Thursday, April 7, 2016

Spring Tease

Is it really spring yet, or is winter going to hang around for awhile longer?  These days it's hard to tell--one day I'm working in short sleeves and turning off the furnace, and the next, I'm pulling out my winter coat again and checking to make sure the heat indoors really is turned on.  The one thing that has been constant about the weather for the past week or more is the wind.  Remember, I live in the country where the wind blows unimpeded across the flat lands, sending garbage cans far out into the field and laundry on the line into the yard, clothespins and all. I made the mistake of trying to work one day in the wind, and every few minutes my large garden bag would blow over, dumping all the stems and leaves I had just stuffed into it.  I took it as a sign and gave up.  At least we haven't had snow, like so many parts of the country . . . but I'd better knock on wood, because there's a chance of it tomorrow.

A few warm weeks in March tricked me into thinking that spring had come early this year, and tricked my garden as well.  My poor plants must be so confused!  The Macrophylla Hydrangeas and the clematis leafed out before I could even prune them; I hope the freezing temps this week don't have any long-term effects on them.



It is definitely looking like spring around here, though, even if it doesn't feel like it at times. Magnolia trees and other early-flowering trees are blooming around town, and everywhere you look, daffodils are bobbing their cheery heads in the wind.  Good thing daffodils are tough!


I didn't realize how many different daffodils I have added to the garden in the past few years.


Daffs mark Roco and Tarzan's grave 
(and several other late beloved pets as well, including Granddaughter's guinea pigs).


I don't remember the names of most of the daffodils, particularly since I've been buying more collections of different naturalizing varieties the past few years.  But this is one I remember--'Mount Hood'--a strong and tall beauty.


In recent years my tastes have changed, and I've come to love the smaller blooms of slender narcissus.  Lining the short path in the arbor bed are what I think are 'Minnow.'


Aren't these adorable?  And yes, I know the photo is a bit blurry--
it's hard to get anything to stand still in this relentless wind.


Double daffs near the lily bed--'Replete,' maybe?  
There are several clumps that definitely need dividing.


I've been relatively pleased with my latest planting.  Last fall I planted nearly a hundred daffodils--a collection of different varieties for naturalizing--at the corner of our yard.  There is a stand of pine trees bordering the south edge of the yard, and my vision is to have a "river" of daffodils between the trees going all the way from the roadside to the house.  Obviously, it's going to take several years--and probably more than a thousand bulbs--to complete this vision:)


On the other hand, the bulbs I planted in the fall of '14 around the oak tree in the expanded shade garden have multiplied a little already.  In a couple more years, this area should be more like the mass of daffodils I envisioned.

No flower exemplifies true spring to me more than tulips.  The tulip parade hasn't begun here yet, but there are plenty of other early bloomers to enjoy.  The hyacinths have been blooming for a week or more and probably won't last much longer.


Last fall I added more hyacinths in shades of pink.  I remember running out of places to put them, so they're scattered here and there.


But the purple hyacinths seem to do the best here.


Easter weekend was warm and beautiful, and I took advantage of the sunny day to bend down and get a whiff of their heavenly scent.  An added bonus--the first bee I've noticed this season was enjoying the hyacinths as much as I was.


He took no notice of the lady with a camera and creaky knees and burrowed deep into the blossoms.


Just look at the pollen sacs on this little guy!


Early spring is a time when small blooms really stand out and are much appreciated as most of the garden is just starting to emerge.


Most of the crocuses are long gone, but the giant crocus mix planted last fall in the very front lawn are still blooming.  I don't know how much longer I can hold off the Lawnmower Man from mowing this area, but I hope long enough for them to get all their nutrients to survive till next spring.  Another "vision" of mine that needs several hundred more bulbs to complete!


Scilla in the shade garden add touches of my favorite color.
Note to self:  must plant many, many more of these.


And probably my very favorite of the small spring blooms--Puschkinia.  
I planted more of these last fall, but I would be happy to have a whole mass of these.  


A few primroses survived the winter to add some bright color.


And the very first Muscari are just beginning to bloom.


Did I say the tulips have yet to bloom?  Obviously, I was wrong, because the very first tulips began to bloom today.  While I do remember the names of most of my tulips, these are a mystery to me--I don't remember planting these, let alone their name.

More tulips are forming fat buds, so it won't be long now before there is much more color in my garden.  Spring may have been teasing us, but the forecast for a week from now looks much better with temps in the '60's--perfect weather for tulips!

32 comments:

  1. You have a spring bulb parade going on at your place Rose. They look so cheerful. Happy Spring despite the cold.

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    1. I've been enjoying them from afar the last couple of days, Lisa--just too darned cold!

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  2. Such lovely flowers !! Spring is so beautiful !!
    Happy weekend !

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    1. Thanks, Ela. This is why spring is my favorite season.

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  3. I like your vision of the river of Daffodils! Such easy-care bloomers, and the rabbits and deer stay away! My Crocuses are on the way out, Winter Aconites keep blooming away, and Scilla and Glory of the Snow are just starting. Hellebores are blooming, but look a bit bedraggled with the cold. Amazing bee photos, Rose! Obviously that pollinator was enjoying your flowers!

