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!

 

April Bloom Day

The front yard.

 

It's April 15th, Bloom Day for garden bloggers, hosted by Carol Michel's May Dreams Gardens blog. Today's crazy weather has brought a brief shower and lots of wind--my photos were taken yesterday evening before a thunderstorm, when the weather was milder. My USDA zone 6B Virginia garden has been very dry, and any little bit of rain is a help, but we've not been getting nearly enough for the season. Still, between now and the end of May is when my garden is at its best, come and make the rounds with me. 

The 'Kwanzan' cherry tree in front of the house is in full bloom, though the daffodils and narcissus are mostly past theirs--only the Poet's Narcissus remain, while the creeping phlox is just starting to bloom.

Aside from the cherry tree in full bloom, the most delightful surprise awaiting me yesterday was this one tiny bell of the White-haired Leatherleaf Flower (Clematis albicoma) that I've been growing in a pot, heeled into the front bed. This clematis species is a native of only this area and parts of West Virginia, and rather rare--it grows in shale barrens that can reach 180 degrees in temperature at the height of summer. I bought it two years ago and have been nursing it in hopes of seeing its lovely tiny bells--I'm hoping it will put our a few more before its season is over. The seedheads are very attractive too.

Clematis albicoma

Closer up.

My other native Clematis (Clematis viorna) in the long island bed in the back keeps getting eaten down to the ground by deer--I'm going to have to relocate it to a less-accessible spot to see if it will eventually grow. It's that or fencing off the entire yard, far too expensive a proposition.

On the west side of the house, a small clump of blue Grape Hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum) somehow escaped the depredations of the deer, and the Grecian windflowers (Anemone blanda) nearby which deer don't seem to care for, have begun to spread.

 

Blue Grape Hyacinths and Grecian Windflowers.

 

The general view into the back yard shows numerous clumps of white 'Mount Hood' daffodils and Thalia narcissus in several beds. The trees were just budding out when a sudden frost last week burned all the new growth back, but they'll recover eventually.

Overlooking the west side of the house.

Moving down into the back yard, the back bed full of a mix of daffodils makes a wonderful seasonal display. The deer never bother these (they're poisonous), and these back beds are where over the years I've put in the extra bulbs that get thinned out from other beds.

 

The back yard.

The back bed.

 

The Redbud tree (Cercis canadense) is just about finished blooming, and so are the 'Pink Charm' daffodils. My double-flowering quince usually blooms earlier but this year it seems to be at its peak right now. The blossoms will continue, more sparsely, until late spring.

 

Double-flowering quince.

 

More Grecian windflowers in the back yard.

 

My dwarf iris 'Bluebeard' got blasted by the frost, they're not worth showing, but the little Anemones nearby are so cute. 

Moving on towards the east side of the house, my serviceberry tree still has a bit of bloom. As you can see, its hasn't grown out of the deer's reach yet, so the barrier stays up.

The Carolina Silverbell tree--my pride and joy--behind the serviceberry, also got its tiny bells blasted by the frost, so sad!

Serviceberry tree (Amelanchier laevis)

The Hellebores are still hanging on to their flowers--'True Love' has formed a respectable clump. I'm looking for a 'Niger' Hellebore to plant in this bed--I'd love to have something in bloom during the winter.

The Jacob's ladder I planted last fall is lovely, protected by a wire cloche when not being photographed, and the sprout of wild Mayapple next to it was a take-home goodie from a botanical art class I took last spring.

 

Hellebore 'True Love'

Jacob's ladder (Polemonium reptans)

Along the front walk my 'Mara de Bois' strawberries are blooming--accidental edible landscaping from a strawberry pot that got loose--here's hoping for a good crop! The potted plant is a Lewisia that is getting ready to bloom.

 

Strawberries blooming along the front walk.

 

This spring has been busier than ever for me, with a one-woman show at a historic mansion and farm in nearby Millwood. My show opened on April first, and will be there until the end of May. Below is the invitation to my show.

 

In addition, I have four paintings on display at another art show in Millwood, Art at the Mill, but I'll get into that in another post.

Thank you for visiting and Happy Bloom Day! Despite its ups and downs, and the crazy weather, I just love this time of the year!

The Annual Miracle is Here

Magnolia 'Butterflies'

 

It's been one of the driest winters in this corner of Virginia, and March was little better until the very last day, when a series of thunderstorms hit our area, dropping nearly an inch of rain overnight. What a delightful surprise just before April Fool's! 

With the stealth rain, my garden has come alive with the annual miracle of spring! My yellow-flowered Magnolia 'Butterflies' didn't get badly frosted this year--ironic, considering there were fewer buds than any year before, due to last summer's drought. But still, it's the first spring since it was planted eight years ago that I've had the opportunity to enjoy its beautiful blossoms.

 

The front yard with Thalia narcissus and Magnolia 'Butterflies'

 

As the early 'February Gold' daffodils fade, the front yard comes alive with the blooms of Thalias, Tazettas, and Poet's Narcissus, forming thickets of white with touches of yellow. The creeping Phlox under the cherry tree is starting to revive too.

 

My front yard on April Fool's Day.

Tazetta, Thalia, and Poet's Narcissus.

