Flowers blooming around Long Island in New York are demonstrating signs of Popping early. The warm weather this area had in April following a warm winter has really pushed the trees,perennial and woody ornamentals timetable for emerging flowers.
There are many examples of unusual early emerging flowers but none as obvious as my Clematis “Jackmanii” (climbing vine). Most years this Clematis waited to bloom between the last week of June and the first week of July. This out of the ordinary bloom time can be a demonstration of the past years strange weather for the Northeast, a slow and steady climactic change that has been occurring for the past 30 years or as some have demonstrated a general pattern in our historic weather. I can’t tell you which one I actually believe but I feel as though we are in the midst of a planetary climactic shift that is a pattern that has occurred a number of times throughout our planets life. So what about the flowers?
Flowers flowers everywhere. Roses are beautiful but really can be tormented by the humidity and fluctuating temperatures we have been having this year. The roses will either sag and wilt through this weather or they will force a brand new flowering cycle as the weather dries and heats up. I transplanted a 6 year old climbing rose “Eden” from one of my client’s properties to my house. The location is questionable but testing different plants in a variety of locations is what I do (this rose is in a northwest location with a mixed exposure to some late morning light. I first look forward to it’s ability to re-establish through transplanting and then how it will develop and possibly flower in the future. I have discovered the benefits of this climbing rose and it’s repeating flower potential.
Switching gears from the climbing Rose family to the Hydrangeas group is not too much of a stretch so here I go. I have really begun to see the depth of versatility with this group. Flowering times, color variations, stem colors and overall forms. Hydrangea trees, grand woody ornamentals, mass planting of dwarf varieties are just a few of the diverse options when it comes to this group of flowering plants. The reality for Hydrangeas this year is the same as most flowering plants, early displays of flowers that usually don’t begin emerging until the middle to the end of June. My newest Hydrangea adventure is a variety called “Zebra.” Black stems and large heads demonstrating flowers with ruffled edges. I haven’t gotten this Hydrangea variety for my own garden yet but I have planted it for one of my clients and will make the effort to find it and already have found a place to plant it on my property.
I could now talk about the trees that flowered early or the many perennials that have come up faster and more furious than years past but these groups are designed to conform and adapt to their environment more then most and then revert back to previous patterns based on environmental variations. Trees demonstrate changes in their growth rings and perennials either develop much larger root systems of can exhaust themselves rot and die. The variations between plants and their responses can be many and frustrating but the reality dictates you can’t guess what nature will do and how the environment will respond. Like waiting for rainbows, when they do show up you better be ready to witness the miracle. Life is continually rushing forward. We must be ready for all the changes. Enjoy the day.