Sedum kamtschaticum 'Variegatum' - Early Red Flesh in Spring - February 2026

Yesterday, I posted a photo of some tulip foliage that has begun to peek thru the mulch layer in the IB2DWs bed (down by the sidewalk) and talked about how tulips are (despite the dwindling numbers) are a happy sign of Spring in our garden.  Today, posting a photo showing another sign of the coming Spring.  This also features some red-tinted color, but is not another tulip.  

Back in Fall of 2023, I planted a few Sedum kamtschaticum 'Variegatum' around the garden including two small pint-sized containers down by the sidewalk IB2Dws.  I've long described the section of our garden closest to the sidewalk as "hard to grow" because of the poor soil conditions (lots of gravel from the driveway, as well as dry conditions with even more gravel due to one of the drywells dug out there).  And, I planted a few things that never took down there.  Until, I moved on to trying sedums.  

They came back in their first Spring and I was pleasantly surprised.  It was then that I noticed that the rabbits were hitting these things all Winter.  Bad news:  that hasn't stopped since.  

Then, they bloomed in Summer 2024.  Pretty neat tiny yellow flowers on plants that had grown to about a foot around.   Then, last Spring, I posted a photo of these in March when they were coming back for year two.  And, by mid-Summer 2025, the pair of Sedum had grown up and out a little more and were, again, flowering.  

This week, when I was searching around for (even more) tulip tips, I spotted this red (maroon) flesh that was hanging around the mulch layer.  It was the remnants of these variegated sedums that had begun to grow for the year:

The rabbits aren't going away in our front yard (I have a plan in the backyard!!!!), but I'm hoping these are established enough to make a come-back for 2026.  

These remind me for something that I need to focus on for 2026:  even more groundcover.  #16 on my 2025 to-do list was to 'do even more with Groundcover'.  I need to put that back on my 2026 to-do list, too.  I didn't mention the word [groundcover] in my early, early look at some priorities list for 2026, but that is a miss.  Carex, Ajuga and Sedums and this Chartreuse on the Loose Nepeta.  Those three, plus some annuals are where I should focus in the front/back and sideyard gardens.