I'm Back...

It's always good to get home, isn't it? Even when you've had just the best time, there's nothing like sleeping in your own bed. As in Married to My Garden, one of my favorite books, I missed my garden (and DH, of course).

I'll be writing this week about things I saw/heard in South Carolina. They're a bit ahead of us here in Northern Virginia. The dogwoods were beginning to bloom as were the azaleas. But, more about that later.

Returning home, the first thing I saw was that my magnolia stellata (Star Magnolia) had burst into bloom. It sits right beside the driveway, so it's hard to miss.



Winter Hazel, Corylopsis spicata, is also blooming its heart out (especially nice after I "trimmed" it last year):


This year will bring the first ever blooms on my tiny buckeye...will it really be red? Inquiring minds want to know...



More daffodils are joining the show and the peculiar three blossom on Barrett Browning has opened. I don't know what to make of it, but it's definitely interesting.





The newest daffodils to begin blooming are Quail, Sailboat, Changing Colors, Orangery, Goldflake, Mount Hood, Trepolo and Mondragon.

Sailboat:


Mondragon:


Trepolo...this clump is several years old....they never look the same, but are still pretty neat:



Still blooming are various clumps of Ice Follies, Sweet Harmony, Cassata, February Gold, Easter Bonnet, Tete-a-Tete, Jetfire, Fragrant Breeze, Sweetness, Trevithian, Topolino and various unknown yellows.

Easter Bonnet:


Cassata:


Unknown yellow with marvelous form (I think):


Another unknown yellow:



A few hyacinths are blooming. The prized and rare Blue Roman Hyacinth is now blooming.



Glory of the Snow, Chionodoxa Forbesii 'Pink Giant', is blooming. The blue variety is a tad behind, maybe because they are shaded by some daffodil foliage.




The very first of the species tulips, tulipa humilis 'Persian Pearl' is just beginning to bloom.


And Scilla siberica:



Looking past the columbine and monarda, those speckled leaves belong to trout lilies. I am so pleased to see more than last year. Maybe one of these years, I will actually see some flowers! I understand it can take a few years to see flowers.



The Madonna Lilies are usually the earliest of my lilies to emerge. Not to disappoint, here they are...although only two this year, as I was afraid, as the third got broken by something last year and apparently didn't recover (although, I have found a seedling under the Korean Spice Viburnum!).


It was nice to see Sedum 'Frosty Morn' up and about. I do have to watch these closely as they are prone to sending out solid green...which is not want I want and left alone, would dominate.



The first of my Virginia Bluebells has emerged. I expect to see them in two other places. I couldn't resist purchasing another one (already in bloom) from The Great Big Greenhouse on my way back from S.C.





I also purchased some trilliums on sale there and a hosta ('June')...okay, a few little pots...I mean, there was still some space in the car I could squeeze a bit more in!

So far, I've gotten two bags of clippings from the garden...and I've barely begun cleaning up...but, it was such a nice day today that I just couldn't stand to be inside. One thing the cleaning and clearing does is get you close to the ground to see what is popping up.

That's enough for today...it really is hard to leave your garden, isn't it? So much happens so quickly when you're gone...I'm glad to be be back!