Comments

1. 
   user-7007498 04/01/2016

   Jeff: The epicedium is gorgeous. I just obtained 5 plants of that cultivar last year. Looking forward to it as it slowly expands. The flowering quince is terrific. Love the large flowers. I saw that cultivar as a bonsai once (I was stunned). Great pictures.

2. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   Thanks, Kevin. The Epimedium has expanded quite rapidly for me here and is a star performer all year. I like that quince variety as it has pink, white and red flowers all at the same time and Susan, I LOVE that I am the April Fool's feature. You have no idea how many pranks I will pull today I hope the guys are an unsuspecting lot when they come to work today.

3. 
   NCYarden 04/01/2016

   Great pics for early Spring, Jeff. Flying Dragon looks great. I have a nice flush of orange blossoms as well. I only wished they lasted a little longer, but at least the"ornaments" are coming next! That is quite the loaded epimedium...appears to go on forever. I have always found the violets to be a pleasant accent to the lawn, but then again I always complain what "a pain the grass" a lawn is. A welcome contribution

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   I rarely get fruit here as they most often get frosted. This year it is flowering more than I have ever seen but they say it's gonna be cold this weekend,,,possible freeze

4. 
   diane_lasauce 04/01/2016

   Nice, yet I learned last year that wild violets are highly invasive and I will fight to have them gone...pretty to see in the spring, yet massive die back to dirt in winter is ugly!

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   they are only in the shadiest parts of the lawn and not a carpet even then. Pretty much evergreen although much smaller in winter. I have other things to battle so the violets in that part of the lawn are free to live

2. 
   NCYarden 04/01/2016

   So true. Wildly invasive. I don't mind them in the lawn either, but it does tend to stick to the shady areas though, as Jeff stated. Makes the woodland area kinda pleasant too. But it drives me a bit crazy when they begin to dot the edges of beds,and that is when I pull them.

5. 
   cheryl_c 04/01/2016

   I think I like the pic of the fern frond best! Your pulmonaria could be Mrs. Moon.

6. 
   greengenes 04/01/2016

   Good morning! Jeff, once again you take the cake! Good day to feature you! These are all great shots of what is going on in your gardens and iam so sure there is a lot more too! It is wonderful to see the flying dragon in bloom. This is one i have wanted to experiment with but you kind of sealed the deal. For sure! What am i waiting for?! The epimedium is so pretty. It reminds me of dancing ferries. Thanks Jeff for sharing with us! And you have a fun filled day!

1. 
   NC_Yarden 04/01/2016

   Hi Jeanne. Most definitely enjoy the Flying Dragon. It's worth having. Please heed: When the oranges fall, be sure to pick all of them up - every seed in every orange germinates without fail, sun or shade. It doesn't grow terribly fast, so when you see an interesting tufted clump at ground level the following season, easy to pull, but you will see what I mean, all the seeds gathered, each with a shoot.

   And if anyone is interested and not in a huge hurry, I have a few babies I have been cultivating (about 6" tall at the moment). I could try shipping one to you.

2. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   Thanks, Jeanne, the red rhubarb you teased me with last year and I bought some I thought had died BUT just today I saw growth right at ground level. I am looking forward to those huge beautiful leaves especially since Gunnera is a no go here. I have successfully led more than a few of those to their deaths. They do not like the heat/humidity here

7. 
   HelloFromMD 04/01/2016

   Hi Jeff, happy spring. I'm still lusting after that Epimedium. I have most of the common ones, but was dismayed to see how pricey this one was and another one I've liked, Pink Champagne. I agree that quince is beautiful. Do they color in the fall?

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   Nancy, that Epimedium is pricey but I found it on a clearance rack for 3.00,,,,,,,,,got the three they had and divided those. It is a steady grower and is filling in very well. They do color in fall and hold their leaves in good shape (for me here in TN) but by February are looking burned

8. 
   Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 04/01/2016

   So cool to see your garden treasures today, Jeff. I guess I will treat it as a preview: You're definitely a few weeks ahead of me. I'm so crazy about my Epimediums and they seem to be so care-free. Love the quince. If I had more room for shrubs and trees, I'd drop that on my list. I finally bought Poncirus 'Flying Dragon' last year. It was a tiny twig and looks fairly burnt because it didn't seem to go dormant last fall......It does look alive and I am hoping for a gorgeous plant like yours some day. I aspire to be a fool like you!
   I don't mind the violets in the lawn. The crazy thing about the common violet is that can set seeds with self-fertile flowers that are low to the ground don't open. I had to look up the term: cleistogamous flowers. Whether or not you see flowers, those puppies are making babies!

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   you will enjoy the flying dragon,,, of everything here in the yard that is probably the most asked about . I like it better in winter than any other season and...........my Manfreda Chocolate Chips arrive next week!

1. 
   Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 04/01/2016

   Congrats on your Manfeda. Did I tell you mine survived outdoors in the open gravel garden? Like most everyone else, our winter was abnormally mild: lowest temp we got was 3 degrees. I put a little burlap pillow filled with straw over it during the coldest stretches, although I'm not sure it actually did much. Good luck with a cool plant!

9. 
   user-4691082 04/01/2016

   I'm pretty sure the pulmonaria is 'Raspberry Splash'. Everything looks beautiful, Jeff. Wish I was in your zone!

10. 
    GrannyMay 04/01/2016

    Have a fun April Fool's Jeff! I always enjoying seeing what your creative mind has come up with. Wish you hadn't posted the E. Kaguyahime photo though. I bought one labelled as that last year, but it has plain green leaves and now I know mine was mislabeled. Any ideas?

