Spring at last...spring at last!!! The temperatures are finally moving up into the 50's and even the lower 60's after a long and snowy winter and the bulbs are making their appearance, popping their lovely blooms up from the earth awakening from their dormant sleep. For a while I didn't think they would ever appear, especially after an April Fool's storm (well the day before) that graced us with five inches of snow. Thankfully the snow melted by the next day and all was right with the garden once again. It is Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and a good one it is with some color to show in the garden. Join me for the tour while we take notice of what the month of April has to offer!
Purple Crocus
I must say that spring is my favorite time of year when there is so much anticipation and I await the garden to display its outstanding beauty. The winter was rough but the cold does indeed help the perennials to be bigger and brighter than ever so I am hoping it will be a good season.
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| White Crocus |
The blooms of crocus are one of the first signs of spring and am glad that I added more bulbs last fall. I can view them in the perennial garden that can be seen right from my window. I adore the simplicity of the flower and deep purple and pure white blooms.
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| Purple & White Striped Crocus |
The striped variety are enjoyable too! The flowers close at night and open during day as much to greet the warmer summer rays that are upon them.
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| Purple Crocus 'Remembrance' |
Here is one of the newer clumps I planted out by the pool last year...so purple!
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| Pink Hyacinth |
The pink and purple Hyacinths are emerging as well. Within the past two weeks winter is becoming a distant memory as tightly bundled buds are unraveling into full blooms.
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| Purple Hyacinth Bud |
Spring has arrived and Mother Nature is catching up on her artwork at last.
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| Purple Hyacinth Bloom |
It is wonderful to be able to walk out into the garden in the morning once again and take note of what is blooming day by day. Each stroll seems as if seeing the garden all over again for the first time as blooms appear almost over the coarse of a few hours.
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| Viola 'Johnny Jump Ups" Besides the blooms in the garden I bought these Violas at the local nursery on opening day. I think I was one of the first gardeners in the parking lot. With great enthusiasm I stood before rows of brightly colored Violas, Pansies and Daffodils just waiting to be purchased for the back stoop. Upon arrival at home it was evident that the gardening season had begun! |
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| Viola- "Johnny Jump Ups" |
Here we are up close and personal with this "Johnny Jump Up" to admire its beautiful and delicate structure.
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| Salix caprea 'Pendula' |
Salix caprea 'Pendula (Weeping Pussy Willow) is blooming away by the back patio. It seems to be having a banner year and is loaded with catkins just bursting open.
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| Weeping Pussy Willow |
Each day the catkins open a little more to expose the pollen grains.
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| Pussy Willow Catkin April |
Here is a view taken with my macro lens to show nature's artwork up close. I read somewhere that up to two million pollen grains can be produced on each individual catkin. Now that's a lot of pollen!
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| Sedum 'Brilliant' April |
Along with blooms there is much going on with foliage as well. Here is my Sedum 'Brilliant' showing its perfectly shaped clusters of pale green rosettes as it emerges in the garden. Even when Sedum isn't flowering its unusual succulent-like foliage is interesting to look at.
Even the elongated foliage of Hyacinth displaying slightly pinkish tips is interesting at this time of year. Oh how I love spring!
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| April Blooms: Daffodils and Johnny Jump Ups |
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| Magnolia 'Royal Star' Buds |
And just in time for April Bloom Day are the pure white blooms of the Star Magnolia...
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| Magnolia 'Royal Star' Blooms |
with the fragrance of sweet perfume that I have so grown to love.
There is a such a thrill with each passing day as more blooms emerge with an abundance of color and fragrance. I hope you enjoyed your stroll in my April garden. Please visit our hostesses Carol at May Dreams Gardens for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Pam at Digging for Foliage Follow-Up. Thank you for the visit and if you leave a note I will know you dropped by to say hello and I will be sure to visit you as well! Last but not least...may all your gardens bring you everything you wish for!
As Always...Happy Gardening!
Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2014. All rights reserved
Your garden is looking lush and lovely. We're still mostly waiting for Spring here in southern Wisconsin. I particularly like your weeping pussy willow. I have a soft spot for weeping trees.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your spring Hellebores. Spring is arriving slowly but surely this year. Thank you for visiting and commenting. Happy Bloom Day!
DeleteBeautiful. I love the weeping willow. Our hyacinths are finished blooming. We cannot grow crocus here due to our warm temperatures. I wish i could grow star magnolia here, the only magnolia successful here is southern magnolia.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my gardens and for your nice comment. We have Southern Magnolia here but it is borderline due to the colder winters. Your garden and blooms are beautiful there!
DeleteWhat a beautiful garden. What I love about Bloom Day is seeing what is coming. Here in the higher elevations of western Mass, not much is happening yet, but we have green shoots - and snowdrops. I never thought about there being such a thing as a small weeping willow. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I enjoyed your green shoots, Daffodils and Snowdrops. Your Pussy Willow catkins look like ours did about three weeks ago so you are getting there! Happy Spring and GBBD!
