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Soggy labyrinth

Last fall, I reported about a project carried out by students in Bill Miller’s herbaceous perennials class at Cornell planting a bulb labyrinth at our Bluegrass Lane research center. Here’s what it looked like just before the bulbs went in.

With temps up in the 60s today and another photo opp at the facility, I wandered out to see if anything was poking up. I got nothin’ but what you’d expect during mud season:

muddy labyrinth

Bill says that since the bulbs are newly planted, they’re flowering will likely be a little late this first season. But we’re planning to open the facility so the public can view and walk the labyrinth on Mothers Day and perhaps the Sundays before and after.

Stay tuned for more images as the labyrinth grows over the next few weeks.

More Iris histrioides ‘Katharine Hodgkin’

I was hoping to do a series of my favorite early spring bloom, starting with this spear, then moving to this partially opened flower from early last week (apologies for the lousy focus) …

Iris histrioides ‘Katharine Hodgkin’

But then Friday, we got this …

snowy ridge

The heavy wet snow bent Katharine over and she’s now a soggy mess. Oh well. But it looks like there might be a second bloom coming.

Some ephemerals on campus stood up a little better:

snowy snowdrops

snowy crocus

Easter up close

When you don’t have much going on in the garden, you can always move in close and make the most of what you’ve got.

I was hoping that Iris histrioides ‘Katharine Hodgkin’ would make an appearance today. Close, but not quite. Here’s the same plant in flower last year.

Iris

Eranthis is coming on strong.

Iris

Tulips emerging.

Iris

Something emerging. Not sure what.

Iris

‘Floral frost’ on the coldframe this morning.

Iris

Forced daffs inside.

Iris