Before the rain...

Begonia

I wanted to show my mom some close-ups of some of the begonias I have right now. For some reason, I gravitate toward orange lately. Salmons, apricots, I love em'. See, mom, won't this go good with your patio furniture?


Bulbs
Before the rain came today I ran out to take a few picture of the blooms int he garden today. I planted these apricot bulbs with muscari last fall. This is the first peak I have had at them. I'm pleased. There is lamb's ear beneath them, and some bleeding heart mixed in. The rabbits took a few nibbles, but when I put bone meal down over them, and a few of Laura's turds around the edge of the flower bed the rabbits were as good as gone. LOL.

The stamens in the center of the tulip are a deep violet purple; I tried to get a picture of the inside, but the light wasn't working for me, and it was windy, so I had to hold the flower still. I wish I had a million of these so I could cut and make bouquets... someday?


Here's the muscari blooming beneath the bulbs.

This muscari is coming up right in between one of my oriental lilies.

Also blooming: Delft Blue Hyacinth

Could this already be the allium? I bought a truck load of allium last fall, and I've never had them before. I thought they blooms with the roses, much later? I know this is allium, I'n just not sure which kind (I planted several). I guess only time will tell.

More daffs...


Spring Growth

A gardening friend of mine asked whether or not my butterfly bushes were coming back yet. I have two that are not showing too much life yet, but the others looks like this. I was surprised the first year I had Buddleia as I expected it to come back on old wood; in reality all of the butterfly bushes I have die completely back and grow from ground up to 5-7ft high again.

On a similar note, I have two clematis that have never been given a chance to grow. Last year, shade from a taller perennial covered one and it never grew; the other I accidently pruned when I pulling weeds. This year I have made sure that they are well protected. The varieties are mixed up, but once they bloom, I have the tags, so I can match things up. Here's one of the clematis, coming in strong. Seeing this make me so happy, it makes my heart tingle a little. That's how much I love my plants. I can't wait to see the blooms of this beauty:


Bleeding Heart

It seems way to early for bleeding heart, too? This beauty has doubled in size since last year. I can't resist the small heart shaped flowers. It looks like this plant is sending up quite a few blooms this year... maybe the bone meal around the bulbs helped it? I looked at this plant yesterday and it was half this size. I bet you could see it growing if you hung out long enough.