Today marks the official opening of spring, but gardeners in the Poconos knew it was spring even before they met the first robin of the season. We did set a record yesterday, and gardeners are thanking their lucky spades for what’s come so far.
Crocus in bloom in Barb Daskal's yard in Saylorsburg
Barb Daskal said her crocuses have been blooming since Feb. 27 around her home at the top of the mountain in Saylorsburg.
Pocono gardens are filled with blooms of crocuses and now daffodils and hyacinths. I love the aroma of hyacinths as long as it is outside my door. I’m allergic but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the beautiful deep purples and blues, set off against the bright yellow daffodils.
A coworker said last week that this is the first year she remembers our daffodils blooming in the yard at the same time the American Cancer Society is selling in the stores!
Carol Hillestad is enjoying the crocus but said the best bloomer is a weed that has taken up residence in her garden.
Carol Hillestad of Paradise Township also sent a photo of her crocuses in bloom with golden star in the background, but remarked that the best little bloomer is a weed.
She doesn’t know the name of the weed but describes it as a small green rosette at ground level with delicate white flowers on thin stalks about 2-inch high. “Argghhh. Just when I finally got the garlic mustard under control, this stuff is everywhere,” Hillestad said.
“Fortunately, it pulls out easily, and I will be spending the next hour showing it no mercy,” she said this weekend.
Yes, I noticed the most prolific plant in my garden is the ground ivy. Here we grow again.
Lois Kirkwood checked in from her backyard in Mount Pocono where she discovered wildlife at its worst. “ To my absolute horror, I discovered that the voles have eaten every single hosta! That’s over 40 plants!” she said, with one of them a Sum and Substance which was over 15 years old.
“I hate the thought of cleaning up the other two shade beds because I’m sure they feasted there as well,” she added.
She plans to replace and protect everything that’s gone.
Ah, but the hellebores are in bloom and the daffodils and forsythia will soon follow, Kirkwood said.
That’s what’s makes this the most perfect time of year. As you look off your deck, you can almost watch the buds grow. It’s not your imagination. It’s really happening.
Let’s dig in to a great gardening season.