Much to Love

April is a much loved month. I mean, who doesn't love it? The world wakes up from it's winter slumber, and everything is renewed. Green is the color of the day, along with the whites, pinks, purples, and yellows of every flowering plant.

There may be a few chilly days, and some areas may even see the occasional flake of snow. But for the most part, April will be increasingly pleasant as it wears on. It begins to softly warm up day by day. The sun shines more often. And new blooms are an every day affair.

In April, you don't dare miss a single day in the garden. You must at least take a daily walkabout, lest you miss even the smallest new arrival.

Every new blossom is celebrated. My camera is in constant use, because each new flower must be recorded. After all, this blog is mostly meant as a garden journal for me. If I photograph each flower as it arrives, I can more easily compare from year to year.

Yes, there is much to love about April, so take it all in, and enjoy every minute!

I Made It

I did it. Another winter has gone by, and it finally feels like spring! I suppose I shouldn't think about winter as simply a season to be gotten through. Moving somewhere warm would solve that issue, but that's a thought for another day. All I know is spring has arrived. Thank goodness!

I broke out the sandals for the first time, an annual spring landmark for me. Usually I can wear them in late March, but not this time. The official date was April 7, mark it on your calendar.

It was warm enough to garden without a sweatshirt or jacket this weekend. That's when I know it's really spring. The breeze is soft, not harsh. When the sun shines, it's actually warm. I can hear the birds sing again. All of these things point to spring.

There's one more important marker of spring, of course. The blooming of the spring bulbs is celebrated all around garden blog land. So why should I be any different? It's time for crocus and daffodils and hyacinth and hellebores and primroses and all the other early spring flowers that warm the heart and the spirit.

Yes indeed, we all made it through another winter. And spring is our prize.

A Slow Start to Spring

Someday soon, it will actually begin to feel like spring. If only that someday would get here a little faster! I do think we are done with the snow, and the deep freezes have eased. But it's still very chilly. The wind blows cold, even when the sun shines. It's disheartening, to say the least. Fortunately, some of my blooms just got tired of waiting for warmer weather, and bloomed anyway. 

I'm so glad they did. These little blooms give me hope that spring is really on it's way.

The weather is ever so slowly getting warmer. Now I don't normally think of 47 as a warm spring day, but it's a whole lot better than the 30's we had just last week. By the weekend we'll see the 60's. Now THAT will feel like spring. 

So it may be a slow, slow start to the spring, but I'll take it anyway.

Getting By

Maybe spring isn't coming this year. Maybe this is as good as it's going to get. Cold days, a little snow, warming all the way up into the 40's, then cold and snow again. Does that sound familiar? It makes a gardener think of drink!

There is a little bit of slow progress out there in the garden. The Siberian iris have bloomed and faded already, and now the crocus are just starting. I saw a daffodil trying valiantly to bloom today in the cold sunshine. It's a weak and pitiful kind of spring.

In reality, I know that spring will get here eventually. One day soon, the air will warm up, the sun will shine, and the breeze will turn soft. In the meantime, I'm getting by in the usual ways. I buy daffodils at the grocery store.

I enjoy the red petunias STILL blooming on my kitchen windowsill since last June. They were a gift from my little grandson, and have never once stopped blooming since then. Never.

And I keep checking the weather reports and the buds coming up outside. Sooner or later, one of those two things are going to give me good news! In the mean time, I'm getting by. Spring, could you please hurry up? Please? 

More of Mexico

Since Spring is taking her sweet time to arrive, I thought I'd take another virtual trip to Mexico. It really was the trip of a lifetime, and woe to the person who innocently asks me "How was your trip?" I could go on all day.

 You know it's a great trip when you make new friends, eat delicious food, enjoy the beautiful weather, and experience new cultures. And that was every day!

San Miguel de Allende was a charming and beautiful city. Between the cobblestone streets, the colorful buildings, the church bells ringing, the vendors on every corner, and other local life, it was a place I'll never forget. There are many who come here to visit, and never leave, for it's a popular retirement spot for Americans.

One of the things I remember most was the scent of lavender everywhere I went. The gardens were full of it! There was lavender soap and sachets, of course. Now whenever I smell lavender, I'll think of Mexico.

Another highlight was the wine. I do love wine anyway, but to be enjoying the wines of South America while watching the sunset over this beautiful city was extra special.We even took a winery tour that was nothing like I've ever experienced. In fact, it was so special that I'll wait and write a whole post about it.

I hope to return some day to that beautiful spot, and to visit the new friends I made there. In the meantime, I'll hold the memories close to my heart.

Late Winter in the Garden

Winter is almost over, right? According to the calendar, it is anyway. After the mild winter we had last year, this more normal type winter has been discouraging. But we've had a few mildly pleasant days mixed in here and there, so the signs of spring are out there. I can make it! Whenever the little Siberian iris pop out, I know that the start of spring is almost here.

And soon the hellebores will open up. The flowers on these may not be the boldest in the garden, but they'll stay in bloom till July. That's a lot of bang for your buck. Plus the seeds will drop to the ground and sprout up everywhere. I love free plants.

I'm hoping that soon it will be time to buy and plant pansies. I'll know it's time when the flats of pansies show up in the garden center. In the meantime, I did find a few pots of these double pansies to hold me over.

Now when post people think of early flowers, they think of crocus. My crocus are usually about the third ones to arrive, and they should be here any day now. If somebody doesn't nibble them all!

That's about it. Just a few early blooms to hold me over till warmer days arrive. But I'm almost there!

A Color Fix

Over the winter, it's the colors of my garden that I miss the most. I do try to plan for winter interest in my garden, but the colors of winter interest are quite subtle. You just aren't going to see any vivid floral colors this time of year. But I did have a chance to soak up some local color with a trip to Mexico.

Recently, we were privileged to take a trip to San Miguel de Allende Mexico. It turned out to be an amazing visit! The weather was perfect, the company was enjoyable, the food was awesome, and the city was gorgeous. And the best part was the color!

Having this blast of color in the middle of winter was just what I needed. Winter has been dragging along interminably, so this trip came along just in time to keep my sanity.

It wasn't just the flowers that were so colorful.

The city itself was filled with color....

as were the skies.

By the time we returned home, it was nearly March. And you know what March means? Spring! No matter how cold it may be, I know that by the end of this month, spring will be here, at least in name.

And when I think I just can't take another day of winter, I'll look back at my pictures of Mexico, and relive all that color. It should hold me over until my spring flowers come back!