Welcome to the UW Medicinal Herb Garden in Seattle, Washington. It’s early spring and there’s much to do, like removing last year’s growth from herbaceous perennials.
But the wispy, faded vines of this wild yam are the centerpiece of section F so they will stay.
Dioscorea villosa (wild yam)
This golden corydalis is a welcome sight in March.
Corydalis aurea (golden corydalis)
And behold the glorious pasque flower. In Europe, its flowers sometimes emerge through snow in early spring. Anemone occidentalis, our western pasque flower of the Olympics and Cascades and beyond, is also known to flower through spring snow. I salute their doughty pollinators!
Pulsatilla vulgaris (pasque flower)
From the drylands of Eurasia, the yellow pheasant’s eye sensibly flowers early, before the dry heat drives it into dormancy. A bit bedraggled here in the cool morning mist, it is an eye-catcher by midday.
Adonis vernalis (yellow pheasant’s eye)
Here are some of our new wooden borders. I’m installing them when I have time.
New wooden borders are a work in progress
March is not the high season for flowering plants in Seattle. But the energy is flowing upward from the roots and many seeds are germinating as I write. Pull your boots on, put on a warm coat and stop by for a visit. The migratory birds are passing through, pollinators are emerging to do their essential work and the air smells like nectar.
See you in the garden!