Monday, April 15, 2019

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up April 2019-Welcome to My Spring Garden!

Welcome to my April Garden!
Welcome to my April garden! After a cool start to the month and one of the most unusual winters we have ever had with no significant snowfall and temperature fluctuations from the 50's one week to single digits the next, spring has arrived in full force. Come along and stroll with me in my Long Island garden. Today's forecast calls for blooms!
Welcome!
Newly added during the winter months, these two garden frogs are your welcoming committee! Behind them is the perennial border, which we will take a look at in more detail along our walk.
Perennial Border Allium Shoots, Lillies and Hyacinth
All winter long, I gaze at the perennial bed and await its awaking in spring. It's almost magical how the new growth of bulbs emerges so quickly once the temperatures warm. The large attractive leaves in the backdrop are from emerging Allium 'Mont Blanc'. They appear to grow taller each time I look at them.
Purple Crocus
Purple crocus are one of my favorite spring bulbs with their vibrant color. They are in full bloom now, and open and close daily as they react to the sun.
Hellebore 'Merlin'
Here are Hellebore 'Merlin' and 'Shooting Star' in the shadier areas of the garden. They had a late bloom this year, but were worth the wait! Now they are in full force!
Hellebore 'Shooting Star'
As we come around the bend, here is another crocus in an artistic light. Let's stop a moment and take a glance at this one.
Crocus Wide Open!
These golden-yellow crocus are another favorite with their bright color that resembles the sun.

Yellow Crocus
Hyacinths are also blooming in the perennial border along with crocus and daffodils, which we'll visit in a bit. Don't you just love the color on these?
Hyacinth
The Weeping Pussy Willow is covered in fluffy catkins this time of year, which appear before the leaves. This tree has also been a bird haven for nesting Sparrows over the years.
Weeping Pussy Willow April
I love how the male catkins seem to explode open while releasing their golden pollen. The male catkins are elongated, while the females are shorter and rounder. The female catkins point upward until they are pollinated.
Pussy Willow Catkins!
The pollinators are enjoying all the new blooms. Here is a bee enjoying the pollen from a crocus.
Crocus and Pollinators!
Forthysia blooms mean spring has arrived. The buds are opening!
Forthysia Blooming!
Daffodils add another touch of yellow to the garden. This is a miniature variety.
Daffodils
Hyacinths add such nice color to the garden. Like crocus, you can't have just one!
More Hyacinths!
Allium, crocus and hyacinths...oh my! Daylilies, astilbe, coneflowers and hosta are also emerging in the perennial border!
Perennial Border Another View

The Peonies are coming up too. I enjoy the pinkish-red hue of their newly developed foliage.
Peony Emerging!
The Skyland's Oriental Spruce at the end of the driveway is getting more golden by the day as it starts to push out new growth. You can see the Nepeta 'Walkers Low' coming up beneath it.

Skyland's Oriental Spruce

'Limemound' Spirea in the back pool garden is starting to develop its initial fiery-orange foliage, as Allium 'Globemaster' and Daylily 'Stella D Oro' emerge in the foreground. Also in this view are Weeping Norway Spruce and Blue Globe Montgomery Spruce.
Foliage of 'Limemound' Spirea and Daylily
Here is Magnolia 'Royal Star. I cannot get enough of these magnificent blooms! 
Magnolia 'Royal Star'
As another winter season has passed and with the arrival of spring, winter bear has traded in his greenery for annuals.

Bear with Spring Annuals
With great anticipation, I look forward to all the excitement the garden has to offer and to seasonal changes as the garden evolves from month to month. I hope you enjoyed your visit and wish you a wonderful gardening season!
April Garden...Thanks for Visiting!
Special thanks go out to our hostess 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. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who has hosted Foliage Follow-Up for all these years, a meme I will still continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling WoodsDishing It & Digging It on Sunday with Angie the Freckled RoseImage-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Homestead Blog Hop on Wednesdays.

For gardening and design inspiration along with personal musings...

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2019. All rights reserved.

18 comments:

  1. Lee - it's Montana spring-time today, which means sun one moment and a blizzard of flurries the next. So I thoroughly absorbed your spring garden - the colors and textures are a delight to the eye and the soul. I am so grateful that you linked to Mosaic Monday this week - please do come again SOON!

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    1. Thank you Angie! I am glad you enjoyed the views and I am sending some warmer temperatures your way for springtime!

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  2. What an awesome garden you have!
    Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2019/04/beautiful-springtime.html

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Sue. It is a labor of love! Thank you for hosting too!

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  3. Your garden is so floriferous! My yellow crocuses are pretty much done blooming, but the purple crocuses are still going strong. I love seeing the honey bees sipping deep. Your daffs are also lovely. I just have shoots - of many plants.

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    1. Thank you Pat! I love your purple crocus and pretty Scillas. They are such wonderful signs of spring.

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    1. They are a favorite Shelly! Your garden is so lovely and I love how you have captured each bloom. Your Daffodils are amazing!

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  5. Such beauty! The result of such work.

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    1. Thank you Janice! I love every moment of working in the garden. It is great relaxation!

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  6. Your garden isn't much different in blooms this month than mine and I am way down south from you (Indiana). Your crocus is much better than mine though. So pretty. Such nice large clumps.

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    1. I enjoyed my visit to your garden Lisa. That Almond Bush is beautiful!

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  7. First time I saw a weeping pussy willow -- love it! I finally have spring blooms like yours. This has to be my favorite month! P. x

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    1. I have had this one for years and love it, especially for its catkins in spring. It looks like you've been busy Pam! I agree with you as far as the seed packets. They are works of art. I'd like to frame the one from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange!

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    1. Thank you Janice. I enjoyed your beautiful and uplifting photos. Happy Spring!

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  9. Hello, Lee!
    What a treat to see your vernal garden! I love crocuses and weeping willow, especially its catkins. Your garden bear is yet wears a scarf, is cool in the morning :-)?
    Happy Easter week!

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    1. Hi Nadezda. Yes...the mornings are still cool, but soon bear will be trading in his scarf for perhaps swimwear! The temperatures are finally moving up into the high 60's and it's wonderful! Happy Easter week to you and yours!

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Thank you for visiting. I love reading your comments and knowing you have been here, and will try to reciprocate on your blog. If you have any questions I will try my very best to answer them. As always...HAPPY GARDENING!