Blooms !Winter into spring/ Edgeworthia, witch  hazel ,camellia

Well, Spring arrives on March 20 this year in our area. I remember it often being March 21 years back and wondered why the change. So I googled it ! More info than i really wanted to know and I did find out that in some places it is March 19 and in some March 21 different years. All depends on earth's orbit etc. etc.  It may still feel like winter or we may have a day or so that feels like summer, but from March 20 to June 21 it will be spring.

Daily there are changes happening i the garden.  I see daffodils and crocus now catching up with the hardy snowdrops. There are several shrubs in bloom and poppies and larkspur seeds from last year have appeared.

As I look out the window I see  a  blooming white shrub, edgeworthia. This fragrant , beautiful plant was one of our most popular at the recent flower show. It is quite unusual and a real show stopper planted where you and others can smell and enjoy its long bloom season.

This plant looks like it has hundreds of white buttons all over the bare branches and it smells similar to a gardenia. But the best thing of all is that it blooms for a couple of months from winter into spring ! Not many people are familiar with an Edgeworthia, but it is a fantastic plant that should be in every garden. It is easy to grow, it blooms in February and March but peaks in April and it is fragrant.  Edgeworthia is in the Daphne family with  flowers that appear on the branch tips like little spheres made up of many tubes.  Individual flowers are tubular with bright yellow and  creamy white and  are clustered together into orbs that are densely packed on a shrub.

These fragrant flowers open in late winter from buds that have been noticeable from the previous year. Edgeworthia is not difficult to grow and it is a joy waiting for their moment of glory when they are in full bloom. Edgeworthia's common name, paper bush, comes from its utilitarian bark, which is processed into a high-grade paper product in Japan and China. 

The plant's native habitat is the woodland edge, often in moist areas near a stream, which tells you something about its culture. Edgeworthia needs evenly moist soil through summer. I only water ours when it is hot and dry out, but when i do I let the hose soak for hours. Because it grows vigorously from the base, it quickly makes a multi-stemmed shrub. This particular year was a spectacular year for flowering.  Come by and see our plants in the garden.

There are many other fragrant spring bloomers in our garden. There are witch hazel with brilliant yellow blooms as well as red varieties. These small trees are so very tough the blooms last all through the snow and ice of February well into march. Although sun or semi shade and moist well drained sites with acid soils are recommended by most tree books, the plant will adapt to many spots. 

If you love bold red, white or pink flowers plant some camellia now for years and years of off season bloom. Some bloom in late fall( winter) and others spring (now)

Our son Joe grows some very nice camellias and has planted more than 50 here and there in our wooded and shaded areas. He told me that although they are often thought of as a southern plant, many substantial plants can be found around gardens in the Delaware Valley. Our area of southern New Jersey is considered to be zone 7, and colder areas to the north or west of here are zone 6, both areas in which these plants can grow. I have seen some of the largest and most beautiful blooming in shady sites at the shore; with Cape May having some of the most awesome I have ever seen. We have several in our display gardens that are planted in very woodsy soils with a lot of organic matter and light mulch.

Two breeding programs, one from the National Arboretum in Washington DC and another from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, have produced outstanding and very tough Camellias which have survived   -10 on occasions with minimal damage.  These cold enduring Camellias are very exciting for colder climate gardeners who need a shade loving evergreen as a specimen or for screening.   A protected site is very important when growing Camellias in colder areas and spring planting is highly recommended. 

 Camellias love semi- shaded conditions in Southern New Jersey   and well-drained acid soil.  Both light pine needle mulch as well as composted organic materials in the soil is quite beneficial.We have them both under white pines and oaks and they do well.

 These showy bloomers win the hearts of gardeners with their beauty, and the ability to flower at off times of the year, which delights all, who see them. They are the best for bringing bright colors to the fall, winter and spring shade garden. They even look great floating in a dish on the dinner table.   

Many spring garden classes now. see calendar, www.tripleoaks.com Pansy flower fairy tea and egg hunt March 23 at 1. Registration a must. see calendar or call 856-694-4272

There are some things we plant early on St. Patty's Day such as peas, lettuces, radishes, parsley, dill, and what ever else needs a long cool spring.   Kids love to plant radishes! 

So do I !

Radish seedlings need water when they first come up!

plant radishes now with some kids and they will be thrilled at how quickly they can pick them.

When seeds absorb moisture they swell and germinate. The tiny seed root and then leaves emerge. This is the most important time to keep them moist. If the soil is dry these tiny roots will shrivel and die. Moisture is essential to all life and the tiny seeds are no exception. Do not allow tiny seed roots to dry. On the other hand, mud will also kill them. Be sure the garden is well drained. If it isn't lots of organic material, maybe some very pebbly sand (extra coarse and even perlite must be added. It is really important to prepare the soil well. Compost and organic materials work best in all soils. 

Be sure that all the weeds are gone before planting. A freshly tilled garden can be covered with black plastic for a week or so to kill weed seeds. The soil heats up under the black plastic, this forces the seeds to sprout, but the heat and darkness kills them, thus getting rid of weeds organically. If time permits, wet the soil and do this a second time. Cinder blocks or any weights can be used to keep the plastic tight. 

When you are ready to plant, rake well and mark the rows with a string. 

Follow directions on pack of seeds for depth and distances. Keep moist, but not soggy. Choose seeds that you really want to grow and limit the amount to what you can care for the plants. Mark the row so you don't forget what has been planted. 

Planting and Care
Prepare the soil with good compost.  Avoid fresh manure or high nitrogen products, as this will produce a jungle of leaves but little or no fruit.  Some old timers suggest using lots of compost. 

Hoe or cultivate shallowly to keep down weeds without damaging roots in and around plants.  Mulching is recommended once the soil warms.  I used cardboard one year and although I didn't like the way it looked, it worked well.  Your objective is to keep the soil moist!   You may also use grass clippings o to keep the soil moist.  A tad bit of extra fertilizer works best when the mulch is new. 

I sure love planting a garden with my husband Ted. I have gardened all my life, first planting with my grandmothers and parents. I don't remember a spring that I didn't have a garden. The one we have now is more than 40 years old. My biggest problem is planting too many things. I love to plant all the new varieties as well as old favorites.

Spring is an exciting time of the year! So whether your garden is big and old or new and small, dig in!  Gardening is great! 

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