Topic: Spring has sprung!

[Patty S]

Keith told me that a doe just marched through under the arbor, so I popped out to see if I could get a pic... but she had already bounded down the slope into the field. I took another pic of the Arborvitae instead, cuz I didn't think the last one was a very good shot of the bush itself... (I was more impressed with the shadows I captured on those hills, so I'm going to leave it there!)

This one does the bush more justice...
      
The little dots of purple at its base is a patch of Sunscape Daisies (Osteospermum) that were sheltered by that bush when our weather got so cold this winter, & the yellow flowers on the slope below the bush is a clump of "basket of Gold" (AuriniaSaxatilis).

BTW, I've NEVER had a problem with the deer around that Arborvitae! If I'm not mistaken, I think those are a type of Cedar. I can't imagine a deer wanting to eat that!

At the corner of the house, to the right of the arbor, is Keith's Rhododendron. (I hate that bush!) It just started to flower up this weekend.
      
Give it another week & it'll be loaded with flowers & look like one giant bouquet!
(And I'm not cleaning up under it this year! What a MESS!)

[Patty S]

While I was cruising the yard with the camera this afternoon, I spotted my first rose bud of the year!
     
I have no idea why this rose is red... that bush has always put out pink roses! (I'd love it if they were red this year, but I think I'd be freaked out if it did that!)

I was hoping my Iris would wait another week, so the whole row would be in bloom when Shelly & Lil' Naomi get here, a few days before Mother's Day, but down by the field they're starting to open already!  (Hopefully, they wont be all done by then.)


Way around the corner, past what I call my 70' Iris row (where the slope turns into an out-&-out hill... too steep for a sane person to navigate with a camera in hand), some of them are already in full bloom!
     

I've noticed that some colors open up sooner than others.  The slower ones aren't far behind though, so there will be several days when they're all in full bloom at the same time. 
(That's the time for the REAL pictures!)

[Dianna]

You did a great job on that arbor, Patty!  Guess you proved me wrong, huh?  You did it far cheaper than I would have thought. I can't wait to see it covered in blooming vines!

You sure have a yard full of pretty bloomers. That golden bush is something else, too. I love all the different colors that you have going on in your yard...

I love the view beyond your yard, also! 

[patches]

Well, spring has finally sprung here, and I hope it's here to stay!  When I went outside today I really got a very pleasant surprise because one of my tangerine and white Daffodils has a double bloom on a single stem.  I took the picture to the nursery where I bought the bulbs and the lady there told me she had never seen one produce a double bloom before, she wants me to e-mail the picture to her.  Geesh, I thought this was pretty exciting!  Here's a picture of it!       

[Patty S]

                WOA!  How cool is that?!!
                          I like mutant plants too, Patti!

[Patty S]

I've been trying to avoid looking at my lilac when I go through the back yard, cuz it's Shelly's favorite flower & she had originally wanted to schedule her visit for when they'd be in bloom.  I told her that last year I took my lilac pic on April 28. so we figured that since winter lasted longer than usual, they might be blooming later this year.  She scheduled her trip so she could be with my Mom for her 85th birthday on May 2nd, then here on Mothers Day, thinking that she would probably still see the lilacs.

As I was rolling up the hose & putting garden tools away a little bit ago, I got a whiff of the most awesome scent & realized that I couldn't deny that my lilac is in full bloom, any longer! 

       
Shelly is undoubtedly going to get here too late to enjoy them, so I snapped this pic & e-mailed it to her.  Will have to go find some lilac scented shampoo for her, or something!
Are y'all tired of my flowers yet?   There's a whole summer ahead, & my yard is just getting started!!

[patches]

Patty, I don't know exactly how your microclimate works, but the lilacs around here should still be blooming well into May. 

[patches]

We finally got a nice rain last night and everything looks so clean and fresh this morning.  Unfortunately, it's kind of overcast today, but the sun keeps to peek out.  Here's a picture of one of my Bleeding Hearts.

     

[Dianna]

Patti, what a pretty daffodil. I love that color and you got a bonus bloom with it! I, also, like that bleeding heart...

