Welcome to Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for April 2011.
Here in my central Indiana, USDA Hardiness Zone 5b, garden, April is like a reunion of flowers.
Since the last Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day in March, the blooms have been steadily arriving at this happy reunion from their journey through the seasons. I rejoice that they made it through that treacherous trip that winter always is. I marvel at each one’s story of survival through last year’s drought.
They arrive daily, first one and then another. Some blooms stay for days and days and I grow used to seeing them. Others come and go all too quickly.
All are greeted by these little violas, which were planted last spring, made it through the summer, overwintered, and now are blooming as brightly as anything else in the garden.
I noticed that all the blooms of April are arriving a little later than they did in 2010. Did the drought hold them up? They seem to be on about the same schedule as 2009 and are definitely ahead of 2008.
To a one, none of them want to recall 2007 at all, due to how cold it got that April!
There are daffodils,
And tulips.
The blues are represented by star flowers, vinca, and these grape hyacinths.
The trees make their presence known with the brightly pinkish-purple blooms of the redbuds (Cercis canadensis) and the white flowers of the serviceberries (Amelanchier spp.). Soon the crabapple blooms will arrive.
Malus ‘Guinevere’ has dark pink buds which fade to white when they open.
The weeds show up, too.
They try to blend in so it is less obvious that they really are crashing the spring reunion party.
While the Forsythia have come and gone, the first Viburnum to bloom, Viburnum carlesii, arrived just in time for bloom day.
But the first lilac, Syringa vulgaris ‘President Lincoln’ is still on its way.
This will be its first visit to this garden so I’m anxious to see it when it finally arrives.
And that’s how the April reunion of flowers is going here at May Dreams Gardens.
What’s blooming in your garden?
We would love to have you join in for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day and show us. It’s easy to participate and all are invited!
Just post on your blog about what is blooming in your garden on the 15th of the month and leave a comment to tell us what you have waiting for us to see so we can pay you a virtual visit. Then put your name and the url to your post on the Mr. Linky widget below to make it easy to find you.
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
Love those different colored daffodils! Our spring is late too. We're all going a little bit crazy here in coastal CT.
I am SOOOO happy to be able to participate this month with actual OUTDOOR blooms, Carol. I forgot to include the coltsfoot, and I don't have any daffs or tulips yet, but otherwise things are looking up in my garden, though about a month behind yours. No snow for a week or so, which is rather nice! Hopefully we've seen the last of it.
Wow, #5! Lots of critters, just a few blooms.
Our spring couldn't decide. We'd get a week of really warm weather, then a frost and a week of dreary weather. Spring has settled down well by this point, though.
Thank you for hosting!
Your plants might be late, but they are ahead of us in PA. I wanted to tell you that GBBD has helped me to really focus on taking general photos of my garden for at least one week each month. It has given me "permission" to take time off from running my nursery, blogging, my family, etc. to just look at my garden through the lens. I have also used it as a way to remind my customer/blog subscribers to review their own gardens monthly to see what they need. Thanks for making this possible. Carolyn
Lots of pretty blooms and loads of bright spring color. Your daffs are quite daffy, so pretty.
Your flowers look so lovely. Even a dandelion might make me happy at this point. we are barely seeing daffodils blooming right now. Oh well, next month I will have a bit to show….I hope.
Thanks for hosting these monthly Bloom Days. You have blooms of all colors. I'm only sharing the orange ones today.
It's wonderful to see the blooms begin! I've enjoyed being a spectator to GBBD and have finally timed it right to participate. Thanks for hosting!
Don't you just love April?! It's so nice to finally have some actual blooms for a change. I've never planted violas as a perennial before–how nice to have them come back. I love your viburnum–such lovely blooms. Even the dandelion adds a cheery note!
Don't you just love violas?! It always surprises me just how tough they are!
Yay spring! Lots of great blooms there Carol.
The garden here has been slower than the last couple of years too. I hadn't considered last year's drought, and thought it was probably due to how chilly March and April have been, especially when compared to the last two early springs when here in the Chicago area we had several days in the 60's and 70's, and very few nights below freezing.
Maybe it's a combination of factors. Here it seemed like all it took was a few warm-ish days to really jump start everything, although we're still somewhat behind for mid-April.
