Nothing new here in zone 6, southwestern PA. I'm still anxiously waiting for my Penstemon eatonii to bloom. The buds are growing and swelling, but still haven't opened.

The garden is starting to hum here in North Carolina, Zone 7B. Still working on getting more perennials in to my 3 year old garden; I started with trees and shrubs mostly. But here's some of the hummer plants that are blooming right now for me:

Goldflame honeysuckle, lonicera x heckrottii (has been like this already for two weeks; fragrance is a bonus!):


Coral honeysuckle 'Major Wheeler', lonicera sempervirens (my hummers always visit this first, although they spedn more time at the goldflame):


Closeup of Major Wheeler:


Weigela florida 'Wine and Roses' (just planted in the fall!...I'm very happy with this shrub):


Weigela florida 'Variegata' (very vigorous grower; that's agastache 'Golden Jubilee' on the left):


Calycanthus 'Hartlage Wine' (hummers don't really like it but I hope the red brings them in!):


Native columbine:


Columbine hybrids:


Hope your blooms are coming soon too!



Zone 7B
North Carolina Piedmont

Matt
Those all look great. I love the looks of Major Wheeler but I have to pacify myself with three honeysuckles.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

I just bought 2 coral honeysuckle and have a question. One site that I was reading said they have a fragrance. Is this true, mine don't seem to have a fragrance.

Marilyn
FL zone 9

Marilyn
My coral honeysuckle has no scent and neither does Dropmore Scarlet. I understand that gold flame does but not sure.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Marilyn, I meant the goldflame has a nice fragrance. It doesn't waft in the breeze, except on humid warm nights, but it is a nice bonus in a great hummer plant (so few do have fragrance). But my coral honeysuckle has no fragrance at all, and I've never heard of one having one.

I have seen it advertised as having fragrance by mail order companies. For instance, Michigan Bulb has a "honeysuckle vine" on their online catalog that has a picture of goldflame honeysuckle (lonicera x heckrottii), which DOES have fragrance, but is listed in the catalog as lonicera sempervirens, which DOES NOT have fragrance. The description of sempervirens having "sweet fragrance" does not help the confusion. Other garden companies do this as well...sometimes because they're actually confused about the distinction, but also usually because they just want you to buy!

Zone 7B
North Carolina Piedmont

Lavender Iris - fading fast
Creeping Phlox
Salvia Greggii Wild Thing
Salvia Greggii Stampede Cherry
Salvia Greggii Flame
Clematis Ernest Markam
Amaryllis Red Lion is stunning - 27" tall and largest of 4 blossoms is 7"

purchased in the last few weeks:
Lantana Dallas Red
Lantana Bandana
Columbine Origami Rose & Rose - from Lowe's clearance $1.26
Portulaca Margarita Rosita
Red Geranium
Fuchsia Angel Earrings
Lavender Petunia hanging basket - Easter gift from my daughter




Linda
ne AL
zone 7b

Zone 6A, southwestern PA

Heuchera sanguinea 'Firefly' -- First few blooms opened today.

Coral Honeysuckle and L. japonica
Coreopsis Jethro Tull
Coreopsis species (I dug up wild)
Agastache 'Ava'
Agastache 'Tutti Frutti'
Blue Fringed Daisy
Salvia c. 'Lady in Red'
Salvia f. 'Blue Queen'
Clematis (purple) President
Red Hot Poker
Gallardia ? (I lost the tag) yellow
Pink Foxglove
Lillium 'San Souci' (aka Stargazer)
Cosmos (mixed)
Gardenia 'Miami Supreme'
Bleeding Heart
Echinacea paradoxa
Buddleias 'Black Knight', 'Blue Adonis'
Coral Bells (red)
Water lilies



Maryjane
W Ga
Zone 8a

Chinese Wisteria vines all over Monmouth County NJ

Pam NJ 6B

My Penstemon eatonii has finally started to bloom. Only a few blossoms at the base are open, but if this darn weather ever warms up, I think it will really take off. It was planted last spring, and these are its first blooms. There are 6 flowering stalks, maybe 18-24" tall. When more flowers open, I'll try to get a photograph of it. I'll also keep an eye out for visitors, but my hummers tend to be feeder junkies this time of year, so not sure if they'll use it.

Also, Red Buckeyes, and Buckeyes in general are in bloom around here. I think they began some time in the last week, but that's in the city of Pittsburgh, where it's a little warmer.

Zone 6, southwestern PA.

Where shall I start. My list is so extensive!
Aquilegia canadensis (Native Eastern Columbine)
Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
Calliandra emarginata (Powder Puff)
Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)
Hamelia cuprea (Bahama Firebush)
Helleborus
Heuchura (Coral Bells)
Penstemon 'Elfin Pink'
Salvia greggii 'Pink Perfection'
Salvia greggii 'Furman's Red'

None of my honeysuckles are blooming




Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Here are some photos taken last week:

Zone 6 southwestern PA

Lonicera sempervirens 'Alabama Crimson' -- Assaulted by aphids, but finally starting to bloom a bit. However, every time a new bloom cluster starts to form, it is smothered in aphids and has to be sprayed. I just saw my first ladybug on the plant, so I may stop spraying and let nature take its course. Last year, the aphids diminished by early summer, and the plant finally began to bloom nicely. It seems like the predators need more time to catch up.

Kristin:

I've been wondering if your P. eatonii was blooming yet. I, too, have one with about 6 or 8 flowering stalks just about to start blooming. I have one P. cardinalis that will be blooming soon, too. Virtually all my Penstemons are sending up numerous flowering stalks this year, could be a great show (I'm knocking on wood).

Donald

Zone 4 Red Wing MN

Although many of the plants I ordered are blooming, the ones that have been here from last year that are blooming are:

Honeysuckles: 'John Clayton', Blanch Sandman' and 'Coral'...
'Red Prince' Wegelia

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Weigela Variegated, Red Prince and Wine and Roses
Lupine
Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet
Silene Virginiana
Columbine both the Native and Hybreds
White fringe Tree just starting to bloom
Viburnum triloba
Candytuft
Chives

I think I forgot to mention..

Kolkwitzia--In full bloom right now, and has been for about a week. Supposedly a hummingbird shrub, but I've never seen it get used. However, it's so smothered in flowers that a hummingbird could easily sneak around the back side and I wouldn't notice.

Lamiastrum 'Herman's Pride' -- Don't think this is a hummingbird flower, but it's been in bloom for maybe a week, now. It's at its peak. I understand some forms of this are weedy thugs, but this one is quite well behaved. Its silvery foliage and yellow flowers look nice with the Heuchera sanguinea.

All of this in zone 6, southwestern PA.