Tuesday, April 14, 2015

April Soft and Sweet

The winter was harsh, and in her remorse. Mother Nature is being kind to us this spring. March did indeed go out like a lamb, and now the April days are soft and sweet.
Grape hyacinths with sedum Angelina
We're a long way off from our frost-free date yet, but we can barely tell. Even the nights have been gentle, with chilly mornings turning into warm days.
Jetfire daffodils
Jetfire daffodils with sedum Angelina 
Jetfire daffodils

 Spring makes me absolutely giddy with joy, as it does to many people. When winter is raging about me, I often think how much I'd like to live in a warm climate, where I can garden year round. But would I really? Would I appreciate each little spring blossom if winter didn't make me long for them so much?
Unknown hellebore


Lenten Rose hellebore
I think I might get complacent about year round gardening. Dare say, I might yawn at the blooming of each little flower!
Striped Squill
Mrs. Moon pulmonaria
Maybe it's better that I have winter time to rest up from my garden chores. That way, I'm ready to go once the snow melts. There's no dragging me out to clean up the debris, no sir. All it takes is the first warm day, and I hurry out to play.
Pansy pot
Hyacinth
 April is a fickle month, we all know that. It could lightly snow, pour buckets, or give us warm sunshine, all in the same day! I'm sure I'll see another light frost by the end of the month. But for the most part, she has spared us her temper tantrums this year. I love that about April. She's a feisty young lady, but boy do we love her when she's soft and sweet.
Species tulips

Species tulips
Now excuse me while I go see what she's up to now.
Unknown daffodil

20 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks Marisa, and thanks for visiting my blog. I always thought that rainy days didn't make for good pictures, but I'm learning to appreciate the nice, rich colors I see on those days. Most of these shots are from that same kind of day.

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  2. Looks beautiful in your garden Robin. Our Aprils have been similar this year. I think about living in a warm climate too but for now, I'm staying. I do think the cold makes spring sweeter. Enjoy the nice days!

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    1. Just think how excited we get each spring as all the little bulbs pop up! Those tiny little things would go unnoticed in year round warmth.

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  3. That last daffy looks like Narcissus 'Geranium'. It is gorgeous and deliciously-scented. I love all your blossoms and I'm so glad you're having a happy April! I'm giddy for you!

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    1. Spring has been textbook lovely this year, with gently warm days and cool nights, allowing each new blossom to last long enough to fully enjoy them,

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  4. Hello Robin girl !
    YES !!!! You are way ahead of us here o Ontario although one of our characteristics is when it starts to happen .. it is an unbelievable change in short notice.
    Your Spring plants and bulbs are so pretty... I think I had Jetfire one year .. now I have the big daffs out front and not any other bulbs because of the squirrel mafia ... thank heavens they don't like daffs ! haha
    Even though this winter seemed brutal we are drying out already .. I have to get the hose hooked up and start watering to push things along.
    With all the complaining of winter ... I could never be an all year gardener either ... you would not get the thrill we get when the gardens come to life and I wouldn't miss that for anything : )
    Beautiful pictures girl !
    Joy

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    1. I'm lucky, we have no squirrels to bother us. You see, our neighborhood is new enough to still have small trees that they don't like. But they'll find us eventually!

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  5. Seeing your photos reminds me of my own giddiness, only a month ago when my first spring blooms opened. I am still giddy. And today is our official last frost date! We are well into spring, and summer could arrive any day, but I hope it will hold off another month. We never know.

    We do have hard frosts and sometimes snow but because the ground itself does not freeze, we can garden year round year here, in some way or another. But, like you, I don't want to! I need to rest a couple of months and have time to read garden books and dream and plan. I love the change of seasons, and I am glad we have that.

    Enjoy your spring! You waited long enough for it!

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    1. Well, you have to love that frost free date! We have a few weeks to go yet, even though it's been weeks since we've had one. But I heard we'll get one this week. Okay, but that's the last one I'll accept!

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  6. Your spring flowers are just so pretty. They are nicely displayed with a beautiful, lush background, As the previous commenter says, spring does make us giddy. Beautiful flowers beautifully phototgraphed.

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    1. Thanks so much Ann! Spring flowers are so gorgeous that they are easy to photograph.

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  7. Beautiful April blooms! The Grape hyacinths / muscari are gorgeous. Its so a lovely time of year.

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    1. I've really enjoyed the rich color of my muscari, especially since I barely remember planting them!

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  8. You are so right - April can be anything from sunny and hot to log fires and a howling gale! We too, here in the UK, have had a fantastic April so far with warm sun and clear blue skies. I think the trick is to enjoy every single second !

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    1. Thanks for visiting my blog Jane! I always like to compare gardening in other countries, so different than ours.

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  9. We've had fewer 70s than I'd like, and the nights have been in the 30s and 40s, with one getting down to 26 last week. I am hoping to get some annuals, tomatoes and peppers planted in a week or two.

    I enjoyed your blooms. I love the hellebores!

    Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you find some pasque flowers to plant. Check to see what kind is native to the U.S.

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    1. I do love hellebores too, especially how they seed themselves around my garden!

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  10. Robin! Your yard is always so perfect! I tell you what I am the same way right now. We were going to have a beautiful tulip display this year (emphasis on the GOING part), when some menacing squirrel can along and bit the heads off of every tulip! Just bit them off, didn't eat them or anything. Now I have hundreds of naked ruling stems all over my garden!!!!!!! Bahhhh

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    1. Those pesky squirrels! I'd be so mad if that happened here. Our neighborhood is newish, and the trees are still fairly small, so none yet!

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