Thursday, April 15, 2021

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow Up: Bring on Those April Blooms!

Welcome to My April Garden!

Welcome to Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Foliage Follow-Up for the month of April, a time to venture out into the garden and appreciate all the beauty that nature has to offer. The skies have been for the most part sunny with temperatures in the upper 50's and into the lower 60's on some days, signaling that spring is here, and creating the perfect working weather. While the world was in so much uncertainty a year ago, the daily routine seems to be slowly getting back to just a little more "normal". Being fully vaccinated, I can feel a bit more at ease when meeting with clients and getting to create beautiful gardens, a passion which I most enjoy! Ready for a tour? Come along and see that my Long Island garden has to offer!
Crocus
It just wouldn't be spring without the traditional crocus! I love how these purple beauties just pop up out of the ground and open to glorious blooms almost overnight. I cannot get enough of them, as they really do have a way of brightening the day.
Magnolia 'Royal Star'
Another April delight is this Magnolia 'Royal Star' in the back pool garden. It produces an abundance of outstanding fragrant white blooms every spring right on schedule. Magnolia 'Royal Star' is hardy in USDA zones 4-8.
Forsythia
Here is the Forsythia which I planted years ago on our front street median. It thrives in the harshest of conditions and continues to please every year with its cheerful yellow blooms.
Japanese Andromeda 'Cavatine'
On the front island bed is Dwarf Andromeda 'Cavatine'. It has become a favorite evergreen shrub for its delicate bell-shaped white blooms in spring, followed by decorative seeds head in fall. 
Grape Hyacinth & Miniature Tulip Collection
I couldn't resist purchasing this bulb mixture and planting them last fall, only to await the surprise in spring. I have been watching this spot everyday and almost overnight, the grape hyacinths appeared. The tulips had appeared when I arrived home from working all day...what a nice surprise!
Miniature Tulips
Here are those wonderful miniature tulips up close!
Purple Hyacinth
Here are the traditional Hyacinth. I have two varieties, purple and pink... 
Pink Hyacinth
and they are oh so fragrant!
Daffodils
To add to the color palette, here are some yellow miniature Daffodils to brighten the day!
 Helleborus orientalis 'Merlin'
I continue to enjoy an assortment of Helleborus (generally hardy in USDA zones 4-9, or 5-8, depending on the species). Here are three varieties, Helleborous 'Merlin' (rose pink), Helleborous' Dark & Handsome' (dark purple-black) and Helleborous 'Champion' (yellow-green). 'Shooting Star' (pale pinkish-white), which I highlighted during the winter months is still blooming in the northern shade garden.  
Helleborus orientalis 'Dark & Handsome'
Hellebore Tip: Remove any winter-damaged foliage in spring to promote more blooms and encourage new growth.
Helleborus orientalis 'Champion'
Helleborus 'Champion' is the later blooming variety, going right through the end of April.
Prunus 'Krater Vesuvius' (Purple Flowering Plum)
Flowering Plum blossoms are also signaling spring. Prunus 'Krater Vesuvius' produces delicate pink blooms in April. 'Krater Vesuvius' is very similar to 'Thundercloud' Plum, only the foliage is a deeper burgundy.
Flowering Plum Blooms!
Here are the dainty blooms up close!
Peony 'Bartzella' on the Way!
In the perennial border, Peony 'Bartzella' is displaying its new brilliant reddish-pink foliage, that will turn to green before those glorious blooms arrive in May!
'Stella D Oro' Daylily and Allium 'Globemaster' Combination
Allium 'Globemaster' is also preparing for its May display! 'The foliage of Daylily borders the Allium bulbs, creating a pleasing combination, while serving the function of covering the spent lower foliage of the Allium later on in the season.
Rosemary Blooming in Springtime
Here is one happy Rosemary plant in the herb garden. It has been producing random blooms during spring and fall over the past year.
Montauk Daisies (Foliage)

