Signs of Life

One advantage to blogging is that I can look back and see what was going on in my garden a year ago at this time. That was actually one of the biggest reasons I started blogging in the first place. This year, it seems that spring is taking its sweet time in getting here for real, especially when I looked back on 2007and we were just returning from a week in Florida.

On April 1st, which is fast approaching again, we had all kinds of spring flowers in bloom. The transformation from winter garden to spring garden happened in a flash - while we were gone - but this year, we get to see it happening before our eyes. Anxious to know whether this or that made it through the winter, I take daily trips around the yard to look for those things whose arrival is due. I'm happy to report that it's happening!

This weekend, with camera in tow, I found an abundance of evidence that in the midst of all that brown mush and mud, life goes on and what appeared to be dead over winter, was merely sleeping. If you don't take the time or make the effort to get down and really look at what's happening at ground level, you might not think there's much going on out in the garden yet. But kneel down and take a closer look and you'll be quite surprised, I think.







Euphorbia 'Chameleon' is very much alive with its red spears shooting forth.











This one really pleases me. I've not had the best of luck growing delphiniums even during their growing season, let alone have them winter over. I've tried different species and it looks like we've got a winner here! It's Delphinium elatum 'Magic Fountain.'





Campanula 'Kelly's Gold' has looked like this for the entire winter. I've got C. 'Dickson's Gold' too, and it also stayed green.








Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain' has been putting forth new foliage for a couple of weeks now. Last year, it had flower buds on it by this time.
















Both tree peonies have bunches of buds, especially 'Sahohime'. I'm really looking forward to its gorgeous blooms again this year.












The native ground orchid, Nodding Ladies Tresses (Spiranthes cernua), is greening up.












The hollyhocks have had green leaves for a couple of weeks now.









The honeysuckle vines have leaves!













Lots and lots of Asiatic lilies will be adding wonderful color to the gardens in a few weeks. They've multiplied like crazy!


Numerous other things are up and running, too: Shasta daisies, Rudbeckias, Daylilies, Heucheras and Tiarellas, Gaillardia, Iris, and more.

We've been known to have a snow in April, but I'm going to think positively that this year will not be one of them. Carry on, Your Greenness!