Showing posts with label narcissus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label narcissus. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Spring Has Sprung

"Spring has sprung, the grass has riz
I wonder where the flowers is?"

It's a family tradition to recite that poem in spring, the origin of the tradition and the author of the poem lost in time.  And what a spring this is!  Cool overcast mornings, perfect for a cup of tea and a trip around the garden to collect a bouquet.  Warm afternoons when I swear you can actually see the flowers opening.  Cool evenings, the hummingbirds dive-bombing and the acorn woodpeckers squabbling on the feeders.

 So for my friends who are shivering under a blanket of snow, here's what's blooming in my garden now. 

Crabapples are at their peak, the hot pink buds opening into the most delicate white flowers,
 Elizabeth, the yellow magnolia, her flowers brilliant against the blue sky (unless you get up too early as I did and the sky is still grey ...)
Pink jasmine coats the fence, and perfumes my bedroom.
Lemons spill their sweet scent, the trees covered with fruit and flowers at the same time.  Go figure.
 The last of the narcissus are nodding near the birdbath,
their yellow made stronger by the contrast of the Spanish bluebells.

 Ian's peach tree is full of promise.  If we get any water, I predict a bumper crop.  Big if.
Chinodoxa have spread into a low blue carpet,
 Primrose and forget-me-nots have happily seeded together
 The white wisteria on the side of the garage smells like the Orient - sweet, sandalwoody, exotic.
Heuchera and forget-me-nots carpet the shade,
 and there are so many blooms on the loropetalum it's almost boring...almost.
And the weird red cones of the melianthus major stand out against its toothed grey leaves.  You would think something that looks this butch would be tough, and deer resistant.  

You would be wrong.

I know I'll be sad when it's baking hot and there is no water, and I will think with envy of those friends who garden where it rains in summer.   But right now?  Right now it's glorious, and I am so happy.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Green

I live in a place where it is green in the winter and spring, and brown in the summer. Sounds weird to my East Coast friends whose lawns are brown or under snow. It has its benefits - we don't get rain in the summer. It has it's bad points - it's brown in summer. Today there's a break in the rain and it's especially green.
I went out to see what's blooming. 

Loropetalum Plum Delight, the Chinese Fringe Flower...
Summer snowflakes seem a bit confused about the season...
Daffodils of all sorts spangle the shade under the old oak...



The King Alfred all died out but these guys are happily multiplying.

A pair of crabapples cheer the kitchen window...


I can't grow most primroses (too hot and dry in summer) but I can grow bergenia,

and columbine,

Lemon scented daphne...


...and the sweetest Parma violets.


It's too pretty to stay inside. Ally and I are going for a walk.