Patty, I have always thought of lilacs as a little mounding bush. That thing is humongous!    And I am wondering, did you bring that rose bud into the house and put it in a vase? I wouldn't have been able to keep from doing that...

[Patty S]

Patti, that Bleeding Heart is awesome! Is that in your shade garden, or does it like full sun? (I'm sure glad you finally got your camera program working!  You & Tina have the most awesome flowers in your yards, & I wanna see more!)

Dianna, I think that most people keep their Lilacs trimmed so they grow more like hedge bushes.  This one was like this when we moved in... & the roses were "trees" too, cuz the people before us apparently knew less than I do about flower gardening & had obviously never pruned anything!  I hate this Lilac being so darned tall & lanky like that, & it's a good thing that I didn't find out until September that they should be pruned right after the blooms die back (just like Azaleas & Rhodies), cuz I was ready to whack it all down!  It wouldn't have bloomed much (if at all) this year, had I done that, & Shelly would never have forgiven me if she came & couldn't see Lilacs! (I just hope the flowers are still there when she gets here!) There are plenty of suckers coming up at the base, so I hope to have a hedge-size Lilac bush next year!

I thought about it, but didn't get that first rose picked until it was all the way open... too late to enjoy it inside my flower aquarium, but I'll catch the next one.  I noticed today that my climbing rose is blooming way up at the top, but I didn't want to have to haul the ladder from the garage to take a pic.  It looks like the lower ones are thinking about opening up, so I'll snap a shot of them when they do.

[patches]

Patty, this Bleeding Heart is in my shade garden, but the other one is in the bed on the side of the house.  They like shade to partial-shade, so the other one gets some morning sun.  My white one got zapped by the freeze this year.  It's still living, but I don't think it's going to bloom this year.  All my flowers are so confused, they don't know what season it is or what they're  supposed to do.   

Here's a picture of one of my Clematis, but I'm not sure which one it is becuase my squirrels dug up all my tags.  I thought it was Dr. Ruppell, but the tips of the flowers on this one are rounded instead of pointed, so right now it's a mystery plant.  I bought it because it was pink and just put it in late last year, so this is actually the first year it has bloomed.  I hope I can find out what it's name is because the flowers are beautiful and such an awesome shade of pink.   





 

[Patty S]

I guess Bleeding Hearts wouldn't work here unless I put them in a hanging basket on my front porch, where they'd get early morning sun, & shade the rest of the day.

I just love looking at your Clematis, Patti. I have no idea what mine will do this year, cuz I'm not sure if the ones I have are supposed to be in sun or partial shade or total shade... I lost the tags long ago!

I sure like my Chives though, & wish it would keep its blossoms longer....
     

My Columbines (that I moved 3 weeks ago) haven't skipped a beat...
        

and Keith's Rhodie is looking real nice ... for now.
        
(& I'm NOT cleaning up after it this year!)

[patches]

Oh, Patty, I love your chives and I would plant them just for the flowers.  I don't know of any Clematis that tolerates shade.  I know some will do okay in dappled shade, but not total shade.  Geesh, your Columbine looks a lot like mine which started blooming yesterday and here's a picture of it today.

[Bonnie]

I love arbors I would have a bunch of them if I had Patty around to help me build them. Nice job, Patty.

Bonnie

[patches]

Wow, it was a beautiful day here and we broke a record with 92 degrees.  In 1946, there was a high of 90 degrees.  Geesh, I can't believe we had freezing temperatures a few weeks ago.  The weather has been really crazy the past couple of years and now the honey bees are disappearing!   

Big surprise today, here is my first rose.  This is my pink miniature rose and I thought for sure I lost it to the freeze because all the leaves dropped off and it looked like it had died. I can't believe it have new leaves and is blooming.   

[Dianna]

By Patti:

I hope I can find out what it's name is because the flowers are beautiful and such an awesome shade of pink.

I think it looks like a "Pink Champagne"...

Patty, I love that chive plant. I hope mine blooms this year. I have mine in baskets. I think I will put them in the ground...

