I had to postpone any garden work for a couple of weeks due to work conflicts, so I set today aside to get the bare minimum done, especially since the weather was perfect to get things done.

My order from Plant Delights landed on Thursday, so I potted up or planted out all of those treasures.  The more tender ones ended up in pots in the greenhouse until warmer weather.  The hardier ones went right outside.  I’m probably most excited about Iris ungicularis “Francis Wormsley”–a winter blooming fragrant iris!  I planted it near the plum tree along the fence in the orchard garden.

Two kiwi vines arrived from Burgess.  The female is pretty healthy looking, but the male looked like a dead stick.  I planted it anyway, but will watch it and get a replacement if needed.  I planted these on the trellises in the raised veggie beds.

Much of the day was spent cleaning up after the serious windstorm we had here last weekend.  There were hundreds of branches off the Douglas fir, and thousands of cones from that tree, as well.  I didn’t attempt to pick up the cones–something I’ll tackle another time.  But the branches got picked/raked up and readied for yard waste pick up.

I fertilized the cane berries today, too, with an organic food from Raintree Nursery.  The blackberries are looking really strong this year and I expect many more berries this year than last.

It was an excellent day for photographs, as the sun was filtered by thin clouds.  I’m going to dump some here and will add captions some other time.

One of last year’s forced hyacinths–a gorgeous very light pink.  All over the garden and pots, many of the hyacinths have bent over, likely due to weather and weak stems.

This may be the third time I’ve photographed this potted hyacinth from last year’s forced bulbs, which means it has been in bloom for the better part of a month.

I couldn’t get a clear shot of the clivia buds that are coming on throughout the greenhouse–the space is stuffed to the gills.  But I took a blurry shot to show that the flowers are coming…

This mounted orchid has increased in size ten-fold since I got it at the flower and garden show maybe 4 years ago.  It has yet to bless me with its flowers.  I think it is an Aerangis, but I couldn’t reach it to read the tag!

Many of the cymbidiums that I assumed would not bloom are now spiking–probably 5 or six more spikes throughout the greenhouse.

This is a second spike on the “hooded” cymbidium.  Its first spike of flowers had bad viral spots and were ruined.  Hopefully, the second spike will fare better–I have adjusted the fan and will open the door frequently to ensure air circulation.

Fuchsia “Cardinal” tree is blooming.  I need to pinch it back, but couldn’t bear to take these lovely flowers off!

The form of this holiday cactus is spectacular.  This is one that I’m growing in a hanging basket in orchid bark.  The flower display has been less than impressive in quantity, but the blooms themselves are fascinating and beautiful.

The “classic” holiday cactus still has dozens of bright blooms.

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At the front of the greenhouse, out of reach, the Veltheimia is blooming.

I don’t think Freesia laxa plants exactly thrive in my care…but they bless me with flowers, anyway.  This is a seedling of the blue morph, and while the sparse flower show does not inspire awe, the delicate lavender color with distinctive spots are worth a spot in the greenhouse.

I appear to have a knack with Pleione, however.  I started with one bulb and now there are a dozen or so.  I’ll be able to try some outside when I divide them.  The clay pot they are in has 7 blooms this year.

For such short plants, the flowers are actually huge.

The bulbs have spread quickly in this terracotta rectangular pot.

Here are what the bulbs look like.  They are starting to pile up on top of each other, so I will pick a few out and share with family/friends, and plant some in the Douglas fir bed to see if they can survive there.

A slightly clearer picture of the pot.

This bloom is not quite open yet.

Another picture of the soon to be fully open Pleione formosana flower.  This flower was closest and I could reach it easiest, so that’s why I photographed it so much!

I spent part of the day going through potted plants on the shelves next to the house and repotting/topdressing (and composting) the contents there.  Above is a Japanese maple seedling that I put in a bonsai pot today.  It is not really a bonsai yet, but has some real potential.  I believe this is a five year old seedling from some arboretum seeds.

Here is the shelf mentioned above.  I got through the top three shelves.  There are two shelves to go–might get to it tomorrow.

Trillium aren’t huge fans of the Douglas fir bed, but they persist there after probably 15 years.  I think there are only two that will bloom this year.  I love these plants, but I suspect it is too dry under that giant forest tree to keep them truly happy.

Anemone blandas blooming in the Douglas fir bed.  I forgot I had planted these, along with some other fall-planted bulbs back in October.  They were happy to remind me, though.  They are fantastic–perfect woodland citizens.

A close up of the Anemone flower.

More Anemone flowers.

One narcissus that perennializes in my garden is the poeticus–you can see a healthy clump here that will have 7-10 flowers in the next week or so.

Very few tulips have survived, but this cream/white one will be wide open in a few days.  It has graceful form.

An absolute spring favorite–the sweet olive, Osmanthus fragrans.  As I worked in the orchard garden and front yard, this generous shrub rewarded me with its sweet scent.

Ferns around the garden are really coming into their own this month.

Fiddleheads.

More fiddleheads.

Strong new growth as the old fronds make way by laying on the ground.

This Heuchera is in the woodland “pond” garden.

Probably  my favorite picture of the day–this is a bleeding heart (Dicentra) in the woodland “pool” garden.

The same plant from a little distance.

Yellow is not my favorite flower color, but this Epimedium x versicolor “Sulphureum” in the pool garden has earned my appreciation.  It is tough as nails and blooms brightly in earliest spring.

Not fully in focus, but this is Brazen Hussy, the best-named plant in the pool garden, a selection of Ranunculus.  It is a runner, for sure, but hasn’t proven thuggish, since it disappears in late spring.

The Goumi (Elaeagnus multiflora) in the orchard garden is budding up better than ever–looks like it will have a bumper crop this year!

This aronia shrub has flowers coming.   It looks like it may have fewer berries than last year.   The plant is growing well, though, so I imagine it’ll produce a lot more berries next year.

Corylopsis still blooming.  The flowers fade to a soft lemon yellow and elongate into this graceful form.

Again, with the past-its-best Forsythia in the background.

Another Corylopsis branch.

Squirrels help spread the grape hyacinths (Muscari), or at least I assume that’s how they end up in places they were never planted.  This stand is in the raspberry bed.

Throught the raspberry canes.

I need to fertilize this poor camellia, but it is blooming beautifully.

Many more flowers on the Asian pear espalier–I am hopeful that we’ll actually get fruit this year.  Last year, despite quite a few flowers, not fruit appeared.

Here is sister Cate’s Hellebore–I couldn’t resist another picture in the perfect lighting today.

Dicentra in the orchard garden–this also from sister Cate.

Close up of the sister Cate bleeding heart.

The plum tree is blooming well this year, too.  Hopefully we’ll get a few plums.  I believe this is Santa Rosa.

Close up of the flowers.

And more plum flowers.

Here is the start of Iris unguicularis “Francis Wormsley” from Plant Delights.  The plants were all great starts and packed extremely well.

Started very early from seed last year, these wall flowers are just now blooming.  I absolutely love this rich burgundy color!

Coronilla (emerus?) blooming near the front door.  This came as a start from brother Tim at least 15 years ago.  It has done really well for me.  My only challenge is how to keep it pruned and yet let it bloom–it has grand aspirations in a limited space.

More Coronilla flowers.  This shrub is just starting to bloom now–it will stay cheerful for about a month, and will rebloom if I cut it way back.