1. 
   Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 04/01/2016

   Those are great flowers. Sorry you are missing out on the spring-marbled foliage. I searched through Garden Visions website for purple flowers and didn't see any exact matches. Perhaps the grower was selling seed strains are E. kaguyahime. Oh well, one more plant to buy!

2. 
   Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 04/01/2016

   I just received an email from Plant Delights promoting Epimedium x omeiense "Razzle Berry" with similar flowers, but mottled leaves. A similar hybrid 'Myriad Years' has similar flowers, too, although it has mottled spring leaves, too. Yours could be a similar hybrid. So it didn't have any mottled leaves at all ever on the first flush of leaves? It's still a beauty.

1. 
   GrannyMay 04/01/2016

   I agree it is still a beauty, so will just rename it E. sp. (unknown ID). Had I been looking for E. Kaguyahime, I would have known the label was incorrect, but I purchased it because I liked the flowers. It was crammed into a 1 galllon pot, so I split it. One half is in a shady spot and has not bloomed yet this spring. The other half I put back into a pot and it has new plain green leaves and is just opening its first blossoms. I'm happy!

2. 
   NC_Yarden 04/01/2016

   Dude, why didn't you come pick it up in person and swing by my place?

3. 
   NCYarden 04/01/2016

   Sorry, Tim. Don't know what happened with screen name. Something's up.
   Anyway, this is David. You should have picked up your order in person and come by the garden.

1. 
   Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 04/01/2016

   Thanks, David. I've been puzzling over the bizarre user name! I just received an email about Epimedium-didn't buy it.
   Anyhow-I know we'll be back to your neck of the woods to stay with our friend in the future, so garden tour and meet up will definitely be on the agenda! Cheers.

3. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   You still have a winner there in my opinion with those flowers. The mis labeling of plants is a very common problem especially with succulents at least in this area

11. 
    sheila_schultz 04/01/2016

    Jeff, as soon as I saw the heading I knew it would be a post from you! Good call Susan ;) Spring is pretty sweet in your neck of the woods Mr. Calton, and your quince is downright gorgeous! Love it.

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   Spring is super here UNLESS we have a late freeze and it bites everything back to begin again and that does happen. Nothing uglier than a frozen Japanese maple

1. 
   sheila_schultz 04/01/2016

   I get that! Our snow has melted and everything green is appreciative. The next 5 days will bring 70's and nirvana for all of us... plants and humans! One week at a time ;)

12. 
    GrannyCC 04/01/2016

    Spring looks lovely in your area. Hope it isn't an April Fool's prank. i love the violets. I have several plants in my lawn and garden. Never find them invasive. My grass is full of moss and that is what it will remain. Happy Spring!

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   Catherine, the dogwoods are beginning to flower so , of course, there will be a cold snap ,,, "dogwood winter". In about 2 weeks the mountains and valleys will be achingly beautiful with every shade of green imaginable

13. 
    schatzi 04/01/2016

    Hi Everyone. Jeff, I love Epimediums too, and that one seems to go on forever! Beautiful! And I agree - pick your fights- there's always something worse to tackle than the violets. If they get in my way, I pull 'em, but generally they are good to go. Same with the columbine that seed everywhere. They are so gorgeous when they bloom that mostly I leave them alone. Catherine, what we laughingly call our lawn is several volunteer varieties of grass, lots of weeds and lots of moss. Hey, it's green! And GrannyMay, your Epi may not be as advertised but it's still a beauty. Flying Dragon huh? I'm going to have to look into that one. We have had several gorgeous days in a row and I'm loving it. But the rains will return. Sure makes you appreciate the sun when it does appear.

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   If I killed all the weeds in my lawn,,,,,,,,,,,,there would be no lawn. I have clover as well and I let it flower out for the bees, they need all the help they can get

14. 
    LindaonWhidbey 04/01/2016

    Jeff, love your photo of the fern unfurling out of concrete. It reminds me of the ones that you see in HI growing out of lava fields. That Epimedium is definitely a must have and what a beautiful Quince. Your pulmonaria may be 'Trevi Fountain' as mine looks just like this.

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   I keep wanting to say the Pulmonaria is something Davidson but I don't know why

15. 
    Meelianthus 04/01/2016

    Always exciting to see what is popping up in your gardens Jeff. Thanks for the preview of all the goodies to come. Have fun 'fooling' your crew!

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   I had a blast fooling everyone today !

16. 
    meander_michaele 04/01/2016

    Yikes, how did it get to be almost dinnertime for me and why did I kick into work gear so early?! I feel almost unbalanced not getting my fix of GPOD right off the bat in the morning. I adore your valiant little fiddlehead making its play for a place to grow...I'm rooting for it! That quince looks like it is putting on its own "Welcome Spring" party with that multitude of various bloom colors...quite the celebration!

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 04/01/2016

   I do enjoy that variety of Quince but you don't want to touch the flowers as there are always spurs hiding ready to take your blood. I planted another Quince last fall,,, Double Take Orange and the color is shockingly vibrant. Very very orange,,,,,,,,,how 'bout them Vols?

2. 
   perenniallycrazy 04/01/2016

   Don't feel bad meander1. I'm chiming in much later than you. I always love Jeff's plant choices - today's post is no exception! It's already end of the day here and still drooling. I'll be on the lookout for that Epidemium and Quince for sure.

   Happy weekend to all!

17. 
    wGardens 04/05/2016

    Gosh,. that Epimedium is fabulous! I did order some from Song Sparrow this spring and hope mine end up as wonderful as yours! Great photo of the fiddlehead,. Fun! I, too, have a lawn of violets in the Spring. I always look forward to them!