“Colors are the smiles of nature.” ~Leigh Hunt
Even after the early April snow, and mid month warm up, we ended the month on a very cold note, with too many nights below freezing. There was damage and loss, but I’ll recap that later in spring once I get a complete picture. The cold certainly delayed the garden growing and blooming so we are not that far ahead any more. But through all the ups and downs, there were so many wonders in my garden.
Loads of native bees came out to play in the flowers, and even Mourning Cloak Butterflies were flitting around the garden…although none were staying still long enough for me to get a picture. But the highlight throughout April, was all the colorful flowers, both early bulbs and perennials as well as native wildflowers, that I will highlight in June.
I have talked often about how much I love color in the spring garden. There is something so magical when the spring greens are topped by color throughout the garden. Scientist say when we see a new object, like a flower in the spring garden, our brains register the color first. And these colors evoke moods and emotions for us.
In my garden those emotions are sheer joy, happiness, exuberance, gratitude and peace. So I wanted to share some of the blooms that showed up and braved the cold throughout April. Some even stayed around for a long time, and bloomed almost all month.
Daffodils grow throughout spring here from late March through early May. Long ago, I lost all the labels for my daffodils so I can’t tell you which are which. This is just a small collection of the many that bloom, big to small flowers in many combos of white, yellow, pink and orange.
Both multi-flowering hyacinths (pictured above), and the traditional Hyacinthus orientalis gave both my eyes and nose joy. I adore the scent of hyacinths in early spring.
Just a few of the colors that showed up….white, and many shades of pink, purple and even apricot.
And another hyacinth showed up blooming profusely everywhere including the lawn. This plant goes by the common name, grape hyacinth, but many know this flower as Muscari. They are naturalizing in so many areas now.
I don’t have many anemones in my garden but these purple Anemone blanda are creating a great grouping in my Center Garden.
One tiny species tulip was blooming. Each year one or two of these Tulipa Turkestanica bloom. The critters have eaten all my other tulips.
Another small blue flower I love is Ipheion uniflorum. I wish more would bloom. I think I need to divide a few clumps.
And Fritillaria michailovskyi began flowering in late April. That foliage damage was caused by an aggressive pest I’ll show you in an upcoming post.
Leucojum aestivum or Summer Snowflake was one flower blooming a bit early this year, but what a welcome flower.
And finally, the Primroses are blooming. These are Polyanthus primroses which love the cold weather.
How was your April weather? Did it help or hinder your garden?
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In A Vase On Monday
The abundance of Muscari and daffodils were calling me. As were the early blooming Leucojum aestivum.
I placed the vase at the edge of the pond (bottom picture), giving you a bit of a view of the pond project finished (which I am blogging about next week). I couldn’t resist processing it so the vase appeared to be underwater in the top picture!
I really enjoyed picking handfuls of various Muscari, the white Leucojum aestivum, and this small, wonderfully scented daff. They made such a lovely posy in my hand.
I am joining in with a few memes this week as I prepare this vase: Cathy@Rambling in the Garden for her wonderful meme, In a Vase on Monday, Today’s Flowers hosted by Denise@An English Girl Rambles 2016 and Judith@Lavender Cottage who hosts Mosaic Monday on the last Monday of each month.
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Next up on the blog:
Next Monday, I hope to have another Stuck Foot post looking from the other end of the Pond. I’ll recap the pond project….it is finished!
I am linking in with Michelle for her Nature Notes meme at her blog, Rambling Woods. It is a great way to see what is happening in nature around the world every Monday.
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Such lovely blooms. I always mean to plant bulbs, but by fall-when its time, I “forget”. Ah well, I guess I’m lucky to find blogs with plentiful blooms.
Happy Spring
How lovely to say so Susan….I run out of steam in fall for planting more bulbs. Maybe this year I will divide and move some daffs….we shall see.
My garden is all over the place. It’s been completely confused by a warm winter and a cold spring. Perhaps by summer it will settle. (I like your anemones.)
Thanks Esther….I hope things do settle but I doubt it.
A very pretty spring vase Donna. Your lovely collage of hyacinths gives me hope that the ones I’ve just ordered to plant this autumn may look like this.
