It is such a small world (in a way) in the blogging and gardening community. Because of Kathy at Cold Climate Gardening reviewing Brian Bixleys book last year,  I got a chance to see his garden for the first time. And it was well worth it.

Brian loves spring, and is trying to educate gardeners, how many plants there are that flower early. Most gardens, when they open to the public, open later, usually mid to late May, but Brian opens Lilactree Farm a couple of times earlier then that, and when I visited last year on April 24th, I picked up lots of valuable ideas. This year, I visited on May 6th, and all the early spring bulbs that I had lusted after were finished for the year, but my heart filled with other lusts. And I want to show you a few.

Anemone nemerosa is new to me. I certainly grow a few (ok, quite a few) varieties of the fall anemone, and I love the amemone coronarias that we sell at the flower shop, anemone blanda, is another of my favs, but I have not paid to much attention to the spring ephemerals. There is certainly quite a few, but nemerosa, is such a gorgeous one. Coming in white, soft blues and pinks, it is certainly easy to place anywhere in your garden.

 I do not know the name of this one,

 but this is Pallida, a very soft yellow.

Brian did tell me the name of this very tiny trillium, but my head was spinning by this point and I do not remember, isn’t it sweet.

My one cimicifuga looks pretty lonely now, this is the way to plant them.

Wish I knew the name of this yellow magnolia, it is gorgeous.

The nice thing about the yellows, other than the obvious, (the colour), is they are later flowering. So they usually avoid the frosts.

I have some Virginia bluebells in my garden, but I think I need more. Perhaps I shall transfer some fo them to my berm, and hope, one day, I will have a show like this.

Speaking of blue, is there anything like a gentian.

One of the only perennials that was at Kilbourne Grove when I bought it, was a primula veris in the grass.

 I carefully dug it up, and transferred it to my garden, and it has been divided many times by now. After seeing this, perhaps I should transfer him back to the lawn.

I do not know how I missed this piece of garden art on my last visit, just a reminder always look up, instead of just down, you never know what you might see.

Sanguinaria canadensis ‘Multiplex’

I remember when finding this plant was like finding the Holy Grail. You should see the number of them here, mind-boggling.

Now, one of the best parts, the species peonies. I have a weakness for peonies, my grandmother always used to tie the first blooms to my birthday present. The species are not only gorgeous in flower, but the leaves are amazing. He has a large number of varieties, including mlokosewitschii, veitchii, tenuifolia,  and those are just the tags I could see.

 Unfortunately (for you), they are not in flower yet, but I am going back for a visit on May 20th, so you might get lucky, depending on Mother Natures mood.  Fingers crossed…