The Yoshino cheries in our neighborhood are gorgeous at the moment, though with the wind today the blossoms are bound to be short-lived. It will take a couple more weeks for the Kwanzan cherry in my yard to open, although the buds are swelling and starting to show some color.

On the east side of the house several patches of blue Siberian Squill are all in bloom, and my Hellebores finally open. The Pieris beyond is also sporting its delicate blossoms.

 

Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica)

Hellebore 'True Love'

Hellebore 'Flower Girl'

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pieris japonica

 

Last fall I planted a native Jacob's Ladder plant in the woodland garden on the east of the house, and it's loaded with flower buds, the first of which are starting to open. I'd had a couple of beautiful hybrids with variegated foliage of this plant a few years ago, but those were eaten by something (deer? voles?) and died out. I think the species may prove a bit more resistant to the onslaught of the critters, but I'm keeping it under a cloche in hopes it will spread.

 

Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans)

 

My Allegheny Serviceberry tree (Amelanchier laevis) is also blooming, though my little tree hasn't made a whole lot of progress in the past years. I hope this year it will finally grow tall enough to be out of the deers' reach.

 

Allegheny Serviceberry tree (Amelanchier laevis)

The back bed  has exploded into bloom with assorted daffodils: 'Pink Charm' at one end, with 'Mount Hood' and a mixture of other varieties. The redbud tree is just starting to show some color, while the Seven Son Flower Tree leafs out. The Forsythia beyond is holding its blossoms well despite the wind.

 

The back bed with Forsythia beyond.

The back bed.

'Pink Charm' daffodils

'Pink Charm'

Yellow 'Prince Alfred' substitutes are blooming in another bed, and the Mount Hood daffodils I divided a couple of years ago are everywhere too. 

 

'Mount Hood' daffodils

'Prince Alfred' look-alike daffodils.

 

There's a nice patch of blue Muscari blooming in the front bed next to the driveway, along with charming little Anemones in a blue-and white combination, but today it's too chilly and windy for the Anemones to open (these photos are from a few days ago).

 

Blue Grape Hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum) and Anemones (Anemone blanda).

Grecian windflowers (Anemone blanda)

As Mother Nature revives, the annual miracle of Spring is on full display...I can't wait to see what will come into bloom in time for April's Bloom Day!

April Bloom Day

Front yard two days after Easter.

 

The 15th of the month is Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, hosted by Carol Michel at May Dreams Garden.

It was 23 degrees on Easter Sunday, and frost was visible on the grassy areas. The Kwanzan cherry tree in front was not fully open yet, though it was trying! After a few more days of warmer temperatures it's fully open now. The daffodils, narcissus, and creeping phlox are putting on a show. This is probably the best my front yard looks the entire the year.

 

Thalias, Tazetta and Poet's Narcissi with cottage tulips.

Creeping phlox with Thalias.

The spring flowering bulbs really help, considering the limited room in the front. The back yard is also starting to come into bloom, with the daffodils 'Pink Perfection' and others under the redbud tree. Our native redbud trees (Cercis canadensis) are all blooming, lovely clouds of purple-pinks peeking out from under the eaves of the woods.

'Pink Charm' daffodils

Redbud tree in the back yard, early morning.

View of the back yard in the evening.

 

My 'Texas White' redbud tree put forth a few blooms, but it hasn't grown enough yet to be much a display. It needs a few more years of growth to reach the size of the lovely specimen I saw at Blandy Farm last week.

 

'Texas white' redbud.

 

The bed with the "Mount Hood' daffodils that I expanded is not as full as in other years, as would be expected after dividing the bulbs last autumn, but in another year or two, they'll be spectacular.

'Mount Hood' daffodils with grape hyacinths.

'Mount Hood' daffodils and grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum)

The double flowering quince is lovely this year, but it's putting out underground runners and sprouting everywhere in its vicinity--I'll have to dig those out, I don't want my shrub to spread any farther.

 

Double flowering quince

Blue star flower (Ipheion)

 

I found a few blue starflowers blooming--I'd forgotten these after the deer decimated them a couple of years back, these four seem to be the only survivors. My Carolina Silverbell tree continues to grow, it's now taller than I am, with the flowers as charming as ever. This is a hard-to-find item at nurseries, I feel very lucky to have been able to obtain this specimen some eight years ago. Being native to the eastern US, I wonder why it isn't more frequently planted?

                                    

Carolina Silverbell tree (Halesia tetraptera)

  

Carolina Silverbell flowers

The Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) I planted three years ago is blooming, but it will be a few more years before it makes much of a display. The Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) planted at the same time is much farther ahead in terms of size, but then the deer have left this one alone, while I had to put a barrier around the Serviceberry to keep the deer away from it. Once the Serviceberry gets a bit larger, I hope to dispense with the barrier. A good growing summer season would help!

 

Serviceberry flowers.

 

Pagoda dogwood in bud.

 I almost forgot to show you my Lewisia 'Little Peach'--this tiny plant is a native of the California mountains that has lovely small flowers. I keep this plant in a pot, as it needs very well-draining soil.

 

Lewisia longipetala 'Little Peach'

 

This is just the beginning of the spring season, more flowers are yet to come in the months ahead--I can't wait for the Merry Month of May!