococca will be blooming.  Right now the buds are plumping, getting ready to open.   I made this photo larger... see the umbrella looking thing in the background?  It houses some Carolina Jasmine and a native honeysuckle.  Can't wait for it to be covered!

Also under the Edgeworthia is my Hellebore 'Pink Frost', almost open.

Lower in the garden towards the water are the other Hellebore, they are really blooming a lot more than last year.

One plant that hasn't done gangbusters, yet, is my Pulmonaria longifolia  'Diana Clare'.  She is full of buds this year and one is open.

While I was walking around the garden I noticed  I had some company.  These little anoles will rustle the leaves and I think somebody is walking up on me.  They are fun.

Blooms that you don't think about as 'blooms' are on my shrubs.  This is the Myrica cerifera, Wax myrtle. 

And this is the Cryptomeria japonica 'Black Dragon', busting with flowers.

Some forsythia in our area are blooming and mine, well, one of the buds is just about open.  Spring is on its way.....

Thanks for joining me on this Bloom Day.  I appreciate all the comments you all share.  This blogging experience has been a wonderful trip...here's to 300+ more!!

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.