Today’s photos are from Kathy Schreurs in northwestern Iowa.
March is here, but regardless of what the calendar will say in a few weeks, most spring flowers will not make their appearance in my borders until late in April. So yesterday I quieted my spring fever by scrolling through my camera roll, enjoying both backyard blooms and indoor bouquets. Temperature and climate fluctuations and the Iowa prairie wind, frequently raw and biting, often encourage me to pick my flowers and bring them indoors to enjoy.
I’ve read some warnings that glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa luciliae, Zones 3–8) may be invasive, but that’s never been a problem for me. I’ve had to replant more than once, and of course, I blame the weather. I like to plant them near the driveway so that I don’t overlook them when they emerge. Sometimes I’ve mistaken the first ones for bits of tissue paper scattered by the wind.
Glory-of-the-snow and crocus (Crocus vernus, Zones 3–8) make a wonderful early spring bouquet.
Tulips (Tulipa hybrids, Zones 3–8) mingle with early bearded irises (Iris hybrid, bearded group, Zones 3–9) and Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica, Zones 3–8).
Indoors, a few tulip blooms join a sprig of bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis, Zones 3–8) and a tiarella (Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’, Zones 4–9) leaf.
White flowers make me happy. Snowdrop anemones (Anemone sylvestris, Zones 4–8) make me especially happy! Mine live under a canopy of Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’ Zones 3–8).
Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans, Zones 3–8) blooms with clouds of soft blue flowers.
And the anemone and Jacob’s ladder look wonderful together in a blue teapot, with some sturdy lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis, Zones 2–7) leaves.
Most of my tulips are planted close to the house, so they get some protection. But I usually place between 70 and 100 in this bed near the street.
And tulips always are amazing in a vase—a fabulous way to bring the outdoors in.
These tulips were from the year I planted orange!
Inside, the tulips glow in a copper vase my mother loved.
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