Monday, March 16, 2015

The earliest flowers


As promised the High Line witch hazels have frilled into bloom. The Siberian Express has moved on. Hurry, if you'd like to see them. I can't think of an earlier flower. 


Soon, as the botanical second hand ticks around the March clock, the viburnums will begin, starting with the early hybrid I first met in Cobble Hill, and the hellebores, and winter aconites; crocuses of course (see them en masse at the BBG  - it's one of my favourite pictures in my book). Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima - highly invasive) might already be sending its sweet lemony perfume into Central Park, and Prospect Park and onto Christie Street, on the Lower East Side. Ornamental quince (Chanomeles sopp), and then the predictable and beautiful daffodils.


On indigenous forest floors Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) will appear beneath spicebush blossom - Lindera benzoin (try Inwood Hill Park). Later, into April, there will be carpets of trout lilies (Erythronium americanum) and cutleaf toothwort - Cardamine concatenata (Pelham Bay Park and Central Park). And that's just a teaser.

 Feasts to come, for flower hunters...

(Visit the link below if you'd like to join the hunt with me.)

___________________________________



No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments on posts older than 48 hours are moderated (for spam control) . Yours will be seen! Unless you are a troll. Serial trollers are banned.