What’s in Bloom

This witch-hazel has fragrant, lemon-yellow flowers that offer a pleasant burst of color in February and March. It has great yellow-to-orange fall color and no serious insect or disease problems. 'Pallida' can reach ten to 20 feet tall and grows in well-drained, acidic soil in full or part sun. Hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8, 'Pallida' was awarded as a PHS Gold Medal Plant in 1989.

One of the first blooms to appear in the new year, Eranthis hyemalis has sunny yellow flowers with a sweet honey-like fragrance. Its flowers look like solitary buttercups sitting on a circle of lacey green leaves. They open wide on sunny days from late winter to early spring and thrive in the shade of deciduous trees.  They will naturalize in well-drained, fertile soil under deciduous trees.


 

Native to Australia, these Dendrobium are some of the largest orchid specimens in our collection.  They are cool flowering species which produce large, heavily-flowered inflorescences that bear bright yellow flowers with a gentle fragrance. 

Clivia miniata is a significant species in our indoor display, with beautiful blossoms adding sweeps of color to our West Conservatory from late winter into spring. Native to southern Africa and a member of the amaryllis family, it is known for its large umbels of orange, yellow, red, or even green flowers that stand above shiny deep-green or variegated strap-like foliage.

This tried-and-true variety of miniature daffodil was developed by pioneer plant breeder Alec Gray sometime in the 1940’s.  With it's modest 6 inch stature, featuring 2-to-3 slightly reflexed and vibrant yellow flowers per stem, and a reliable propensity to naturalize, 'Tete-a-tete' is a perfect choice for a variety of garden settings.

A crocus that naturalizes well in open lawns or beneath deciduous trees, Crocus tommasinianus blooms in late winter and early spring.  The pale lavender flowers open in sunlight but remain closed on cloudy days.  They are one of the few crocus that voles and squirrels seem to ignore, making them a good choice for gardens.