April Smiles in the Nest

 April is such a happy month in the garden of Robin's Nest. It's a time when flowers pop up constantly, while the blooms start getting bigger and bolder than the early ones. 

The weather has been rainy and slightly cool, so trying to get the garden ready for planting has been a challenge. I've been grabbing small bits of time whenever I could, so when last weekend turned summery, we worked hard doing prep work. But for a gardener, yard work is actually enjoyable. The summery weather didn't last though, and today we got rained out from our usual Saturday yard work. Darn it! 

We're coming on the frost free date here in central Ohio. The "official" date is listed as May 15, but I generally plant the second weekend of May regardless. Because I buy so many different annuals for planting, it takes me awhile to gather everything I need, so I start buying plants before it's safe to actually plant them. Little by little, my sunny kitchen fills with plants! But meanwhile, the spring plants are outside blooming away, vying for my attention, which I gladly give. 

Sometimes I could swear that April is just a time for garden eye candy. 

The flowering trees are in glorious bloom in central Ohio. I have a few of these bloomers, but it just isn't enough. 

And then there are the tulips, the queens of my spring garden. I don't know why I am so crazy about tulips,  but they make my flower-loving heart sing the song of spring. I wish they would reliably return to my garden each spring, but since they don't, I have to replant every autumn. It's not an easy chore, but worth every moment, for me anyway. 

I was "hired" to make the two blankets below, so I didn't get to keep these. But as usual, I had fun making them. And I didn't catch but one sunset all month. In the spring, the sun sets in an awkward spot, and it's hard to catch. Soon it will swing around to my front porch, and I'll take more sunset shots again.

Thanks for stopping by Robin's Nest! I appreciate all of you. 

March in Ohio

March may not be the most beautiful month, but it does have a very hopeful vibe here in Robin’s Nest. By the time that March arrives, the worst of winter is behind us, and spring bulbs begin to bloom. Sure, the weather could be wintery at times, but for the most part, it’s getting warmer, and days are getting longer. Win-win! 

Early in the month, there were only hints of spring. 

In my anticipation of spring color, I went to Franklin Park Conservatory to see the blooms and butterflies. That place always lifts my spirits. 

But it didn’t take long until the first bulbs popped up. It’s always a race to see whether the crocus or iris reticulata will arrive first. This year it was a single crocus, then all the iris. There are a few color varieties of these small, early iris, but the blue of Harmony will always be my favorite. 

Soon there were crocus everywhere, followed by daffodils. 

Of course I supplemented with pansies. I usually put pansies into my window boxes before it’s actually safe for them. They don’t mind a little bit of cold, but they got a little cranky when we hit a cold spell. 

By mid month, I had flowers everywhere. But the thing is, many early spring flowers are so small as to be unnoticeable, except for daffodils. I know there are flowers to be seen, but I doubt the neighbors really notice them. 

The weather is so iffy in March, which means indoor  activities are still in order. So I made a pot of vegetable soup, decorated my table with a pretty bowl of yarn balls, worked on a butterfly puzzle, bought myself a bouquet, and made a dairy free pizza. I’ve been crocheting of course, but forgot to photograph my current project. I’ll show it off when it’s complete.

I placed a tiered tray in the middle of my kitchen island, and it’s been fun decorating this small area for the holidays. I started off the month with St. Patrick’s Day, then changed it over to Easter. 

And finally, some March sunsets from the Nest!