DeleteYour garden is looking fantastic! Love that salix - wow. Spring was trying to arrive here as well, but then winter dumped a load of snow on us! Argh.
ReplyDeleteThank you...it was a long winter. I enjoyed your early spring blooms especially your Iris reticulata and Crocus. Hope your weather warms up soon. We had snow just two weeks ago and it is raining heavily and in the 50's today and the forecast is predicting 30's for overnight...here we go again!
DeleteMy goodness, everything is so beautiful here, Lee!
ReplyDeleteHere in Central NY, we hit 80 degrees on Sunday, but it has just begun to snow and it is expected to be only 19 degrees tomorrow morning. :-( Fortunately the only thing in bloom here are the crocuses, so hopefully nothing will be harmed by the snow and cold.
Happy day to you, ad thank you for so much beauty here!
You are so very welcome Lisa and thank you so much for your kind words. The temperatures are taking a plunge here as well this evening. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photographs of the Magnolia blooms...they are breathtaking!
DeleteWhat lovely, fresh spring colors! It was a delight to see your April garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dorothy. You are so way ahead of us with your blooms which are just magnificent! Happy Bloom Day!
DeleteHappy GBBD! I'm sure it's with great relief that you are seeing warmer temps and pops of color after a long winter! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteHappy Bloom Day to you Jennifer and thank you for stopping by! I loved seeing your lovely Dogwood blooms...magnificent!
DeleteYou are well on your way this season. So many blooms!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting Layanee. I enjoyed your crocus blooms and the Tulipa Hearts a Fire is amazing! Happy Bloom Day!
DeleteBeautiful crocuses! I don't have luck with crocus. We have two dozen squirrels in our woods. When I saw your violas, I remembered that I planted some last year and this variety is known to be bi-annual. I wondered how come yours are so advanced! then i saw the pots picture! Newly purchased! that is how!
ReplyDeleteHi Daniela. Thank you for visiting. Spring temperatures have been taking their time to arrive so yes....I went to the local nursery and bought these for some color by my door. ... couldn't resist!
DeleteMust have more magnolias!
ReplyDeleteHi Ricki. I love the white fragrant blooms of the Star Magnolia in spring. I wish I had a place for the Rosea variety. Thank you for visiting!
DeleteI love that Magnolia, it is superb. Your photos are amazing.They make me want to throw away my camera and give up taking photos. Glad to find your blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind words Chloris. I am using a Nikon P510 and Canon Rebel with a macro lens for my photography and take many photos then choose the best of the lot. The camera really does most of the work!
DeleteThe weeping pussy willow is spectacular, so round and full. I hope all the pollen doesn't cause allergeries. I like your macro of the Johnny-Jump-Up, the purple looks like a watercolor. The fragrant Magnolia sounds wonderful, mine doesn't have any fragrance.
ReplyDeleteThe Weeping Pussy Willow does produce a lot of pollen but at a time of year when I am not in the yard much so I mostly admire it from my kitchen window. The Magnolia however, will draw me outside to smell its irresistible fragrance. Thank you for visiting and for you kind words!
DeleteI am so happy to see spring has finally arrived in your garden, about time :-)
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, the magnolia is beautiful and the Salix amazing! Happy GBBD!
Happy GBBD Helene! The warmer temperatures are finally making their way here. You are so far ahead of us, especially this year, but hopefully we will catch up soon to your beautiful blooms!
DeleteLooks like a happy spring at your place. GBBD,
ReplyDeleteThanks Greggo. Things are starting to come around. Happy GBBD!
DeleteSo, so pretty Lee, and so Spring. Your area really broke out in bloom. Trees here still are tight in bud. I love your potted beauties. They really make me think Spring!
ReplyDeleteThank you Donna! We are definitely in spring mode now with new buds opening each day...love this time of year!
DeleteBeautiful! You are so fortunate to have a Magnolia! If/when we move from here, I hope to have a Magnolia. You have an amazing collection of spring-flowering bulbs, too. And that Weeping Pussy Willow--wow!
ReplyDeleteThank you Beth. The Magnolias are exceptionally full with blooms this year, maybe because of the cold and moist winter. I am hoping everything else follows the same course! Happy spring!
DeleteMy sedum has spread and is lovely. I like them because they look kinda like roses to me.
ReplyDeleteHi Jeannie. I love the diversity of Sedum in the garden. There are so many varieties and most of them are pretty hardy and long lived. They do make for a nice ground cover. Thanks for visiting and commenting!
DeleteThese are all very beautiful memories and I am sure this spring will be even more so.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kim. Spring is certainly a wonderful time of year. Thank you for stopping by and commenting!
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