I have some columbine seeds, but haven't planted them yet...

[patches]

Thanks, Dianna!  I searched for "Pink Champagne" Clematis and it sure looks like the one I have. Do you have one of them? 

[patches]

Well, after all the rain we've had here the past week everything is starting to bloom, so it's finally starting to look like spring.  Here's a picture of one of my Hardy Geraniums.



Here is one of my Dianthus 'Firewitch'.  The fragrance is wonderful and I love the vibrant pink color.

[Dianna]

Patti, I don't have a clematis yet. Patty sent me some seeds, though, so I should soon. I just googled for pink clematis and looked at the pictures and found one that looked like yours....

I love that geranium and that dianthus you have...

[patches]

Thanks, Dianna, I really love the hardy Geraniums and Dianthus.  I have several different varieties of each of them.  Actually, I just got some of the 'Neon Star' Dianthus this year and they are an awesome plant.  I love the foliage on them.    Of course, the fragrance gets me every time and I can't resist them.   

[Patty S]

There is a little table type "plant stand" on my front porch that Dave made for me. (It wasn't originally supposed to be for plants but it's a long insignificant story, so I won't tell it!) When I come back from shopping with an armload, I need something by the door to put stuff on until I get the door open... but every time I turn around, my daughter has moved it to the garage or the back yard cuz she thinks it's an eyesore!  So, yesterday I bought a couple Begonias to put in the pot that he built into the table, & I'm hoping she'll leave it where it is now! 

     
The tag says they like shade... which may or may not be true, cuz I bought them at Walmart!

[Patty S]

I didn't get out to take pics of flowers while my pint-sized "company" was here, but another Azalea bloomed & my Dutch Iris opened up while I was distracted!  The Azalea is on its way out now, but you can see the darker pink blossoms that haven't been bleached out by the sun.

     

Patti, is your Dianthus the same flower as the one in my "Looks familiar" post in the mystery plant forum? The leaves don't look the same at all! Mine has filled out a lot better now, but it's not that full!
     
I sure like the color of yours better than mine... what are you doing with all those purple flowers, while I have pink?!  I thought that you try to aim for all pink in your gardens!

[Patty S]

I really wish I had a better camera, cuz this doesn't do my first Nigella of the year any justice at all!
Here it is anyway!
     
         
I have no idea why, but Nigella is my favorite flower of all time... & it doesn't even have a smell to it!


I noticed today that while I was busy last week with my company, the California Poppies started to pod up. It has always amazed me how long some of the pods turn out, from such dainty little flowers!
     

A few people have asked me for seeds, so I let this patch grow longer than I usually do.

I think Lynne & Patti wanted seeds from these, & if anyone else does, speak up now (or PM me), cuz they're all getting pulled out next week so I can plant my annuals. (The seed pods will be ready & starting to pop open by then)

[Peggy]

My spring sprung  too!!

here is what I have so far!

I have no idea what it's called! But, I have it!


one kind of iris from patty!


california poppies


rhodies


lily. my mother in law gave me seeds when we moved up here from California.  This is their second year.  last year they just grew foliage, no flowers. I feel blessed!


Sweet peas..

wait there's more!!! I got one red strawberry and a bird got to it before it got picked!!

hugs!! Peg

[Peggy]

You know, we went out exploring this past weekend...
Well, let me back up... the part of Oregon that Patty and I live on is full of BLM
land.  That is Bureau of Land Management.  These are public lands that is mostly used for logging, but we, Mr. & Ms. Public are allowed to go out, explore, camp, target shoot, get fire wood (with proper permits), gold pan, look for ghost towns, etc.

Clyde and I spend a lot of time out on these lands because it's free entertainment...
this past weekend we were looking for him a new creek to high bank for gold on. While he does his thing, I take photos.

I am not a pro photographer, but I'd love to be. And to get back onto topic, Spring is my favorite time of year to take photos.  I love new vegetation, and pretty new flowers, etc.  I took a few photos this weekend, as is my habit when we go out pretending like we are mountain goats...

hope you enjoy mother nature's spring...
peg