I’ll start with the daffodils since they were among the first to bloom and have already past their peak now. I missed capturing most of them on “film,” but here are a few...
The forsythia has been in desperate need of some drastic pruning, however I never seem to get around to it. I know it would bloom so much better if pruned properly. I have another one that didn’t bloom at all this year.
This dwarf spirea is near the screened-in back porch and I have watched it evolve over the past few weeks. It started with tiny red buds, then the leaves burst forth. The colors in the leaves are gorgeous.
In the fall I had planted Checkered Lilies (Fritillaria meleagris). I absolutely love their nodding, spotted heads. Not the greatest picture here, but it gives the general idea. I think I need to plant more of these bulbs this fall.
Another new one is Rose Queen Bishop’s Hat (Epimedium grandiflorum) that I planted last year. I planted three of them and all three are doing well. I didn’t really want my thumb in the picture, but it does kind of give a sense of the size of the flowers. They are nodding flowers, too, and tiny, so you need to get up close to really appreciate them. They look kind of like magenta spiders. I have two other more-established Epimediums that I think I actually like better, however, they aren’t doing as well this year. They were in a spot that was covered in several feet of snow most of the winter, so maybe that’s why.
If you’ve ever wondered what wisteria buds look like, then here you are. Not very attractive considering how amazingly beautiful the flowers become. These buds are on the wisteria tree I have and not the vine one.
My younger sister gave me a dogwood for my birthday three and a half years ago and it is really coming along nicely. Lots of buds this year. I’m excited to see it in full bloom so I can take some pictures to send to my sister. (She doesn’t read my blog. None of my family does!)
Bleeding Heart is one of those old-fashioned favorites that I would find hard to live without. They die back in the summer, which isn’t pretty, however, when in bloom they are a delight. I captured them just as they were starting to fill out.
My Bridal Queen Hellebore is usually the star of my spring show each year. This year not so much. Lots of foliage right now, but not a lot of flowers. I wonder if it has to do with it being snow-covered all winter. Or maybe it needs dividing. I have never divided it.
That’s some serious Sorrel this early in the spring! It’s taking off like gangbusters in the Kitchen Garden. I can’t wait to add some to my salad...but not TOO much. Read my post about Sorrel if you want to know why I limit it. Maybe I’m being overly cautious. The garlic chives are popping up in the background.
When seen from afar, the flower garden isn’t much to look at this time of the year. I took this before I pruned my roses and hydrangeas.
This is the other side of the yard that had been cleared out of an overgrown mess a couple of years ago.
This is that same side of the yard, but seen from the very back looking towards the house. You can see the hostas starting to pop up.
And one last shot of the flower garden, also seen from the very back of the back yard, but looking towards the shed.
I always find it fascinating watching the garden come to life in the spring, especially knowing what it looks like later in the growing season. To think, those tiny plants sprouting out of the ground will be several feet high in a few months. Isn’t it exciting?! Well, to a garden-geek like me it is.
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