April Flowers

Cool weather has delayed spring around here.  And the ice last week made us fear damage to our plants, ready to blossom.  Fortunately, there was minimal damage.  A weekend filled with warm sunshine has popped everything out.

No damage on this beauty

But some did not do so well.

This white one was mostly spared

We love this one

And the bright yellow

Tiny blooms on the sage

And slightly damaged hellebores

Early bird songs with active courting antics are a sure sign.  We're waiting for the spring migration.  Oh, life is indeed good.

And Around the Front Yard

Plants are blooming all over the front yard.  Some are much earlier than usual due to the amazingly mild weather we have had.

The camellias often drop their buds but this year the blooming has been spectacular.  We are in a marginal zone for them but occasionally we get lucky.

One of the old fogeys with a stogie looks up at Lenten Roses.

This camellia has never bloomed before and gave us quite a surprise.

This bloom is on the lower part of the plant.

And this bloom is from the same plant.  About half the blossoms are pink and the others almost white.

Another old fogey, this one without a stogie.

We do have a lot of the old fogeys underneath the plants.

No southern yard is complete without at least one garden gnome.

At least this one brought his wheelbarrow and works.  BTW:  Did you know that these gnomes all have names and descriptions and many people collect them?  This one came with a family history!

St. Francis watches over all.  The vines that surround him will soon open to beautiful yellow blossoms.

I'll be taking a blogging break for a week or so.  We are finally able to get a DSL line so we will change from our wireless (inconsistent) provider to the DSL provider.  Definitely a change for the better because our location gives us a marginal wireless reception.  But still a pain as we make all the changes in email addresses, etc.  Have a wonderful week and a weekend filled with basketball as the teams head for the "Sweet Sixteen."

But It's Way Too Early

Daisy spends all her time outside along with several other pottery friends.  Even she is amazed.  But she doesn't seem at all concerned.  In fact, that is Daisy's most endearing feature.  No matter what the weather and no matter what the mood she still looks up at me with her happy friendly smile.

Why is Daisy amazed?  Because we have had too long a spell of above-normal temperatures.  While Daisy cannot be fooled by the weather, some of my favorite plants can.

Daisy makes me smile no matter what mood I am in.

The Lenten Roses are several weeks early around here.

We planted camellias knowing full well that we are on the cusp of their growing area.  Some years we see gorgeous blossoms and some years we see buds that get cold, turn brown, and drop off.  This week is far too soon for the camellias to have a chance.

 This bud is ready to burst forth.

 The limbs are heavy and full of buds.

 And we have some open blossoms!

So I will enjoy our flowers albeit a little early and I suspect for a shorter while.  The lengthy warm weather is a minor inconvenience to my plants.  It can be devastating to farmers and their fields and orchards.  Apple trees may blossom out only to be killed by a heavy freeze.  So, as much I have really enjoyed the warmer weather, we really need to get back to normal temperatures.  And soon.

This Year They Made It

Almost all our plants are native to the area.  There are several reasons for that.  The obvious one is that native plants are more likely to thrive with less intensive care.  Another is that we want to maintain a natural look to our yards.

We made an exception for one of my very favorite plants.  I love camellias.  We planted two of them knowing full well that we are on the border of their preferred regions.  Both plants have done well, despite the occasional pruning by the deer.  (BTW:  Deer do not know they don't eat certain plants.  Sometimes they come in large numbers.  One deer will take a bite and decide the plant is not good.  But do they communicate that to the other deer?  NO...every single deer has to take a bite as well.  Six deer can do a lot of damage to a plant they don't really like.)

The camellias have beautiful green foliage and that should be enough.  But occasionally there is more.  Every year, the camellias are loaded with huge buds promising beautiful blossoms to come.  And almost every year the weather decides otherwise.  Too often we see the lovely buds turn brown and fall off.  We know that is always possible...in fact likely.  Yet we remain hopeful that this may be the year.

Well, this is in fact the year.  The camellias, so filled with promising buds are now in glorious bloom.

I stop every time I pull into the driveway and admire the camellias.  What a wonderful bonus.  One of my favorite plants tells me spring is definitely here.  Oh, I know I will have to pull out the sweatshirts again.  I'll have to close the windows and turn on the heat again.  I know the weather we are enjoying is quite unseasonable.  But you know what?  I'm going to enjoy every single blessed day.

A Few Blossoms Survived

When planning our yard, we selected native plants for several reasons. The first reason is practical. Native plants are more likely to survive our "normal" weather. Secondly, we wanted a more natural look. We wanted plants that are found naturally growing in the area.

After many years of suburban flower gardens, we opted not to have daffodils, tulips, or other bulbs. We do not plant annuals, although we do have several baskets on the deck and on the porch. That said, I'm in love with camellias. Native to southeastern Asia, these plants thrive in the southern US. The flowers are absolutely gorgeous and they bloom early in the spring. When not blooming, the green plants fit in well with the native ones.

So we have several camellias in our yard. This year they were all full of very large buds. Too soon it appears, because we had a heavy frost and several days of very cold weather. I was very disappointed to see the large buds turning brown and drooping their heads in sorrow. Much to my surprise, a few of the buds continued to grow and we have a few camellia blossoms. Not many, but still enough to enjoy.

One of the wonderful things about nature is that there will always be a next year. Another spring to awaken the plants. I hope next year the camellias will be in full bloom. Until then, I will appreciate the few blossoms we have.