Happy Bloom Day, and thank you for hosting!
It´s funny, your garden is soooo far away but it seems, our lilacs are both just before blooming!
Have a nice day and thanks for hosting GBBD!
Gesine
Hello Carol, your daffodils are so sweet ! I'm very happy to participate to GBBD again.
Thanks for hosting each month!
Your daffodils are really nice, especially the two-toned variety.
I wish I could grow them down here in Houston. Happy Spring.
David/ 🙂 Houston Texas
My daffodils are quickly fading, but yours are so pretty now 🙂 Such a cheerful sight in the spring! Mine ave been replaced by blooming poppies, which take center stage on this month's GBBD! Thanks for hosting these posts!
I'm so glad spring flowers are finally here… I love how you included photos of your weeds! Thanks for hosting this event 🙂
Your description of the flowers showing up for a reunion is wonderful! I've got plenty of weeds trying to crash the party too but they aren't showcased this month. There was an interesting visitor today though…I hope you'll check it out! As always, I appreciate you hosting GBBD.
What pretty daffodils! Mine have come and gone but I did have returning tulips that have stayed awhile.
Thanks for hosting Bloom Day and Happy Blossom Day to you!
Lovely lovely blooms in your garden! I especially like the daffodils, sweet little violas and the grape hyacinths! Happy Blooms Day!
Wonderful to see all the Blooms around the World. Its Autumn in South Africa so we don't have much to show but so have a few unique blooms to share.
What a great initiative, Carol. Your bright violas look full of energy!
Spring is so beautiful. Happy GBBD!
Your garden's catching up fast with those on this side of the pond Carol!
I see we're both having adventures with dandelions 😉
My thoughts this Blooms Day are with culinary flowers – the apple, pears and cherries are in full bloom and the first strawberries are here. There's another prominent bloom too…
Lovely colour this time of year around the world, Bloom Day is such a great idea! All the best from Northern Ireland.
Hello Carol, I missed the Violas out of my post this month, but they are true stalwarts. I've never grown Lilacs, but perhaps if I wind up with more space in the future. Look forward to seeing how yours fits in! Thanks for hosting GBBD again, a wonderful meme. I'm off to have a look around…
Spring is finally here! The temperatures are finally starting to rise in the northeast and the blooms are beginning! Thank you Carol for hosting this wonderful event! Happy GBBD!
Great to read about your garden Carol. Your Daffodils are so pretty!
I live in Delhi, India and this is the first time I am participating. I think its a wonderful idea and it feels great to connect with other garden bloggers. Thank you Carol for GBBD!
Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day Carol and everyone!
Here in southern Australia we are enjoying the glorious colours of autumn so I have very little to show this month, only one bloom photo and a couple of other garden update photos.
Ahhhh, almost May the month of your Dreams. I have that daffodil but it is being a bit stubborn this year. It is holding tight in bud. Soon. Your garden is a bit ahead of mine even with the dandys so thank you for the preview.
I love your muscari – they look gorgeous in a little posy with vinca. I am always taken aback and delighted by the crazy rate of growth in April!
Thank you for hosting. In Virginia we are experiencing a cold rainy spring. Hell on eager gardeners, heaven for the flowers.
Happy first bloomday of the year to you. It is so interesting that all the flowers you have flowering have already finished for me. Viburnum carlessi is so fleeting – I planted especially for my husband who loves perfumed plants, he was away 10 days and missed it all! If you check out my last post (not GBBD) you'll see that the dandilions you are worried about showing are sold as seed in packets here! No, I know, I couldn't believe it either!
I agree with Jodi. So nice to be able to report on things actually blooming in the garden, outside, right now! Thanks for hosting!
I am in southeast Wisconsin and we have daffodils up but the tulips need a little more time to bloom. And thank goodness, the dandelions aren't here…yet…
Today I'm showing off some great-looking bromeliads, and an assortment of other beautiful flowers.
I love that pink and white daffodil! So pretty!
You have lots of beautiful blooms this month Carol. Those sweet little violas are marvelous. I have to treat them as annuals here. They have never returned for me. I will hope for the best this year after seeing that yours returned. Happy GBBD.
