Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up April 2016 - Spring at Last!

April 2016 Garden

Spring arrived like a lion as Mother Nature graced the landscape with her last snow of the season. It quickly melted within the same day to expose the spring bulbs that had been well under way.  After an unusually mild winter, the first week and a half of April had been one of the coldest on record with prolonged periods of rain.  Now we cannot complain too much about the rain, since “April showers bring May flowers”, as the expression implies.  Also, within the past two days spring has finally arrived in all its glory, with temperatures in the upper 50's and 60's and blooms starting to appear everywhere.  Come walk with me through my Long Island garden.      

Spirea 'Limemound' Foliage

We start the tour with some new spring foliage. Just within the past couple of days the foliage on the 'Limemound' Spirea has appeared with its new pinkish-orange hues for spring. One of the interesting characteristics of Spirea is that the foliage transitions into many hues throughout the different seasons, and of course the blooms are lovely as well.

Dwarf White Pine and Daylily 'Stella D Oro' 

In the back gardens, evergreens such as this dwarf White Pine are showing new growth, and 'Stella D Oro' Daylilies are emerging with their bright green foliage.

Weeping Pussy Willow (Salix caprea 'Pendula')

One of my favorite trees in the backyard is this Weeping Pussy Willow, which is abundant with brightly colored catkins every spring.  I can see this one right from my kitchen window and there is a lot of activity, as the birds love to nest in it.

Magnolia 'Royal Star'

The 'Royal Star' Magnolia is another welcomed sight every spring.  Its beautiful white blooms cast a fragrance that can be detected across the property and I just cannot get enough of this lovely tree.

Magnolia 'Royal Star' Bloom

The blooms are like a piece of nature's artwork that appear in many forms with no two exactly alike.

Magnolia Royal Star

The flowering period is short-lived, but worth every moment!

Nepeta 'Walkers Low' April

As we stroll around to the back garden beds, Nepeta 'Walkers Low' is starting to emerge from its winter's sleep and is sporting its lovely silvery foliage, which will soon give way to brilliant lavender blooms.

Miniature Daffodils

The Miniature Daffodils are showing their delicate yellow blooms. They were introduced into the perennial border just last year.

Miniature Daffodils

This is also the second year for Allium 'Globemaster', which has been pushing up foliage since March. I wait in anticipation for the giant stalks to form which will be topped with voluminous purple blooms in June.

Allium Globe Master New Foliage

Here are Hyacinths, which are very reliable in the perennial border...

Pink Hyacinths

with hues of pinks and purples and fragrant scent. I bought more purple bulbs this year because I just couldn't resist! They are always such a welcomed sight.

Purple Hyacinths

Violas are also fun to look forward to in spring.  I purchased these from the local nursery on opening day in March and they are still blooming away. There are also some in the garden bed that re-seeded from last year, which I am enjoying as well.

Violas

As we take a look at the front gardens, there are hints of life as perennials start to appear among the evergreens...

Driveway Evergreens and Perennials Starting to Show

and of course the evergreens are what provide reliable structure in all the seasons.

Front Gardens and  Walkway

The Caramel Coral Bells are also showing spring is here as they sprout new growth after the winter. Grape Hyacinths are also showing their delicate purple blooms.

Grape Hyacinths

Hellebore 'Shooting Star' April

Here is another one of my favorite additions to the garden.  Planted last winter, these Hellebores have been blooming from January until now...making a bloom time of four months. They have bloomed through snow and cold, and everything else that has been handed to them.

'Skylands' Oriental Spruce and Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku')

In the distance behind the Golden Oriental Spruce, you can see the buds of the Coral Bark Maple swelling to display a pinkish hue.  Soon the leaves will appear as a light green. Coreopsis 'Zagreb' is showing the start of foliage and will also soon be in bloom.

Back Perennial Border

Now that the Hyacinths and Daffodils are coming to the end of their bloom period, Daylilies, Allium, Astilbe, Coneflower and Hosta are all starting to emerge, preparing for the next round of blooms.

Violas

April 2016 Garden

I  hope you enjoyed the stroll through my April garden. Special thanks go out to our hostesses Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Pam at Digging for hosting Foliage Follow-Up.  I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Today's Flowers, Floral Fridays, Mosaic Monday at Lavender Cottage, I Heart Macro, Macro Monday 2, and Nature Notes at Rambling Woods.  Also check out What's Blooming This Week Garden Update.

Celebrating my 200th Post!

Have you checked out my book A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer?  Here it is on Amazon. 

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2016. All rights reserved