Share Spring Photos Here!

[CountryEscape]

Yippee, Andy, then I've no worries about my Golden Club ... this crazy weather is keeping it dormant still. I'm sure it will come back, as it was growing well all last summer. This morning, a skim of ice on the pond, and lots of ice formed on the north-facing wall. So much wind must have blown the water particles up on the wall, causing the ice to form there. There is no water up on the top of the waterfall, just from the bottom pool to the edge.

As you can see, the ice outside is not allowing me to enjoy any flowers yet (thus this thread), so I've started some of the lotus seeds I bought last year. I've got them now growing in kitty litter in a bucket, with about 3-4" of water above the top of the pot. Is that about right, or should the leaves still be underwater? The tips of some of the stems look like the leaf is black and dead. I must be doing something wrong.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Did the tips freeze?? I don't know anything about lotus plants so I can't say what it could be other than frost?

 

[callingcolleen1]

Well the early spring bulbs are popping out on the east side of the house, beside the ponds. I heard it is going to be very cold and snow may be coming late tonight, so I will have to cover these little bulbs back up with leaves.

Three little fantail fishy's got their wish for an early spring, inside the nice warm greenhouse tank.

Other signs of spring could only be found inside my enchanted little magical greenhouse....

 

[DrCase]

My lotus are still sitting low I the water , doing nothing
Country we put pansies out late September and they bloom till it gets hot

 

[pecan]

We have had some beautiful days in the 50's-70's over the last few weeks. But it cooled last night and we woke up to a lot of snow. But it is all melted off now except for the north facing beds. Here are some pictures I just took tonight.

Day Lilies seem to have a jump on just about everything else.

Helleborus

Chives

Garlic

Peony

Bee Balm

​ Nectarine getting ready to flower

Rhododendron getting ready to flower

First sign of growth on the roses

One of my favorites, Jupiter's Beard

Speedwell aka Royal Candles

And last but not least, another favorite, Fire Chalice

 

[pecan]

I almost forgot! Spring fishies!!! I took this tonight, they said "we dearly love you, you are such a nice lady and smart with a great sense of humor. Now will you please feed us?" At least I think that is what they said

 

[CountryEscape]

Loving all the spring pics, everyone! I'm sure that's what your fishes said to you, Pecan! And, Colleen, those are some cute little fantails. I have to ask, do you have a toad house? I see you have many fairy houses, just wondered if you had a toad house, too!
My girlfriend had helleborus blooming, she said they have been blooming since December, bloom right through the snow and ice and frosts! I have to get me one or two of them. I think they must like her shaded areas up next to her house, probably warmer there. She had probably 8 of them with flowers on them, I was shocked! I guess they are the latest blooming flowers, other than the pansies, as Dr. Case pointed out. I always see them in the spring, and since they are cold hardy, love to plant them, but then they dwindle away when it gets hot here. So far, I've not had them come back either, darn it!

 

[CountryEscape]

I forgot to answer your question, Colleen, about the lotus shoots. I started them inside from seeds. They are in cups on a shelf in the east window. They have never been outside, so they didn't get frost bit. Not sure why they have blackened ends. Maybe I let them go too long before putting them in deeper water or dirt? I also put a small start in another pot in the bucket of water, so we shall see if that one does better. Also, I wonder if my softened water is somehow causing them problems. I have a water softener, and so the water has some salt in it. I was rinsing the water out every day and using that water to rinse with. The water in the bucket is from the well, not softened, so will see if that makes a difference on the younger shoots I planted same time. Haven't actually seen a leaf open yet! All stems, and then they curled and turned black on the longer shoots.

 

[callingcolleen1]

CE I don't think I have a toad house, not sure I have seen any toad houses, will have to look that one up. I have a collection of different little house's that I got this winter at different second hand stores, and if they look like they would fit fairies then I get them. I lots of houses waiting in the house for spring, then I will have a nice fairy garden by the little pond out front this year!

Ce you could get water from the pond and bring that into the house and warm it up and switch the lotus plants water and see if that helps?

 

[adavisus]

Lotus seed are very fast growing given 60's, 70's water temps, they will gallop faster than expected given the chance. They also rot off fast when started indoors, for lack of UV light to suppress fungus spores.

The jelly like plasm of the seed is very prone to going off in a week or two, unless you figure a way to grow them sterile. The sprouts need a bit of water depth and space to gallop in, the delicate shoots would likely spoil if they emerge from nice cosey tepid water and reach into arid low humidity indoors air...

I'd be inclined to start them a week or two before planting out, so's they don't run into problems, started too early indoors...

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks, Andy. Once again, you have answered my questions fully! I'm going to put the newest starts in the bigger bucket, and fill the water past their tops for now. I've used water straight from the well, which is the same water as from the ponds. I suspect Andy is correct in why they rotted off at the top. Darn it! I only started 2 of each of the 5 seeds I got for each color, though, so I'm still in business. The white and pink seeds sprouted same day, at same rate, and are ready to open the shoot, so going to drop them on the pan of kitty litter. Should I have pushed the seed pods into the clay, or left them on top? I pushed them all into the clay, and wonder if that was also a problem. Going to leave the next ones on top of the clay.

 

[j.w]

CE if you get some Hellebores, they have new ones now that the flowers point upwards instead of down. The new ones are very nice I hear cuz you can see their pretty faces better so check around and ask if your nurseries have those kind.

Pecan you have lots of nice plants and I did not think about putting the Day Lilies in the pond..............now I am :razz:
My fish are starting to beg also but not time yet especially today cuz we had snow showers!

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks for the pointer, JW, I'll definitely ask about the new varieties of helleboruses. My friend has some, and hers are some pointing up and some pointing down, she had to turn the flower over so I could see the color. So, I bet she is familiar with the newer varieties. I have to take the Caladium bulbs over to her house that I bought yesterday. I cannot for sure tell which side is up and which side is down, so will ask her help before I plant them, try to get them started before summer arrives. Thinking spring is not going to arrive anytime soon here.

 

[pecan]

CE if you get some Hellebores, they have new ones now that the flowers point upwards instead of down. The new ones are very nice I hear cuz you can see their pretty faces better so check around and ask if your nurseries have those kind.

Pecan you have lots of nice plants and I did not think about putting the Day Lilies in the pond..............now I am :razz:
My fish are starting to beg also but not time yet especially today cuz we had snow showers!

I have found that just about anything with "lily" in it's name survives and thrives in water

 

[fishin4cars]

There are two pair of Killdeer nesting at work. I took the time to get a few shots and the momma's put on quite a show. The second one even kept playing hurt so she could lead me away from the nest. I've got a sign in front of the nest so no one will accidently step on or crush them. The picture where the one is super close was actually only about three feet from the camera, no zoom needed for her! LOL