Thursday, January 28, 2010

Ready or not...

Here come the spring flowers! 


This hellebore is right on time.  Winter is when these plants show their colors.  Sometimes called  Lenten Roses,  they are happy in cold weather.   This one is named "Ivory Prince" and he has a sister plant called "Hot Flash".  She has decided that this is not her year to perform and she's just leafy.


There's a tiny visitor, some kind of caterpillar,  in this bloom.  He was encouraged to go elsewhere.
 

There are crocuses  - these are always the earliest....


the snowdrops have opened...

and this lively arrangement of fungi looks just like a  flamenco dancer's skirts to me.  I'm not sure why they grow on some parts of the tree and not others.  And it's probably not a good thing...but aren't they pretty?

10 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

Well, I really enjoyed this post. One reason is that I've never seen these things. Never heard of Hellebore. When I first saw your picture, I thought the peonies were blooming. Lenten roses is a romantic name. Again, never seen snowdrops. I'd like to see what they look like fully bloomed. And that fungus stuff on the tree, very enjoyable!!! I love finding and snapping mushrooms, but this is even better. Wonder what it is? Maybe I'll go googling and try to find it.

Paws on the Run said...

Sigh. I'm so jealous. Nothing is sprouting here yet!

Rudee said...

I'm amazed at your greenery (and other colors). We have none here. It's freaking freezing.

Hey! I keep asking, but do you at least have snow in the mountains?

Stephanie V said...

Rudee - there is snow and lots of it at Whistler where all the Nordic and Alpine events will take place. Our snowboarding venue, Cypress, is close to the city and the freezing level is high right now. It's too warm even for the snow-making machines so they are 'harvesting' snow from the higher peaks behind the city. There's lots and lots of snow higher up.
This sounds like a bad thing but I think it'll be ideal. There will be no snow and cold to battle in the city which is darn miserable. Best of all worlds.

SquirrelQueen said...

The hellebore is beautiful and the crocuses and snowdrops are coming along nicely. Love the fungi, it does resemble a flamenco dancer's skirts.

We should be having snow and cold weather on this side of the Cascades this time of the year but I noticed today that my daffodils are starting to push through the soil.

Angie said...

Great spring pics! Pity there isn't a smellablog.Mmmm all soft & damp.

Joanna said...

How lovely to see spring come to Vancouver. Here it's been raining. I know you won't waste much sympathy on us though.
Joanna

Unknown said...

This time of year, I often wish I lived in your climate to see growing things (even though I also love winter and the snow here). These are wonderful photos! By the time I get to post my hellebores blooming it will seem like ho-hum to you! LOL

Jeannette StG said...

What, spring already? love to see these signs (flowers)
Bytheway, thanks for the "follow"! I've never made to hooking rugs, but the one in your header is very pretty!
I mostly knit and crochet hats (post of 10/12/09)
and bags/purses (post of 1/26/09 or 1/16/09 -can't read my own writing!)
Have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

Lovely signs of Spring ... though I confess I've never heard of or seen hellebores before ;-)
Hugs and blessings,

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