Montauk Daisy displays its foliage, which will be followed by blooms during late summer into fall. There is always something to look forward to in every season. By the way...I'm celebrating the three month anniversary of my fourth and latest book, Gardening By Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden!😊After finally accomplishing my goal of creating 12-months of garden interest, my labor of love inspired me to write this book. I am hoping it will inspire readers to create their own 12-month garden!
Thanks for Visiting!😊

Thank you for visiting my April garden. As always, I enjoy hearing from you and seeing what's growing in your neck of the woods! 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 FotosMacro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling WoodsImage-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 Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden

26 comments:

  1. Each image carries beauty and awe. Lovely!

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    1. Aww...thank you Susie. I loved all you blooms and seeing that the butterflies have arrived. Your garden calls to them!

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  2. Lovely blooms. You seem to be a good three to four weeks behind my garden. Our crocuses and forsythia are all bloomed out now. Thanks for joining in for bloom day!

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    1. Thank you Carol. I always enjoy visiting your garden and look forward to Bloom Day every month. Thank you for hosting!

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  3. All very pretty, but the Magnolia is absolutely magnificent!
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

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    1. Happy Bloom Day Lea! I look forward to those Magnolia blooms every spring. I just wish they would last longer!

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  4. Just magnificent and I think I can smell those hyacinths!

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    1. You can smell them for some distance. Your roses are magnificent Dorothy and I love the frog. The oxalis really does look wonderful by it! That little turtle must be very thankful for you to come to the rescue!

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  5. Those peonies are as pretty as blossoms! I love the flowering plum blossoms. Mine is finished.

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    1. The plum blossoms don’t last for very long but they are beautiful and a nice sign of spring. I anticipate the peony blooms every year but even the emerging foliage is interesting.

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  6. The crocus look so healthy! I have never had rosemary happy enough to produce flowers. I also enjoyed your tarda tulips and the light blue muscari - wish I had some of that. They come in so many different colors now.
    -Ray

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    1. I am glad you enjoyed the views. I enjoyed your garden too with all its colorful blooms, especially the red tulips!

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  7. I adore the vibrant crocus and all your beautiful bulb blooms, Lee. You're great at photographing your hellebores to show them to their best advantage too, a skill I've yet to master.

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    1. Thank you Kris! The Hellebores are such a wonderful plant. I loved your post. I've been to a couple of butterfly pavilions in the past, but the one you visited looks by far the nicest. I love when they just land right on you!

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  8. Wow ! These are fantastic blooms, loved the iris and daffodils. The upcoming peonies looks fantastic, It would be my pleasure if you join my link up party related to Gardening, Nature and birds here at http://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/2021/04/garden-affair-mesembryanthemum.html

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    1. I am glad you enjoyed the blooms Arun. As always, thanks for hosting!

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  9. Your spring garden is beautiful, Lee. I especially like the Royal Star Magnolia. It's fine. I also love the aroma of hyacinths, in winter I bought a lot of forced hyacinths.

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    1. Thank you Nadezda. I love the view of the remaining snow and blooms appearing in your garden, showing that spring has arrived. It's always a pleasure to visit.

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  10. I love it all, Lee! Happy to see your garden awakening and your little surprises in the grape hyacinth and miniature tulips. Our garden are about two weeks ahead. My brother's peonies are so full of foliage and buds forming now! Happy Spring!

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    1. Thank you Rita and happy spring to you! I await those wonderful peony blooms-sometime late May into June.

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  11. Lee - your garden always brings me such delight! I am pleased for your that your mini tulips and grape hyacinths emerged! The dwarf andromeda is truly spectacular. We are still a few weeks out from any real growth in the garden ... our latest cold snap and snowfall on Sunday is par for the course! Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words and for hosting. I enjoyed reading about your retreat. The beauty of the cabin and surroundings shines through in your photographs. Happy early spring!

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  12. Beautiful spring flowering garden. I love the pink peony stems rising up out of the soil.

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  13. I'm rejoicing in the colors and fragrances of your garden!

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  14. Wow...true springtime colors...love...Michelle

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  15. Beautiful post and what a lovely Garden. Thanks for sharing with Garden Affair.

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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!