Oh I bet they will be wonderful Christina with your climate!
The blooms in your April garden are seriously cheering, I think we had all of those in our Aberdeen garden. Wow, what about that picture of Fritillaria michailovskyi, love it!
I adore the Fritillaria and they make a lovely picture….the early bulbs really do cheer…glad you enjoyed them Alistair.
Such beautiful blooms Donna. My garden is a bit behind, probably due to the awful April weather. I’ve a few daffodils in bloom, the crocus are finished, the hyacinths just starting and the tulips are in bud. May has started out rainy and chilly, but I hope it will improve soon 🙂
Hoping it improves for you Linda…May is still a bit chilly but better than April.
Donna what a beautiful treasure trove of spring flowers you have, our weather in Britain was all over the place this April, here’s to a bright May for us all, Frances
I will add to that hope for better weather for all of us Frances…
Certainly looks like spring flowers were determined to outwit the cold April. Lovely vase of flowers Donna.
They were strong flowers Susie….
Such beautiful blooms Donna! I am enjoying lots and lots and lots of daffodils! The shrubs are finally starting to bud and Spicebush is in bloom. I love the tiny floating stars of the buds and early blooms. Serviceberry is just about to bloom – very heavy. I’ve noticed several in the woods by the lake in full bloom and wonder why mine is behind them? Maybe because it is Laevis and not Canadensis. I picked up a wonderful little false rue anenome, Enemion biternatum, from Phoenix Flower Farm, a plant nursery vendor who attended the Men’s Garden Club lecture by Thomas Rainer – which was absolutely wonderful! So far, I love his book in conjunction with Claudia West “Planting in a Post Wild World.” There is so much to learn. I hope to really pull together some great native plantings at the lake. I will have time to really think about them and not let myself rush into anything like I did here in the village. I don’t have any hyacinth unless you count camassia which will bloom a little later. Surprised that some of my Summer Snowflakes are already blooming but I see yours are, too. Such an exciting time of year!
How wonderful your shrubs are blooming….none here, not even trees due to lots of late freezes…so sad. Sounds like a wonderful talk and I hear good things about the book too! Enjoy working in both your gardens!
Love that deep color of the Muscari which is rare in the April garden.
Yes that is a special muscari….love its dark blue!
What lovely little spring flowers you have in your gardens — and I’m sorry your weather has been so cold — here too it has been rainy and cool for the past few days — but it does mean that you were able to enjoy your daffodils for an extended period this year, so that’s a silver lining, right? Beautiful bouquet, and I can’t wait to see your improved pond. To warmer days! -Beth
Yes those that bloomed (most of them) have lingered long….I even saw some hellebores that bloomed more suddenly….I am enjoying the cool spring weather.
Your hyacinths are fantastic! Have you noticed any pollinators on them this year?
Aaron they especially love the hyacinths, daffs and muscari!
That’s what I thought. Gotta add some hyacinths to the garden this autumn 🙂
Aaron they are an absolute must for me….I have many throughout the garden because I adore their scent and color.
A beautiful post, Donna. I loved what you shared about spring color and how it affects our brains. Exactly describes my feelings. Being so close to each other geographically, our gardens are parallel, I could reblog this, it is so similar. (I didn’t see a reblog button, btw.) The rain we’re having today is welcome and it is certainly making things grow like crazy!
Wish there was a way to reblog my posts, but I am a WordPress.org user (self-host) and that feature is only for WordPress.com. There are ways to share it on other Social Media but that is it right now until WP allows it for all of us. Lots of rain with some flooding but it is welcome and will revive so much now.
And various shades of muscari too – how pretty. Thanks for sharing all your spring bulbs, Donna, displayed as always in the tableaux you do so well
I do have a secret addiction for all things muscari and bought many varieties years ago….I can never have enough! So pleased you enjoyed the vase, Cathy!
So nice to see these lovely spring colours again!In my garden all these flowers faded some weeks ago.
I am surprised mine are lasting but that is the lovely benefit of the cool weather.
