This COVID19 situation is no longer news, being almost 2 months of quarantine in for us in Canada and for longer since it started in Asia. Before all that, March and April were supposed to be joyous and busy months here in my suburban homestead, where we plant from spring to fall. It has instead been weird and scary and very surreal in the way things have been conducted, from the news, the follow up with the government in public conferences and the incredible lucky reality that both me and my husband have amazing jobs that we love in companies that are full on working-from-home mode.
This disruption have for sure kept me from blogging and even from starting the YouTube channel (an idea I had a year ago!), but it has NOT kept me from starting the seeds as needed. In fact, if anything I started more seedlings than our garden can accept, as I am determined to help others with their victory gardens, including my public parks with raised beds from the Incredible Edibles.
This post, however, will talk of the very beginning of the season, late winter, when crocus flowers wake up as a lovely presage of the upcoming spring. And this year they started so early that when I finally saw the snow melting in late March I was not at all surprised. Spring arrived early, then got very cold all of the sudden as the winter did not want to give up, and now, second half of April, it is spring once more. This is so early for the Laurentians region!
I planted a ridiculous amount of crocus last fall, wanting to experiment with alternative lawn and an "early pollinator" type of gardening, since many times the flowers around my property appear in mid to late May from trees and shrubs and weed, with an explosion in June when all other perennials and self-sown wildflowers come bursting. But early spring usually leave a huge gap for bees and other pollinators that might have woken up early.
Above and below are beautiful examples of the beauty they bring, the exuberance of their colors and the delicate foliage and texture of the flowers. Hands down, no other perennial flower in spring makes my heart melt this much.
I was excited, the effect was stunning, but I did not have time to take pictures and even film what would show the biggest part of the front lawn that was taken by all the blooming crocus. The reason for that is that I have a population of hares (I never know if they are American cottontail rabbits or actual hares) that discovered them before all the profusion could last. Most importantly: before they could last enough to be food source for the good insects.
I read in a lot of places that crocus were not target for bunnies and planted them with enthusiasm since my second year in our current property and I was very surprised at their rabbit hunger this year. To be very honest, they even went for my wild garlic and chives, on top of the usual attempts to nibble on the tulips. Somehow they have gotten pretty hungry this season!
One thing you can notice that tells you it was rabbit damage is that they do not eat the plant to the ground: the leaves are still there but have a serrated cut. If this was a groundhog (also very common in my region), there would be no crocus whatsoever left, as they basically munch a plant to the ground in a clean wipe-out!
I managed to get some of them covered with bird netting and I will need
to think of something for the years to come to keep the bunnies away.
One thing is certain: Early Food for Pollinators project for this year
was not a success. But there is always a next season!
I guess i can leave with these pictures of lovely crocus. They are absolutely gorgeous, are they not? If you do not plant any, I hope these simple pictures can warm your heart and sell you on the idea. Even if your flowers can live only a day thanks to hungry wildlife!
As for the whole COVID19 situation, let's hope for the best, do our part and stay safe and healthy and active, gardening if we can, and positive in the future.
This disruption have for sure kept me from blogging and even from starting the YouTube channel (an idea I had a year ago!), but it has NOT kept me from starting the seeds as needed. In fact, if anything I started more seedlings than our garden can accept, as I am determined to help others with their victory gardens, including my public parks with raised beds from the Incredible Edibles.
This post, however, will talk of the very beginning of the season, late winter, when crocus flowers wake up as a lovely presage of the upcoming spring. And this year they started so early that when I finally saw the snow melting in late March I was not at all surprised. Spring arrived early, then got very cold all of the sudden as the winter did not want to give up, and now, second half of April, it is spring once more. This is so early for the Laurentians region!
I planted a ridiculous amount of crocus last fall, wanting to experiment with alternative lawn and an "early pollinator" type of gardening, since many times the flowers around my property appear in mid to late May from trees and shrubs and weed, with an explosion in June when all other perennials and self-sown wildflowers come bursting. But early spring usually leave a huge gap for bees and other pollinators that might have woken up early.
 |
| Colorful giant crocus. I can see their flowers from inside my house. |
Above and below are beautiful examples of the beauty they bring, the exuberance of their colors and the delicate foliage and texture of the flowers. Hands down, no other perennial flower in spring makes my heart melt this much.
 |
| Crocus: lovely shades of purple |
I was excited, the effect was stunning, but I did not have time to take pictures and even film what would show the biggest part of the front lawn that was taken by all the blooming crocus. The reason for that is that I have a population of hares (I never know if they are American cottontail rabbits or actual hares) that discovered them before all the profusion could last. Most importantly: before they could last enough to be food source for the good insects.
I read in a lot of places that crocus were not target for bunnies and planted them with enthusiasm since my second year in our current property and I was very surprised at their rabbit hunger this year. To be very honest, they even went for my wild garlic and chives, on top of the usual attempts to nibble on the tulips. Somehow they have gotten pretty hungry this season!
 |
| Rabbit or hare damage: note the serrated low cuts on the leaves. |
One thing you can notice that tells you it was rabbit damage is that they do not eat the plant to the ground: the leaves are still there but have a serrated cut. If this was a groundhog (also very common in my region), there would be no crocus whatsoever left, as they basically munch a plant to the ground in a clean wipe-out!
I managed to get some of them covered with bird netting and I will need
to think of something for the years to come to keep the bunnies away.
One thing is certain: Early Food for Pollinators project for this year
was not a success. But there is always a next season!I guess i can leave with these pictures of lovely crocus. They are absolutely gorgeous, are they not? If you do not plant any, I hope these simple pictures can warm your heart and sell you on the idea. Even if your flowers can live only a day thanks to hungry wildlife!
 |
| Nothing says "spring is here" more that crocus flowers in my region. |
Comments
Post a Comment