It is Spring!

A few more whites:


Very luscious, a fragrant white azalea...and below, a white columbine that readily reseeds itself around....


...a close up of the clematis, Guernsey Cream, that was pictured the other day on the fence by the gate...



A Granny's Bonnet columbine that has been reseeding in the backyard for the last few years...


I get these interesting chartreuse seedlings, which I think are probably from mixing the variegated ones...


Here's one of the variegated ones and next to it, one that has mixed with a plain green one...I fear I'll lose the variegation soon....however, it is nigh impossible to keep the columbines from...ahem...mixing with each other....


This is probably the most reliable of the alliums, Purple Sensation, overlooking my neighbors' yard...


...because they're neat to look at and photograph.....



The lungwort has been especially nice...




Just a bit of the daily pleasures around here....

I'm Thinking White...

Clematis Armandii...soooo fragrant...actually makes weeding in the backyard pleasant...

Looking at it down...


....and up....(say hello to Kobe, above left, as he shares the view...)


...my deck stairs

....snowy in color, white creeping phlox....


This is a new-to-here clematis, Taki...


Growing near the new(er) gate, this is Clematis 'Guernsey Cream'


Delaware Valley Azaleas...


No longer at peak bloom, but still looking good, Bridal Wreath Spirea....


Each little flower is intricate....too bad I didn't take this picture a few days earlier...


Let's see...I think there are daffodil pictures coming up next....

Dreaming of Spring

While looking for last year's pictures of Snowdrops (which are apparently on another drive connected to a different computer), I ran across some pictures from last spring...the very much hurried up spring of 2010....it was fun looking at the pictures but not so fun discovering I had cropped and sorted most of them...already...however, here are a few from mid April that I might have missed posting...maybe...

VA Bluebells...



and an allium, probably Purple Sensation...



This is obviously a poeticus daffodil....bought as poeticus ornatus...I don't know if it was just having an interesting day or if it might be another species, perhaps....


Just because....on a cold wintery day, it's nice to dream of spring...



Actually....looking at the azaleas reminds me...I should go check to see if the Pink Dawn Viburnum is blooming (in real time)....except...that's right...it's still icy over on that side....I'll just have to wait...

What Not To Do: Pink and Orange

The problem is not with your computer. Do not adjust your monitor. Yes, you're not imagining it (although you might wish you were). Feel like covering your eyes, do you?


That's PINK and ORANGE. Right there. Together. I know Nature throws some wild combinations together, but that's Nature....and she clearly knows what she's doing. Nature is not responsible for this...ahem...combination. I must bear that shame. In my defense, the azalea was labeled as being pink (not orange!)...but, alas, I did not take my own advice (some years ago) and buy in bloom. I actually trusted the tag. Silly me. And, here we are, all these years later.

From another perspective, just in case the first wasn't enough:


Each has redeeming qualities. I mean, who doesn't like a pink dogwood? The azalea is fragrant which is a big plus in my garden. Occasionally, they actually manage to not bloom at the same time...occasionally. Not this year. Sigh.

This azalea is blooming in the backyard...it probably would have been a better choice...a few years ago.


Or better yet, my "white" lights azaleas which are really pink....oh well....it's spring!


....and there's so much to see and enjoy, what's a little pink and orange??