I’m sorry that winter still has its claws on your garden but your spring bulbs are glorious! Acknowledging that it’s always warmer here than there, it still amazes me to see just how different our climates are – it’s as if I was living in a different hemisphere rather than a different time zone. While you struggle with winter’s grip, I see summer creeping in here. The spring bulbs are long gone, the first flush of roses is behind us, and the Agapanthus, which herald summer’s arrival, are already producing buds.
I think it is like a different part of the world as we are 3000 miles apart Kris. I bet those Agapanthus are stunning now.
Gorgeous Donna but sorry to hear you’ve had losses. This Spring has certainly been an odd one.
Definitely Jessica! With the loss usually the plant will return in a year or 2…so I hope none are permanent losses.
Beautiful collages and bouquet, Donna. I’m sorry to learn that the frost did damage to your shrubs but no doubt they’ll make up for it. We all embrace colour after the long winter and you have so much to cherish in your garden. Fingers crossed that spring is there to stay. This April was quite chilly in parts of Europe but not so much in South-West France where we are. I’m glad as the spuds are well above the ground and I’ve just planted my tomatoes 🙂
The shrubs will leaf out but they will not bloom including many hydrangea…I can say spring is here just still cool temps. How nice to hear you are planting tomatoes!
Hello, gorgeous spring colors and blooms. Love the pretty arrangement and vase. Gorgeous photos.
Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!
Thanks so much Eileen…hope your week has been nice!
I love the way you have displayed your beautiful spring flowers Donna. So artistic. These spring delights really do make the heart sing. Your vase is beautiful. I love muscari too.
Thank you so much for your lovely words….
What a lovely collection of spring bulbs Donna. I think our gardens are in a similar place right now – most of my yellow daffodils have gone over but my muscari and snowflakes are still looking good. Temperatures are set to rise this week though so I think the early bulbs will all go over to be replaced by alliums, lilac and the first peonies. There is always something to look forward to when you are a gardener!
How nice to hear that Julie….our garden is still going to be very slow here…alliums in a week or 2 may start to bloom, but peonies are a long way off and won’t bloom until mid-June. Still loads of daffs blooming away here due to cool weather that set in again. But soon there will be a warm up and then the garden will be non-stop blooms!
A lovely sunny vase Donna! April was very warm early on, then turned so cold that many flowers lasted much longer than usual here too. I was pleased as I was away for over a week, but didn’t miss too much! I think the cold nights are finally over here now. Hope so for you too. Have a lovely week!
Glad to hear it….here the freezing nights should be at an end. At least there are none in the long range forecast…fingers crossed.
Spring flew right by us, with temps in the 80’s, so it’s mighty fine to enjoy it here. Your photos are yummy.
Thanks Ricki….I am happy a cool spring is lingering here.
Beautiful spring flowers, Donna. I just love the summer snowflakes–there’s something so darling about those. Lucky you–it must be quite gorgeous in your garden at the moment.
Aren’t those snowflakes amazing Tina….it is lovely and green here. I will be joining in tomorrow for Wildlife Wednesday!
Lovely flowers. We recently visited Keukenhof Gardens in Holland. The hyacinth, daffodils, crocus and the early tulips were in bloom. The aroma while walking the paths was heavenly.
I can only imagine how wonderful it looked and smelled there in those gardens Janice.
What a burst of wonderful color in your garden! I can’t wait to see more 🙂
Oh how nice of you to say so! Thank you!
Wow…I have mud and some greenery…You have amazing…
Early bulbs help add color while waiting for the native wildflowers to follow…a lovely show..thanks Michelle!
Donna, twice my daffodils were covered with snow, and twice they bounced back! I love hyacinths but they don’t do well here–maybe all our last spring snow is too damaging to them or maybe the squirrels and rabbits love to nibble them? I noticed the rabbits eating the tree blossoms that fell off the trees with ur recent snow. After living here three years i think I’ll put in more daffodils–they are the most enduring and the animals leave them alone. You have so many pretty varities! They look so nice as cut flowers in your vase.
My daffs were protected too with the snow, but once melted and the nights went below freezing, it did many in. I agree though daffs are great in so many ways which is why I have so many.
Up and downs for April here too. The only benefit I can think of with late cold snaps is that some of the bulbs flower for longer. Your garden is really colourful right now Donna. What better way to lift the spirits. Your vase as always is just lovely.
