Everyday seems more and more like spring is really here
I walk around the yard daily, usually more than once, whether it's raining or sunny out just to see what is happening. There are changes everyday. New shoots pop out of the ground daily. It is amazing to see spring's rebirth of perennials, shrubs and trees after such a brutal February which made winter seem like it would never end.
I think it's done. Yes we still get chilly nights and some of the wintering birds haven't flown north yet, but why should they? They are fed well everyday!! They will leave soon but will be replaced by the hummingbirds and hopefully some migrators on their way north, such as Orioles, Grosbeaks, and Indigo Buntings.
But year after year, it never fails to amaze and delight me to see how almost everything survives the winter, regardless of how rough it was, and come back to life in March and April. That is the beauty of growing so many perennials. They return every year with little to no coaxing and proceed to grow and thrive in the gardens. I have close to 100 various hosta plants that never fail me. They are so reliable.....although some are slow to awaken, they eventually all show up. Most of my rose bushes are covered with their first green foliage shoots and soon will be sporting their first buds of late spring. Looks like most of my roses have survived although I am expecting a few casualties of the cold. The forsythia is blooming, the pieris japonica (pictured below) is in full bloom, the lilac is forming buds and the dwarf red buckeye trees (pictured below) are showing their full buds that are so tempting to the squirrels and deer. Most of the other perennials are showing new life and will all be up and flourishing shortly.
When the buckeyes are in their full red bloom they are attractive to the hummingbirds......but unfortunately ours seem to finish blooming right before the hummers arrive. The blooms that do survive develop into deep brown buckeye nuts resembling and probably related to chestnuts..
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| Pieris Japonica "Andromeda" |
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| Dwarf Red Buckeye Buds |
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| Close-Up of Buckeye Bud |
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| Mugho Pine looking good surrounded by perennials |
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| Hellebores, some of the first spring bloomers |
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| Achillea (Red Yarrow) making their return |
My pots are ready for the planting but that task is still a couple of weeks away. I have them labeled so I know what goes in each one and they will be planted and placed in the right spot to provide color through the summer. My seedlings are coming along in the basement under their almost constant light and watering and will soon be ready for their summer homes.
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| Pots are ready to go |
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| Karen's Nicaraguan Roosters ready for planting |
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| Zinnia seedlings at 3 weeks of age |
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Marigold seedlings almost ready
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The fish are ready for warm weather!!!
The fish have survived their 4th winter and continue to show remarkable resistance to the harshest of weather. They were barely over an inch long when purchased 4 years ago and now many have reached 5". We have spotted a couple of the frogs that visit every year and know we'll see many more and hear their nocturnal love croak calls shortly.
It seems like it's been such a long wait, and in truth the only rough month was February. We can't complain about the snow and the cold since so many others had it a lot worse. But it's done and we can be grateful and thankful that spring is here and before long we will be complaining about the heat. I'm ready!!!!
