Saturday, April 07, 2018

Friday Walk Flowers Continued

        I found 24 species of plants in bloom yesterday, Friday, April 6, 2018. Given that it snowed in the morning and again in the evening, I was pleased to find that many. The complete list is below:

These six are native or naturalized to our area. (The * indicates that they are not really native to the area.)


Alder, Speckled (Shrub)
Chickweed, Common * 
Coltsfoot * 
Maple, Red (Tree)
Maple, Silver (Tree)
Skunk Cabbage


Silver Maple Tree Flowers

        The remaining are plants that have been planted and maintained to some degree on the grounds of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton/Burlington, Ontario. The grounds include land in both city areas.

Christmas Rose * (Red Hellebore)
Hazel, Turkish * (Tree)
Iris, Netted *
Snowdrops *
Willow 'Hakura Nishiki'*
Winter Aconite *
Witch Hazel, 'Barmstedt Gold'* (Shrub)
Witch Hazel, 'Brandis' * (Shrub)
Witch Hazel, 'Brevipetala' (Shrub)
Witch Hazel, 'Heinrich Bruns'*(Shrub)
Witch Hazel, 'Jelena' * (Shrub)
Witch Hazel, 'Pallida'* (Shrub)
Witch Hazel, 'Primavera' * (Shrub)
Witch Hazel, 'Rochester'* (Shrub)
Witch Hazel, 'Ruby Glow' * (Shrub)
Witch Hazel,  'Brevipetala'* (Shrub)
Witch Hazel, 'Wisley Supreme'*(Shrub)
Witch Hazel, Vernal * (Ozark) (Shrub)


Willow 'Hakura Nishiki' Tree Flower



Turkish Hazel Tree Flower











Friday, April 06, 2018

Friday Walk and Flowers

        It is Friday, April 6th and we have snow again.


        There was a lot of snow hanging onto the trees.



        There was snow on all the trails at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, Ontario.



        There was snow on the newly opened Netted Iris flowers.



         
       However, in the afternoon the snow melted and I saw the first of the Round-lobed Hepatica flowers for this spring. They are always a special treat.

        By evening, they were covered in snow again and more snow has arrived. (I like my snow in December, January, and February and am less keen the the months go on.)

Sunday, April 01, 2018

April Wild Flower Letter

        Every month, I send out a newsletter about flowers that I have found in years past in the Hamilton and Brantford area of Ontario. I can't remember if I ever posted the letter here before but here is the one from April of this year with a few omissions that did not seem to make sense for this blog:

--------------------

April Greetings from Dean,

        I am still waiting for winter to give up. As there is still snow in the forecast and my fingers are still cold and there are very few flowers in bloom, the Monday evening walks are still on hold. I will send out a note when I schedule them to start.

        So far, quite a few flowers are about 10 days to 2 weeks later than my earliest dates. We did have a few warmer winters a few years ago that probably skewed the early date times so maybe this is closer to “normal.”

Following are the names of plants that have bloomed in past Aprils: (S is for Shrub, T is for Tree, * is for alien)

Alder, European * (S)
Alder, Speckled(S)
Anemone, Rue
Anemone, Wood
Ash, Blue (T)
Aspen, Large-Toothed (T)
Aspen, Trembling (T)
Baneberry, Red
Barberry, Japanese * (S)
Beech, American (T)
Bellwort, Large-Flowered
Birch, White (T)
Bittercress, Hairy *
Bloodroot
Bluebells, Virginia
Butterbur *
Buttercup, Hispid
Buttercup, Kidneyleaf
Celandine *
Celandine, Lesser *
Celendine-poppy
Chickweed, Common * 
Chickweed, Jagged *
Chickweed, Mouse-Ear *
Cohosh, Giant Blue
Coltsfoot *
Cress, Hairy Rock
Cress, Mouse-Ear *
Cress, Purple (Pink Spring Cress)
Crowfoot, Cursed
Crown-vetch, Purple *
Currant, Wild Black (S)
Current, European Red (Garden)(S)
Dandelion, Common *
Dandelion, Marsh *
Dandelion, Red-Seeded *
Dead-Nettle, Purple *
Dead-Nettle, Spotted *
Dutchman's Breeches
Elderberry, Red
Elm, American (T)
False Mermaid
Forget-Me-Not, True *
Geranium, Wild
Gooseberry, Eastern Prickly
Ground Ivy *
Groundsel, Common * 
Groundsel, Sticky * (S.Ragwort)
Hazel, American (S)
Hazel, Beaked (S)
Henbit *
Hepatica, Round-Lobed 
Hepatica, Sharp-Lobed
Honesty *
Hop-Hornbeam (T)
Horsetail, Field (Pollen)
Hyacinth, Grape *
Jack-In-The-Pulpit
Johnny Jump-Up *
Mallow, Common(Cheeses) *
Maple, Manitoba (T)
Maple, Norway * (T)
Maple, Red (T)
Maple, Silver (T)
Maple, Sugar (T)
Marigold, Marsh 
Meadow-Rue, Early
Medick, Black *
Miterwort
Mustard, Garlic *
Pennycress, Field *
Periwinkle *
Plum, Canada (T)
Pussytoes, Field
Pussytoes, Parlin's
Pussytoes, Smaller Rare In H/W
Redbud (T)
Redcedar, Eastern (T)
Rocket, Yellow *
Saxifrage, Early
Saxifrage, Golden
Scilla * (Blue)
Scorpion-Grass, Blue *
Sedge, Long-stalked
Sedge, Pennsylvania
Shadbush, Common (T)
Shadbush, Smooth (T)
Shadush Species (T)
Shepherd's Purse *
Skunk Cabbage
Speedwell, Corn *
Speedwell, Persian *
Speedwell, Slender *
Speedwell, Thyme-Leaved *
Speedwell, Wayside *
Spicebush (S)
Spring Beauty, Carolina
Spring Beauty, Narrow-leaved
Spurge, Cypress *
Spurge, Petty *
Squirrel-Corn
Storksbill *
Strawberry, Barren
Strawberry, Field
Strawberry, Woodland
Tamarack (T)
Toothwort, Cut-Leaved
Toothwort, Two-leaved (Crinkleroot)
Trillium, Red
Trillium, White
Trout-Lily
Trout-Lily, White
Twinleaf
Violet, Canada
Violet, Common
Violet, Dog
Violet, Downy Yellow
Violet, Leconte's
Violet, Long-Spurred
Violet, N.Blue
Violet, N.White *
Violet, Selkirk's
Violet, Sweet White
Whitlow Grass *
Wild Ginger
Willow, Pussy (S)
Wood Sorrel, Yellow
Woodrush
Woodrush, Hairy