Absolutely the flowers are lasting longer.
Spring is beautiful at your home, Donna! So colorful. I adore the Summer snowflake. Have a happy and healthy garden season! 🙂
Thanks…wishing you a wonderful garden season too Beth!
Your spring flowers are lovely, Donna, I also feel happy when the daffodils and Muscari are blooming, especially the scented daffodils. I used to have all my plants catalogued and mapped out but it all seems to blur over time as some plants disappear, eaten by voles, no doubt, and others get planted. I love the light lavender tones to your hyacinths, I know they smell so wonderful.
I agree the flowers make me happy too, Hannah!
These lovely survivors of the cold snap are cheerful reminders that warm weather will be here again. I am so looking forward to that. Your Ipheion uniflorum were growing abundantly in my in-law’s garden the last time we were there, such a pretty little flower and a pretty combination of flowers in your vase. Thank you for always sharing with Today’s Flowers Donna, so very appreciative of all you do to support the meme.
I agree…warmer weather is coming….how wonderful to see Ipheion uniflorum growing abundantly….lovely to share my flowers with you Denise!
I love your spring bulbs 🙂 (I do miss my daffodils from cold-winter gardening!) The little tulip looks delightful, and oddly, I always found critturs ate the big border tulips but tended to leave the species alone… to a degree. I’m curious whether anyone else has had this experience? Your vase is quite pretty with the delicate snowflakes mixed in with the daffs!
April was good here: full late spring for us, and now the heat is just beginning to build.
Deer did leave some of my species tulips alone but voles did not! 🙁 Still cool here so my daffs are still going strong…
Soooo happy to see spring flowers again! Our garden has some lovely ones too. We worked hours and hours in the garden yesterday. The weather was so nice. Beautiful flower photos you shared with us, Donna! I love that beautiful arrangement in the vase with happy spring flowers.
Isn’t it amazing when you can work the land and feel such a sense of accomplishment! Glad you enjoyed the spring beauties still putting on a prolonged show here.
My summer snowflakes are making leaves, and since the pots are more visible – perhaps I will rememeber to water, and get flowers.
I would love to see yours bloom!
Hi Donna, I really enjoyed all the color coordinated collages. I do love the colors of spring! Snow in April sounds dreadful, though we once had an April ice storm that broke tree limbs and sent flowers shivering to their graves. This year April was wonderful; I wish I could bottle it up and release it into the garden in July! I look forward to seeing your completed pond project!
Thanks Deb….May continues to be a bit up and down with 50s and 60s but evening temps are staying above freezing…so while the garden is slow, we can see some growth. Monday will show some of the finished project. It was actually easier than I thought!
What a gorgeous array of bloom.I love fritillaria and haven’t seen this colour before. Thanks for sharing the beauty….
Happy weekend!
You are most welcome…glad you enjoyed the flowers!
Gorgeous pictures, especially the Hyacinths. I didn’t plant any Hyacinths last fall, an unfortunate oversight. Glad to hear you are seeing lots of bees, I have seen very few this spring.
Oh wow that is too bad Jason…i think they flock here as neighbors spray their yards to kill everything so this is their refuge.
It is so wonderful to see so much color in spring after a winter of white, white, white! My shrubs sustained some damage from the late freeze as well, though I was glad the snow insulated most of my bulbs from too much damage. I love your little species tulip! And the Ipheion is gorgeous! It’s on my list of bulbs to get at some point. I was thinking my Summer Snowflakes were a little early, too, but wasn’t sure since it was the first year I’ve had them up here in my northern garden. Lovely bouquet!
Thanks Indie and glad to hear your garden sustained little damage….we are still getting nights in the low 40s and it looks like 30s too at least for one night. Hope the nights warm a bit more for the veg garden.
I live in the drought-stricken area of No. Nevada and we are just seeing sun after 4-5 days of gentle rain. I am so anxious to get out in the garden. Everything is so green. My husband has vegetables started from seed in Palm Desert where we winter. He’s itching to rototill and plant! We are grateful for rain. Lovely website.
Thanks so much for visiting both of my websites Victoria. Have fun in the garden….a bit cool here still but the garden still grows and the summer birds are arriving daily.