Spring!

The definition of "spring" is "to leap forward," and while this is not the definition of the season, it could be! In the past two weeks, my garden has vaulted firmly out of the slipping clutches of winter and firmly into the lively, new season. Almost all trees and shrubs are awakening, and colors are becoming vibrant. 

Redbuds, dogwoods and Japanese maples create a tapestry of pink, red, white and purple.

The white flowering shrub on the lower right above is Pieris japonica 'Cavatine.' Below is a close-up of its blooms:

I have about twenty Japanese maples in my garden, and I love them all! Here is emerging foliage of four of them:Clockwise from top left: Butterfly; Vitifolium; Orangeola; Sango-Kaku

Hellebores are wonderful late-winter bloomers, but their blooms persist for months, gradually fading to shades of green. That double one on the left, by the way, is a chance seedling!

Looking toward summer, this scabiosa, or pincushion, bud will soon be ready to open:

The color of Deodar cedar 'Feelin' Blue' is especially vibrant this time of year:

A scene inside the woodland garden:

I am grateful for these flowers that grow wild in the woodland garden:

Cultivated flowers in the woodland garden include these sweet pinks:Top: Korean spice viburnum, in bud and bloom. 2nd row: Magnolia 'Jane.' 3rd row: Camellia 'Taylor's Perfection.'

Most of my daffodils finished blooming weeks ago; these in the woodland garden are among the last to flower:

Finally, I am newly smitten each year when I see the emerging fronds of autumn fern, Dryopteris erythrosora:

Happy spring!

A Bouquet For You

Other obligations have kept me out of my garden and away from my blog for a few days. Sigh. No time to explore my woodland garden! But one can see this view from the driveway.Would I be happy if I were free to spend every day as I chose, if I had no schedule book full of notations and appointments, and if there were no alarm clock forcing me out of bed before even the birds awaken? You bet I would be, haha, but I think it is a fantasy world even retired folks don't live in. Or do they? I'll find out one day!

Meanwhile, I did steal a few minutes to take some photos of spring blooms. So here is a virtual bouquet, fresh from my garden!

First there are the forsythias whose cheery fluttering blossoms announce the coming of spring:

Next, take a close look at the following blooms, but watch out for the bee when you virtually stick your nose into the working parts, down where the pollinators like to be:Large photo above is Trollius, then below that, clockwise from top left: Flowering quince; Daffodil; Camellia 'Taylor's Perfection'; Camellia 'Gunsmoke'

I can't remember who, but an ancient bard once said that if you have two coins, with one buy bread for the body and with the other buy hyacinths for the soul. I agree. My little grape hyacinths are best appreciated from the ant's point of view. I won't describe the ridiculous position I got myself into to take these pictures. Can you find the ant?Here are some more blue and white blooms with details that deserve a closer look:Clockwise from top left: Phlox subulata; Vinca major; Pansy; Hepatica

And daffodils! Happy, happy daffodils:

Finally, some pink and red camellias complete my bouquet of spring blooms:

March 20 is the first official day of spring, but here in the Deep South we are a little early. Happy gardening!