Blooming in April

Allium schubertii

Calycanthus raulstonii 'Hartlage Wine'

Kewl beans!

A northern cardinal has built a nest right outside the back door. She chides me every time I leave the house.

My baptisia are starting to bloom. This is 'Carolina Moonlight.'

Bordersandjacks, my baptisia are up, but not completely and certainly not blooming. I guess that's the difference in NC & SC! Mine look like they have spread some since last year and can't wait until they bloom, too!
Entlie

Pretty pics!!! This month is sure to be full of awesome sights in our yards...I can hardly contain myself..seriously...I am so jazzed...

Here are Lily's I started for the wedding - however, most are not going to make it until July - but I'm ok with that...I have plenty of other stuff in the yard and the white Casa Blanca's will hopefully behave until then...

I think these being just store bought and potted up in March had a lot to do with them blooming so early...

How did everyone make out with the storms last night? The house got bombarded with about 5000 pine cones and large (24"), heavy ceramic pots were tossed about but no real damage that I can see. Branches are still flying here so I am not about to got out and take a closer look.

everything ok here...large pine tree down across the road on the way to kids school - someone hit it in the dark...they were cutting it up as we were going by...their car looks like toast...glad they were ok!!

Storm actually woke me up at exactly 4:56, one big loud rumble followed by a couple of lightning strikes that were also very loud. I sleep like the dead so it takes a lot to wake me up.

Tulips everywhere at Tryon Palace. A nice photo session out with the Captain.
Entlie

I love seeing the tulip beds, they are among the real show stoppers in my eyes.

Antique rose Alister Stella Gray

Another oldie, Slater's Crimson China. This one is in shade now and still performing for us.

Oops, that is the wrong picture, that is a sneaky trumpet vine.

Here is the Slater's

So, last year several of us went on a garden tour put on by Charleston Hort. One of the gardens had lots of roses, and I liked a lot of the noisettes, which originate in Charleston. I thought, "I need to plant a noisette." I picked up the handy brochure and realized I already had one. D'oh! This is 'Lamarque.'

LOL, you and I need our plant inventories on our phones.

This is Allister's Stella Gray, another antique. I love this one, it has a fabulous scent.

The rain earlier in the week flattened my tulips, so I picked them and took them to work with some of the roses that are blooming.

Oh wow, how beautiful! Are they David Austin roses?

Oh April... how do we love thee... this is Purple Smoke Baptisia starting to open up

Azalea, Wood Hyacinths and Spanish Bluebells

Korean Spice Viburnum

Phlox, how can it be Spring without Phlox?!

Lorpelatum

and Dianthus, smells so sweet

Origami Columbine

Rhododendron

This message was edited Apr 15, 2011 5:40 PM

Azaleas, all colors.

David Austin's "Generous Gardener". Just a blush of pink.

Pretty BSD.

Alice- yes, those are David Austin roses. The variety is 'Abraham Darby', my favorite. Those poor roses; they don't get much sun, I never remember to water them or fertilize, and yet they're blooming like crazy. Pretty week steams due to lack of sun, but I'm too lazy to move them.

Jenny

had several nursery's say you can't grow Rhoddy's here in Sumter...well I beg to differ...it's all about site location and meeting soil requirements....

and Miracle Gro for Rhoddies & azaleas doesn't hurt. However, one of our 3 has never done anything.

I use Holly-tone instead of Miracle Grow as Rhoddy's are acid loving plants...Azelea's, Blueberry bushes etc all get a spring dose of it :)

Got these last year, 5 mystery plants, all jammed into in one pot. I separated them into 5 pots but they did not bloom until this week, right after I moved them. Put them in the ground, in full sun, in front of a hydrangea. Turns out they are Black Irises.

Only paid $8 for the pot. Now I'm seeing them for 7.50 EACH.

See me smiling... I'll make more photos when they are in better bloom.

This message was edited Apr 17, 2011 6:02 PM

:) LOL...it's not the most pleasant smelling thing to spread around but better than fish emulsion...always hated having to spread that on the roses at my previous job!

I'm enjoying my Rhododendrons, too, although a pale pink variety I bought last fall turned out to be mislabeled and is purple instead. Still very pretty! My peonies also look great since I moved them to sunnier locations - I especially love the Sarah Bernhardt. I also have fruit on one of my loquats, even though I was out during the ice storm whacking them like crazy with my broom. I cut off 4 large lower branches last month, so I don't have as much fruit as last year. These trees produce fruit much further north than most websites indicate.

Can you name this poppy? Lettuce leaf ?

That poppy is gorgeous, for sure! I have a yellow celandine poppy with foliage nearly identical to the one pictured. It's not nearly as lovely as that little beauty though.

The first black iris finished blooming...

bsd, love the ruffles on that poppy...