Monday, April 28, 2008

April, Full of Promise-Gone So Quickly!

I can't believe April is almost over. Where did this month go? Is it because we were so busy in our gardens that the days just flew by? Days of sun and warm breezes tempt us out to our gardens where time is lost to us. We clean and dig. We plant and pull weeds. We marvel at the growth of each flower and eagerly await the next bloom. Gardens are indeed, I think, pilferers of time. As time will go by anyway what ever we are doing, I would much rather have my time flee while I am in my garden.



Fat Cat is enjoying her time in the garden. The blooming vinca makes a comfortable bed while she awaits her prey. Today it was bumble bees.

Our ornamental plum is blooming and attracting it's share of honey bees. This tree always puts out leaves before it blooms. I think it is because the tiny pink flowers show up so well against the dark maroon leaves. Mother Nature has a very artistic side to her.



The blue bells are in full bloom(in my neighbor's yard). These were one of my Mother's favorite flowers. I have tried many times to get them to grow in my gardens, but have finally settled for seeing them next door.


I have long ago forgotten the name of this plant. It vines and I originally had it planted in some of my barrel planters. Like the vining vinca, it spilled over the edges and has become a perennial in several places. This is the first time I can remember it blooming though.



A new color of tulip has bloomed in the last couple of days. I wish I knew their name so I could find more of them. I love their color and their growth habit.




I am so happy with this part of the garden. It is a small 'rock' garden area. I planted creeping phlox in and around them a couple of years ago, using very small plants. Look how it has grown and mixed with the vinca. I love the color combination and the spilling over effect Just to the top middle is the fern leaf tansy. If you click on the picture it willl show it larger and in more detail.



The lilacs are on hold. I suppose it is the cooler temperatures of the last few days. Although the flowers aren't fully open their perfume is caught by the breeze and comes clear across the yard. I think I will cut a few stems from the back side of them tomorrow for the house. I still say nothing says spring like the smell of lilacs!



And finally, more wood violets. I have several small bunches of them spread throughout the yard and gardens and I leave them. They are lovely to see and always bring a smile. Maybe it is because they are so tenacious. They survive sprayings, pullings and mowings, still managing to spread and bring forth dozens of tiny perfectly formed flowers.



We had a good weekend, although not as restful as hoped, it was relaxing. And hubby's birthday was celebrated with family and good friends. He even got a call from his mother who is in the nursing home. That pleased him. We are sure someone reminded her and dialed the phone, but she knew him long enough, today, to wish him a Happy Birthday.

I hope your week is filled with sunshine, warm temps, and lots of blooms!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

that ornamental plum tree is gorgeous.

Arlene,
Poulsbo flowers

Beth said...

Oh Beckie! What beautiful pictures, I almost feel like I can smell the blossoms. Those bluebells are precious, I can see why you love them. My garden is still many weeks from all that color, but it's coming along--daffodils blooming to welcome me back to town.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Your garden has come alive Beckie. It is so beautiful.

I had blue bells at one time. I forgot about where they were planted and accidently dug them out. I haven't been able to reestablish them. Odd and disappointing.

Amy said...

It's all so beautiful Beckie! My mother recently gave me a piece of that yellow flowing plant and I can't remember the name of it either :)

beckie said...

Arlene, thank you. It is still on the smallish side, but we love it's blooms and foliage.

Beth, I'm so glad you had some color to come back to. As I said in my post-time will fly by and the blooms will soon be there for you. So glad you had a great trip.

Lisa, did you ever see the blue bells my Mom had on her "Bird Island"? If someone went to the woods, they had to bring her back some and plant them..and they aways seemed to flourish!

Amy, While plant shopping, I am going to be on the lookout for that plant so I can write down the name. It is pretty and I have it now in several places.

Rose said...

Beckie, your ornamental plum is so beautiful! I'm going to have to come see it. And I love those tulips, too. My tulips are finally in full bloom, including a couple yellow ones I don't even remember planting. Glad S had a good birthday. Where DID April go??

Cheryl said...

The garden is looking lovely Beckie. The colours are so soft and pretty. I like what you are doing.
The lilacs fragrance is fleeting, the blooms don't last long here. So enjoyable while they do.

Glad Mum and Son could have a chat on a special day....it makes the heart a little lighter, doesn't it?

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I've been so busy working in the garden & everything has been blooming at once that when I finally settled in today to upload all my photos (it's raining & snowing), it took about 2 hours. I think your mystery plant is a Lamiastrum 'Herman's Pride.'

beckie said...

Nancy, it seems the older I get the faster time goes by. At least the good parts! I loved your post with the wagon wheel. So pretty and your 'girls' now so grown!

Rose, your tulips must be later ones, which is great because with the cooler weather now, they will last longer.

Thanks Cheryl. I'd say some of it is by pure happenstance, but I am working on it! I tried to cover my lilacs this eve as a light frost is predicted, but They are way to tall. So they will just have to take their chances.

MMD, Lamiastrum...doesn't ring a bell, but it has been a while. Thanks! Looking forward to all your newly downloaded pictures.

Alyssa said...

Very lovely pictures! The vinca and creeping phlox are perfect together. Those wonderful colors.
I agree that your tulips have a very pleasing look - not flopping over or gangly. We have a few bluebells in the garden that I planted years ago but they refuse to spread. Aren't their flowers neat!! Yes the yellow flowered plant is lamiastrum but I think it's called "Yellow Archangel". The "Hermann's Pride" doesn't vine and creep. I have both and the Archangel is wildly rampant in the shade. It's beautiful but needs a spot of it's own otherwise it climbs over anything!!
It's so nice that your mother-in-law was able to call Steve. Must have made his day.

Yes, April flew right by in a flash!

Miranda Bell said...

Hi Becci - thankyou for visiting my blog and glad you liked the photos... we've a way to go in the garden but it's all good fun - you look as if you have a pretty garden too - unlike you, we've lost a lot of our lilac this year with late frosts which is such a shame... Happy Gardening Miranda

Unknown said...

Lovely post Beckie! April is usually, a la TS Eliot, the cruelest month here, but the second half of the month has been mostly quite tolerable this year. Today we're having cool air and fog, but that just gives the garden inspiration to leap further ahead, after yesterday's really warm weather!
The yellow groundcover is a Lamiastrum--I forget which one, but it's not Hermann's Pride, which has narrower, very silver and green leaves and a clumping form. I have (and really enjoy) this plant and it's not terribly hard to control, unlike SOME groundcovers.

beckie said...

Alyssa, I am so pleased with how the phlox looks in that spot. Wonderful that you have blue bells, they can be temper mental in the garden. Thanks for the nice comments!

Miranda, you do take lovely pictures. Sorry about your lilacs. I haven't checked mine this morn to see how they fared in the cold last night. It would be such a shame to lose then again!

Jodi, the weather here has been all over the place this month, too. Thanks for the info. I do like the plant and have it in several places, but as you say it is not nearly as hard to control as the vinca vine that escaped my containers. I enjoyed your posts on the Expo.

Suburbia said...

Thank you for visiting my place.
Your garden looks lovely. Do the bees sting your cat? He is very brave!
I have that vine thing with the yellow flowers growing under my garden bench. It's very useful and brightens up the garden. Your blue bells don't look like ours!
Happy Spring!

Esther Montgomery said...

Our cat sits on our ground-huggin cyclamen.

I used to chase her off - but the cyclamen seem to like it. They thrive and spread.

New gardening tip - squash your plants under warm body!

Esther Montgomery
ESTHER IN THE GARDEN