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    1. Beth, it will take me a long while to complete that vision! Last year it was so dry in October I gave up planting any daffs in that area till we had some decent rain. Then I had to plant around tree roots everywhere, so it took three times as much work to plant bulbs as it usually does. The other trick will be to keep the Lawnmower Man from mowing these down too soon:)

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  4. We had that warmer week in early March, which brought on the daffodils and scilla. However, since then it's been quite cold, and everything is just waiting now :-) I love the photos of the bee --especially that one in flight, next to the flower.

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    1. It's been cold here, too, Cassi, but most of these bulbs started blooming before the really cold weather hit. I think my garden is in a holding pattern right now, waiting to see if it really will warm up.

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  5. Spring really is teasing you, isn't it? Wonderful collection of plants. I can just about smell those hyacinths.

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    1. I think spring is teasing most of us in the Midwest and to the East, Dorothy. I wish I'd brought some of those hyacinth blooms inside to enjoy before the real cold hit these last few days.

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  6. Rose - what a glorious selection of flowers to look at, I love them all.
    Spring is such a wonderful season, and it does so often tease us with some good weather and some not so good.
    The plants seem to survive and provide so much colour and joy for us.
    Isn't that bee so wonderful to, and yes what full pollen sacs!

    A lovely post to read and look at, thank you.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks, Jan; I'm glad you enjoyed this. The bee was such a pleasant surprise and so fun to watch. I think they've all been hibernating again the past few days in this cold, though.

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  7. I love your selection of Narcissi, especially the little ones. I have Scilla and Muscari, but not the Puschkinia. Must remedy that.

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    1. I do love these smaller narcissi, too, Jason. I saw the Puschkinia on someone's blog a few years ago and vowed I had to have some--they are small beauties!

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  8. I understand the wind part. It is hard to get anything done or to feel like even trying out there.
    You are really enjoying a lot of bulb flowers. So pretty. Spring is fickle. Good thing those spring flowers are hardy.

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    1. I think the wind has been worse than the cold, Gardener. Yesterday was the coldest morning yet, yet it didn't feel nearly as bad because the wind wasn't blowing. We're back to gale-force winds again today--yuck!

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  9. Such unpredictable weather! I was out pruning the other day and put a log of firewood in the bottom of my pail to keep it from blowing away. Of course I forgot and threw the log out with the prunings down an embankment on our side yard! All your blooms are lovely. Daffodils are one of my favorites. I wish I could grow more tulips, but the deer love them. I love all your crocus in the lawn!

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    1. Ha, ha, Indie; that sounds like something I would do:) I think I may be disappointed in my tulips this year--the ones I planted farther from the house were dug up by something, either deer or squirrels. I'm going to have to stick to daffodils everywhere except right next to the house where the dogs can protect the territory.

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  10. I am hopeful Rose to see that warm weather....it was nasty here so I am glad much of my garden was not tricked to grow or bloom. Your spring looks wonderful!

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    1. I think you have gotten worse weather this spring than we have, Donna. These spring days seem a memory now on this cold and windy day. But there's hope for the end of this week!

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  11. Oh, I am so hoping you are right and spring is here. The cold weather just persists. The only flowers I have so far shown in your post is the hyacinth and yesterday they were covered in snow.

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    1. I'm so sorry, Donna; it seems like so much of the country has had bad weather the last few weeks. We had spitting snow/sleet on Friday, but otherwise, nothing to blanket the ground. I'm getting antsy for real spring to appear!

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  12. Beautiful selection of Daffodils! I'm glad they haven't suffered from the erratic weather. I can never remember the names of Daffodil varieties. I also am very fond of Scilla - fortunately they self-sow nicely.

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    1. Thank goodness, the daffodils don't seem to be bothered by colder temperatures, or even snow, for that matter. I've been planting more daffs and narcissus the last few years after the rabbits and/or deer ate many of my tulips a few years ago. I hope you're right about the Scilla, Jason; I'd love to have more of it here.

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  13. Spring, glorious spring! How I envy your garden. Crocuses are up in sunny spots in town, but it will be a long while before other bulbs dare to break through the frigid soil. Lovely photos!

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    1. You know it's my favorite time of year, Sarah! The sad part about spring in Illinois is that it just doesn't last long enough. Hope spring comes to your area soon!

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  14. Love your spring flower display!
    I think we can safely say that Spring has sprung!
    Maggie x

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    1. Thank you, Maggie! Yes, it is definitely spring, though here in the Midwest we could still have a surprise cold snap again, though the forecast certainly looks promising for the next week.

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  15. Beautiful as always Rose :-)

    Spring is late arriving here, snow forecast today, though not much but yesterday winter was tantalisingly almost over.

    I'm feeling guilty having bought slug killer for the first time ever!!!

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    1. Snow in the UK now?? We've certainly had snow in April before, but it feels like summer today. Don't feel bad about the slug killer--sometimes we come to the point where enough is enough. I'm ready to do battle with the squirrels or whoever ate all my tulip bulbs by the road:(

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  16. I love your river of daffs plan, and those planted under the tree are very joyful. We're on to the white narcissus here, and the tulips are coming out to play. Enjoy your Spring!

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    1. The "river" will be a slow process, Janet, as planting around tree roots is not my favorite thing to do. We've had a complete turnaround in the weather this past week--from freezing temps a week ago to summer-like this weekend. My tulips are finally blooming,too!

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