A Visit to Kilbourne Grove

A "chance encounter" on Blotanical led to a personal tour of Kilbourne Grove, a beautiful garden located in my own community. Although spring is cold this year and many of the bulbs are still only forming buds, I was impressed.  The layout is styled after the classic English garden, with long formal beds and wide paths.

The service berry beds were carpeted with unshy varieties of hellebore.  Most hellebore, the only kinds I have ever owned hang their heads, but these looked proudly up at us.

I will be blessed to be able to visit this garden often this Summer, and I can't wait to see it throughout the season.

Thanks again Blotanical for such a great place where gardeners can meet!

First Bloom of the Hellebores Seedlings

I'm excited to see that the Hellebore that I planted two years ago as a tiny seedling has matured enough to flower.  It's not the same as the parent plant but I love it.  I just wish it wouldn't hide its face.  The only way I could take it's picture was to place the camera on the ground, but I'm delighted with this photo.

I expect that by next year there will be many more flowers all around the plant, and that later in the summer, even after the flowers fade, the leaves will create an impressive shiny green mound.

Other flowers that are showing now are grape hyacinths and daffodils,

 

bloodroot and 

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and perennial alyssum

Don't you just love spring!!!!