This year spring came very early in North Carolina. We had a mild winter and it seemed like everything woke up earlier than usual.
In March there are not as many fillers or spillers as in other months, as most of the greenery is waking back up and there are not a lot of supporting flowers blooming.
In March the Thrillers include:
- Hyacinth
- Daffodils
- Tulips
- Anemones
I think the first to come out were the Hyacinths. I was excited to add more into the garden as they are so fragrant and add such a beautiful smell to the spring garden.
Although their stem length isn’t very long, they smell amazing and make a good vase cut.
Next up, one of the spring favorites, the anemones.
Probably one of the most well known is the black and white anemone Anemone De Caen Black Eyed Beauty. One of the great things about anemones in NC is that you can plant them once and they will come back for years. An economical addition to the garden. I usually put my anemones in an area with a floating frost cover to help the blooms come out earlier, however, many times snow has found its way under the cover and the anemones didn’t mind. It is Zone 7B here.
Another popular white version, it the white with green eye — it comes in a single (the Bride) or double (Mt Everest.
Another early spring addition is the Daffodil (narcissus):
This one came out particularly early, but most of them bloom in April.
Additionally, a number of tulips are early blooming. These were a few varieties that bloomed this year in March:
My two favorites this year were fringed tulips and parrot tulips. I am excited to order many more varieties of these this fall.
Above and below are Apricot parrot and the coloring is just amazing.
Lastly, is La Belle Epoque tulip. This tulip is stunning with gorgeous color that fades as it ages.
Fillers: This early in the year, there are not many fillers or spillers. The peach tree blossoms were lovely this March, but many of the vines and greens were still waking up. Some of the lavender was also beginning to bloom and rosemary was a good filler.
