Snowdrops and Rare Fern: New Additions and Old Plants Restored [Gardening]

Look at what's growing in my garden this month in February. Some new things have been planted. There are also some old things I though had died, and are now restored with new life.

This is a snowdrop I purchased recently.

For years I have been wanting to grow it, so I splurged and bought a living plant when I found it for sale at the nursery.

Besides being a winter flower that releases gentle green leaves and flowers that blend in with the snow, I love that these flowers are long lasting through the cold month. The petals stay closed while the weather is cold, and then they open up when the days become warmer. Then they close back up again for night.

Today, I also noticed the snowdrop bulbs I planted in another location are not dead. They are starting to sprout.

Here's another boring fern, I found at the nursery. Looks a lot like a sword fern, which practically grows like a week in our area...

Not even close! Licorice fern!

Another plant I have been hunting for. Most nurseries do not carry this plant because it is a slightly endangered, protected plant, although it is native to our area too.

The roots are chew-able, and it tastes exactly like sweet black licorice. Very delicious and unique.

Here is a photo of the top to help identify it.

The last time I planted a licorice fern it shriveled up and died in summer, and did not return. Although I had it in a nice shaded area with tons of tree litter all about, I think the soil area was too dry even though I watered it often.

And underneath. The spore pods are toasted coconut orange.

I've saved a frond covered with spores, and placed it in an envelop to dry out, because I want to propagate more ferns to grow. A week later, the spores have not released. Am I doing it wrong? Most fern experts say to wait for the spore pods to turn black. Maybe I need to wait longer, and try again.

For this fern, I split the plant with a spade to divide it into three sections. The soil here is always muddy, and filled with lots of decomposed woodchips.

It will get some direct dappled sun between the trees around mid-day, but not all day. The deck and house will give it full shade for much of the day, and the fence and wall of trees for the rest of the day.

I mixed in some rich peat potting soil with the native dirt. Hopefully that gives these ferns a good home for the roots to spread. Ferns love damp soil.

Then I covered the soil with the tree litter, leaves, and wood chips to act as a mulch layer. It will shield any exposed roots and keep the soil damp, and also continue to feed compost to the soil layers underneath.

Outside, my Gooseberry shrub is looking like a skeleton, but some bits of green recently sprouted.

Leaves are pushing out. After the leaves form, little fairy earrings will dangle out, which are the flowers.

The leaves on my wintered radicchio are fully red. I do not know if I want to eat it. Each plant is so small. No bigger than 4 inches across. I'll probably let them continue to grow and hopefully the root will thicken and make a bigger batch for next year.

I had a hard time getting this started last year, but it was worth it. I love having plants that change with the seasons.

Most of my grow bags are plush full of arugula. It slowly grows all winter. Now that Spring is almost here, the leaves are long and ready to harvest. Winter greens usually taste the best. No bitterness. Almost sweet.

I enjoy snacking on the leaves. It has a nutty flavor. In a few months it will have more of a black pepper or hot radish flavor that takes over.

Pulmonaria (longwort) is growing exactly where I planted it last year. I sure thought it was a goner after it withered away in late summer. Now it's back, and I'm hoping to find the gorgeous blue flowers again, which is why I bought it in the first place.

It is recognizable with the green leaves dotted with with speckles. The white is not fungus/mildew. This is a natural variegation design on the leaves.

Crocus and Violet growing nearby.

Usually the slugs devour the stems on these plants when they are young, especially after they are first planted. I did not get flowers for long last year. Hopefully I get some this year.

The violet on the right already has become slug food unfortunately, so it has not bloomed. However, it does have another violet growing beside it. These plants only release one flower per bulb/plant.

Pussywillows are now popping open. Technically this is a tree, but I grow a few as long stem plants simply to enjoy the buds this time of year.

After it buds, I cut the stem and dry it out, and keep it inside in a glass vase to enjoy. A dried pussywillow stem can last this way for years.

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That's it for now. Thank you for viewing my garden update for February 2020.

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