What's Blooming Now - March 16, 2011

March Brings Spring Flowers

Spring has arrived at White River Gardens!  Here's the first What's Blooming Now report for the season.  Stay tuned for more information and suggestions for how you can duplicate the garden design concepts and planting in your home gardens!

There is finally evidence in White River Gardens that spring is fast approaching!  Amid some warming temperatures and a few sunny days, Horticulture staff was able to capture the earliest colors of spring. 
 
The Virginia Fairbanks Sun Garden has a nice display of winter aconite (Eranthus hyemelis) (above) and a mixture of Crocus species (left) as you enter from the Hilbert Conservatory re-entry walk.  Both of these bulbs can be seen throughout the Gardens and are some of earliest and cheeriest harbingers of spring.  Another bulb that can often be seen poking its head through the snow is the snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) (below left).  One can see their delicate nodding blooms in the Ruth Lilly Shade Garden.



lso in the Shade Garden is a beautiful display of Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) (right) in shades of pink and white.   The Lenten rose can be found in a few other spaces within the Gardens and do very well in part shade to full shade. 
 


The reticulated irises or dwarf irises (Iris reticulata) (left) are starting to flower in their cheery clumps of purples and blues throughout the Gardens.

It's  a wonderful start to the growing season!