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!