Thursday, March 15, 2012

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - March 2012

 Weeeee! Crocuses!
After a week of 60-degrees temperatures I ventured into my garden hoping to see something, anything in bloom and was handsomely rewarded by the sight yellow crocuses:

yellow crocus after rain

These bulbs were planted back in 2010. Last year they bloomed in the middle of April. I heard that the established crocuses come earlier in the following years but it's totally unexpected. Yellow crocuses bloomed last in 2011 but now they are the first. Hmmm...

Also, I planted peas today in my zone 5b garden (please don't laugh!). If they freeze - so be it, these were the seeds from 2010 that had to be used somehow.
 
One of my phalaenopsis orchids has finally opened its blooms. Its full name is Doritaenopsis 'I-Hsin Sesame'. It was a hand-me-down from a friend and apparently I don't like the flowers, for some reason they creep me out. The plant will probably go back to the previous owner, at least until it's done blooming.

Doritaenopsis I-Hsin Sesame

The spotting pattern on each tepal looks pretty unique. I wonder if it is formed in the (fetal?) development process in the same way as zebra stripes and human fingerprints. Forensic botany, anyone?