I remember the very first time I was able to identify an emerging plant by its barely visible foliage. It was a big leap forward in my gardening confidence. These days I have a bad habit of moving plants around at the end of the summer. I am glad, therefore, that some plants are so identifiable from the get-go that I don't have to waste any time or energy wondering what's what at this time of year.
. . .
Hepaticas tend to look like a pile of dryer lint caught in garden debris as they emerge.
Every Primula has foliage that is distinct as it emerges. This is P. kisoana which functions as a ground cover in my garden.
Primula japonica gets long leaves and pretty much works as a foliage plant most of the year for me.
It was a thrill to find the Digitalis/foxgove seedlings that I transplanted last autumn.
First up and last down are the Geranium macrorrhizum.
Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's breeches) looks delicate but is a tough plant that spreads where it wants to; as an ephemeral that's not really a problem. One plant, purchased 20 years ago, is all over my garden in sweet swaths.
Iris cristata snakes around to create a problem-free ground cover. I love the way it looks now, giving no clue to its appearance at bloom time.
Lilium martagon zooms up early and doesn't let cold or snow slow it down.
Luckily this one still had its tag. I knew what I had planted here in 2018, even if I could not remember its name or recall seeing it come up in this dramatic fashion last spring. Euphorbia paulustris, a plant that can have its roots in water, which is exactly what this is doing adjacent to the upper pool.
Being able to go out in the garden to see what has appeared or changed overnight, makes it much easier to be excited about getting up in the morning these days.
