Congratulations, Rouge!

Love Lathyrus vernus.

No idea why it's not used a lot more than it is.

Other than on-line, the only place I ever saw it for sale was Merlin's Hollow.

Ohhhhh, a new one to me, looks interesting :). I just came back from a plant sale, picked up Impatiens omeiana (love the foliage on this one) I had it years ago but lost it. Up until now it's been evading me, I also picked up a Polygonatum I'm not familiar with P. verticillatum 'Rubrum'.
Annette

Ho, at last - emerging from a dark northern US winter! Well done.
Ah, I had a lathyrus year when | first got the woodland...and a few of them are coming into their own - lathyrus vernus...but also l.venetus, pratensis, sylvaticum, nigra and aureus...and the annuals - odoratus, tingitanus and a few vetchlings - a very attractive genus,

hurray, winter is over. always the first perennial every year. i actually wouldn't mind if it were a little more rampageous.

Good to see 'daves'. I clearly have lots more to look forward to this season from this plant.

That's great!

Good to hear from you 'Campanula'. I am always impressed with your memory re plant names (6 times out of 10 I get my 3 cats' names mixed up ;)).

(But just to let you know, we have emerged from a very trying Ontario winter. Many of us Canadians have a fierce pride in the weather extremes in this country.)

the lathyrus will get better and better for a couple of weeks. i have a viola virus in my garden so self seeders are rare but this one came from nowhere. it really is kitten faced. sometimes the littlest things are the best things. just thought i'd hijack your thread.

Dave, so pretty, makes me want to go get a few pansies :).
Annette

sometimes the littlest things are the best things.

So true 'daves' and your 'kitty faced' flower picture illustrates this so well.

For sure there are way flashier plants than Lathyrus vernus but it now has a special spot in my garden given that I see it will be the first perennial to flower for me each year (probably by a long shot).

(And again, I first discovered this plant through GW. Here is the thread that 'did it' for me:

[Lathyrus vernus thread on 'old' GW[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/tell-me-about-lathyrus-vernus-dsvw-vd~1651659) )

Here is the same plant a couple of days later; fuller blooms.

Wonderful, I've never seen this offered either but I have seen it mentioned/pictured in many books, mostly written in the UK. Camp, good to know about it being started easily from seed. Do you also save your seed from this plant--silly question, I know!

Rouge, I've got the younger sister! Lol

UPDATE:

Same plant just covered in blooms this spring.

(I planted several more last summer because I was so pleased with the performance of this specimen but none are doing anything close to what this one does)

I had a gorgeous pink one that was close to the size of yours. I was transplanting a bunch and that one got thrown out with fall clean-up -:/. I find them quite hardy. Lovely photo - amazing number of blooms!

Mine never gets that kind of profusion of bloom. I love this plant in my garden, but I'm drooling over yours!!

Thank you T2d. I only show you the best specimen! (I have 5 others and none of them are not even close to being like the one above...go figure).

What a great looking plant rouge! In the past I grew L. latifolius but this seems to be a nicer species. I will be on the watch for it!

peren.all, it isnt my doing as I have 5 others of which none are anywhere close to being as floriferous as this one.

Oh how pretty! I just looked this up and read that the foliage declines in summer. Is it ephemeral in your area rouge?

I was afraid someone was going to ask me this :(. I forget!

(I will keep an eye on it this year).

I will try to remember to come back and ask. Thanks rouge21!

In my area (which s similar to rouge), its foliage stays neat, compact and green into fall. I use it as a 'woodland' plant in the shade. May be in the sun it can behave differently.

I think this is Lathyrus vernus rosenelfe. It went in the ground last summer and is now in bloom.

Wonderful lathyrus you have there rouge. Mine flourishes in a quiet sort of way and then disappears for the summer. Speaking of which, the weather here is jumping back and forth between high 80's one day and low 60's the next. Summer to spring three times in one week.

And finally the white flowered LF:

UPDATE:

garcanad wrote:

In my area (which s similar to rouge), its foliage stays neat, compact and green into fall.

greenhearted, garcanad is completely correct. All of ours are green and neat and compact as of today. An excellent plant IMO.

Rouge, you are awesome! Thank you for remembering to update this thread. I don't believe I have ever seen this plant in the nurseries. Maybe one to try from seed.

UPDATE (2017):

Just wondering if anyone added a spring vetching or two and so would still be in bloom now:

Wow, they are beautiful, Rouge. I wish I had a spot for them.

Wow! I really like the white. I have the purple and bought a couple pink last year. I'm going to have to be on the lookout for the white. Mine do not form those incredibly blooming clumps you have there though! Gorgeous!

Oh my goodness, I'm not familiar with this plant, but now I have to go find it! Very lovely, and how interesting to see the annual photos and how the plant has matured over the years! This is a terrific thread!

T2d, the one shown is actually the pink...looks kind of 'dirty' pink. Here is the white and pink as close-ups:

(The 'purple' is by far the most vigorous).

Kirstin Zone 5a NW Chicago please report back if you find it!

Being more and more impressed (obsessed ;)) with these "Vetchlings" I decided I needed one more white flowered one for symmetry (to go with the two pinks given that I had only one lonely white).

A few years ago when I planted these "Vetchling" there were a few places I could go to source them BUT this week when I made a concerted effort I found it very difficult to find any lathyrus vernus at any nursery. Of course none of the ubiquitous box stores would ever carry such a perennial and speaking with one of the managers at a good nursery he lamented the fact that these plants were too expensive to be appealing to today's Rozanne loving home owner ;) (I think the seeds need time consuming 'stratification' to germinate). For those of us not good at starting perennials from seeds it is sad to see that many of the wonderful perennials that are now in our garden would be very difficult to source now.

UPDATE 2018:

I planted Lathyrus vernus 'Flaccidus' last season and it survived its first winter. The foliage is different than the others I have as it is somewhat ribbon like and so gives the plant a somewhat "ferny" or grass effect.

I guess it is up to you guys to collect and share your seeds if this plant is so hard to source.

In a scree bed at Merlin's Hollow.

noid delphinium

noid herbaceous peonies

pink pewter lamium

mini hostas

noid pink azalea & 'Alba' bleeding hearts:

blooming now: noid Lupines

Not yet blooming:

'Midnight Prairie Blues' baptisia - buds are up, but not yet open

Baby oriental lilies scattered throughout the bed

'Sweet Kate' tradescantia

noid tall bearded irises

Great pictures princeton701 but can I suggest you move this post to a thread originating in 2018 so that more can see your wonderful May garden? (most of these posts are concerning "Spring Vetchling")

Excellent sunnyborders.

(I would love to view "Merlin's Hollow in person one day.)

A white/pink (light pink?) vetchling:

Just about done for this season: