Enchanting April

My front yard yesterday evening.

 

My front yard today, Easter Sunday.

April is when my front yard looks its best. This year my Kwanzan cherry blossoms are just starting to open, but aren't fully unfurled yet. I expect the morning rain will speed them along. The Thalia and Poet's Narcissi exude their lovely scents, and the creeping Phlox keeps on spreading, sometimes in the most unlikely places, like under the barberry 'Admiration' which is just leafing out.

 

Creeping Phlox peeks out under the barberry 'Admiration'

 

 

The east woodland garden is getting ready for its annual display, with the Carolina Silverbell tree and the Pagoda Dogwood buds swelling, but it's not quite there yet. A Rhododendron and a Jacob's ladder under the Japanese maples are also getting ready for the show. I'll photograph those when they bloom.

The backyard looks lovely with the redbud tree in full bloom, and lots of Narcissi and Daffodils along the length of the bed. Narcissus and daffodils are the one plant family that deer do not eat, as they're poisonous, so these plantings are free to multiply.

Not so with the flowering Quince, which needs to be protected by a barrier or the deer would eat every bud! They nibble away at my spring bulbs: Glory-of-the-snow, Muscari and Spanish bluebells, but leave the Scillas and irises alone.

 

My back yard from the deck.

The back bed with Daffodils and Narcissi

Double flowering quince

Back yard from ground level, with double flowering Quince in front.

  

Closer to the ground, several of the dwarf iris 'Bluebeard' have opened up. Next to them, a couple of  'Prince Alfred' daffodils bloom with some Grecian windflowers (Anemone blanda).

  

Dwarf iris 'Bluebeard'

'Prince Alfred' daffodils and purple Grecian windflowers

The Fothergilla is blooming, with its honey scented-flowers, and clumps of Thalia Narcissi and Mount Hood daffodils dot the beds. 

Speaking of beds, I've spent most of the week cleaning and weeding them, pruning branches and old stems, fertilizing and mulching. The more I plant, the more work there is to do! My plan to eliminate more of the lawn dictates it.

At  times I wish I had the money to hire one or two reliable helpers, but I can't afford it. Besides, the old adage that "if you want something done right, it's best to do it yourself" applies.

 

 

Fothergilla in bloom

Clump of Thalia Narcissi

The west yard looking towards the back.

 

This is just the beginning of the flowering season--so many more flowers to look forward to during the enchanting month of April!

 

Flowers Galore

My front yard on April 24

 

Here's my annual photo of the front yard with its Kwanzan cherry tree in full bloom, which I like to post every year. This year the cherry blossoms didn't open fully until last Sunday, a full week after Easter Sunday. In other years it has bloomed a couple of weeks earlier, so that the progression of the other flowers in the front changes according to the timing of the cherry: the narcissi, the creeping Phlox, tulips and the dogwood have bloomed simultaneously on some years, on others, not so much.

This is the most beautiful time of the year for me, when just about everything comes into bloom. On the east side of the house, my Carolina Silverbell tree grows more beautiful every year! The 17-year locusts damaged the Japanese maples quite a bit last year, and they lost some growth at the tips of their branches, but hopefully they will recover this year.

 

East yard with Japanese maples and Carolina Silverbell tree.

Carolina Silverbell flowers.

My hybrid Rhododendron 'Southgate Brandi' has just opened its flowers. This one is growing nicely, thanks to the winter protection of my barriers--otherwise deer would have devoured the buds as they were developing.

Rhododendron 'Southgate Brandi'

Ajuga 'Black Scallop' ground cover.

 

I am hoping soon to see the flowers of another Rhododendron I planted several years ago, 'Anna Rose Whitney' has not produced any blooms before.

The back yard from our deck.

The redbud tree in the back yard was in full bloom this past week along with the double flowering quince. The border of narcissi in the back bed looks fuller this year than last. Sadly, my beautiful Korean fir 'Horstman's Silberlocke' died sometime during the winter--probably from lack of water during February's dry spell while I was away. I didn't know that when clay soil dries out, it can actually begin a reverse osmosis process where the soil will take moisture away from a plant's roots. Last week I received a new tree to replace the dead one--hope springs eternal in a gardener's heart!

Lewisia longipetala 'Little Peach'

Lewisia

 

The Lewisia continues to bloom prolifically, it's such an interesting plant. Originating in the alpine areas of California's Sierra Nevada, it's quite rare in its native environment, but the modern hybrids, such as this one, are a great addition to rock gardens. I keep mine in a pot because it needs excellent drainage which my clayey soil can't provide.

 It's so wonderful to see tender green shoots sprouting everywhere! Lots more blooms to come in May!

Spring Parade

Cherry tree in front yard.

The cherry tree in our front yard reached peak bloom on Easter Sunday--what a heavenly sight! Short-lived glory, after a few days the leaves grow out enough to overshadow the remaining blossoms, and the rest blow away. As the cherry blossoms fade, the dogwood flowers begin to open and the new leaves unfurl.

From the porch.

The creeping Phlox in the front yard continues to expand and cover more ground each year. As spring unfolds, the Redbud tree in back made a nice show, but the new daffodil beds underneath don't amount to much yet--it will take a couple more years before they fill out.

Back yard on April 21.

Flowering Quince

I managed to save my flowering quince from the worst of the winter depredations by fencing it off with plastic mesh, but the deer still managed to nip the ends of the branches that stuck out. There were still plenty of the charming double flowers for me to enjoy.

Carolina Silverbell Tree (Halesia tetraptera)

The Carolina Silverbell tree bloomed much earlier this year than last, though the flowers seemed smaller than last year's, and had a rosy tint. I wonder if the difference is due to poor soil nutrients or simply a normal year-to-year variation? Many trees have cycles of several years of poor to so-so flower production after one peak year of blossom. Since my tree flowered for the first time last year, perhaps this is one of those off-years.

Spanish Bluebells (Hyacinthoides )

The bed of Grape Hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum) and Spanish Bluebells (Hyacinthoides) is looking good. The pink and white varieties planted two falls ago haven't grown as much as the blue ones planted several years earlier, I've no idea why. I usually find a number of the blue Muscari springing up in odd places across the lawn where I hadn't planted them--the squirrels like to dig them up and re-plant them at their whim--so this spring I've been digging these up and putting them back where they should be.

Iris 

Now is the regal irises' turn. The first to open in my yard was this stunning bi-color I planted in the back last fall--I forget the name of the variety--though it has only one flowering spike this year, hopefully there will be more next year. Behind it I planted a light blue iris called 'Victoria Falls' that is about to open, and in front is one curious dwarf yellow iris with a light blue beard, aptly named 'Bluebeard.' Unfortunately, it had only one flower, and I didn't get a photo of it in time--it's just closing up in this photo.

Iris bed in back yard.

Front yard.

The front bed is just starting its annual show, which may not be as spectacular this year because I divided the plants early this spring. The recommended practice is to divide them in late summer or fall--but I had so much other work to do I put it off until after the ground had frozen. The plants seem to have weathered the transplant fairly well, but they may not be as full as in other years.

Cherry Blossoms and the Moon

Cherry Blossoms and the Moon, oils on board, 14" x 11."

It was only five days ago that the cherry blossoms in our neighborhood were in their glory. Herb and I went out for a walk that evening and lo, the waxing moon was rising as the sun was setting. The flowering cherries in conjunction with the rising moon seemed a special omen, so I took photos for a painting. Today the flowers are fading and the emerging leaves begin to overtake them... Sakura: such brief and evanescent beauty!

The painting is selling for $100, shipping and handling are extra. Please E-mail Elena if you are interested in buying.

Spring is here!

Finally, the weather is glorious and our cherry trees are in full blossom! In this photo you can see the lovely cherry trees at the entrance to my neighborhood. Today it's really warm. I'd better get started on my painting of the cherry blossoms, so I can post it tomorrow or the day after.