Loveliness everywhere. Your flowers are so pretty and, of course, things that don't grow in my part of the world so it's been a treat to pop by and visit.
Living in Florida, we can not grow daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths (at least they won't last), but I always enjoying seeing them in other blogs. Yours are beautiful! I especially love the blue hyacinths. I just joined in this month. Thanks for hosting this great meme.
Can't wait to check out all the gardens…
I'm impressed at yoru memory and record keeping on the start of spring each year. I can barely remember last week!
I have envy for your lilac. I adore the scent. How beautiful your photographs, too! Your shot of the redbud is wonderful. Thanks for helping us all enjoy the blooms.
I don't have much to show, but I am celebrating the survival and bloom of the "Diane" witch hazel I planted last spring.
Lovely daffs, Mine are over now.I have a huge drift of bluebells. So many lovel thing to see here. Thank you.
Sue
Happy Bloomday Indy! H.
Yes , that certainly looks like spring in Indiana. Can't wait to see the lilacs in bloom. I will just have to imagine their fragrance. Happy bloom day, Carol.
I love that viburnum! Ours finished up this week but we could really enjoy it's fragrance throughout the yard. It's interesting that your blooms are later, everything here seems to be earlier!
Carol, your April blooms are beautiful! I love the tulips and daffodils…even the dandelions! Happy GBBD!!
This happy excerize you have created has encouraged me to go back and see what was blooming in previous years. Unlike your garden, my blooms don't seem to so much late, but more mixed up compared to other years. Perhaps every spring is unique in what starts and what ends when. What is not unique is how much gardener's look forward to April. Thank you again for hosting, I really appreciate this.
Beautiful spring show at your place! Everything here was early, daffodils and such are long gone here.
All early except myself, who wondered when I tried to list my blog why there were so many entries already and Mr. Linky was cranky. I was trying to sign up for last year! If you find my mind, please put it in a safe place until I get there. Thank you for being such a gracious hostess on Bloom Day.
Happy Bloom Day Carol and thank you for hosting the Big Spring Event! xxoogail
Even though we are both Zone 5, you are always ahead of us. So many beautiful plants already in bloom in your garden!
So many wonderful things in bloom! I can't wait for the lilacs to bloom – they are one of my favorites!
Its a bloomn wunderland, matey.
Wiw, what a difference from March 15 til now – spring is here!
You have a lot of great spring blooms! My spring has gone – I'm already into summer mode (It's a long one down here in Texas). Thanks for hosting. I look forward to checking other gardener's blooms.
It seems like your garden is blossoming well 🙂 I love love love the grape hyacinths! I just went to my mom's yesterday and dug up some of hers to plant in my garden! Her's have completely taken over her yard.
I linked my blog up for Bloom Day! 🙂 Woot Woot!
I have some small native woody species blooming, the spring-flowering camellias and a few indoor flowers here in Portland, Oregon.
I love that you included a dandelion in your post, Carol. They are just so irrepressible! Happy Bloom Day!
It is like a happy reunion, never thought about it that way. We've had a very cold and wet spring so far and I've got plants that are a month behind while other are right on time.
I love the pink daffodils and the Violas.
The harsh winter here seems to have encouraged blossom here, and pests haven't quite got their act together yet.
Thanks for hosting GBBD, Carol.
It's a delight to participate! Thank you for the opportunity. Have a wonderful Friday!
Here in my ersaltz zone 6 next to beautiful Lake Ontario, the forsythia is just beginning its blooms while the lilac shows a wee bit of green. Enjoy Carol!!!
My very first entry! Hope everyone enjoys! I love looking at all the cool blogs on Bloom Day, so thought I'd share my own.
Donald
The Big Apple is in bloom. See some at http://localecologist.blogspot.com/2011/04/even-pachysandra-is-blooming-gbbd.html.
Thanks for hosting today, Carol, and the reminder that weeds can be beautiful, too!
Beatiful spring blooms!!!!
Lovely as always! Hoorah for the little, smiling faces of the violas.
Up here in West Michigan The Lot’s spring blooms are also following more of a 2009 schedule than last spring’s dates.
It's finally spring in New England..early spring, but spring nonetheless.
Your blooms are beautiful! Mine are a bit sparse as it is very dry in my area, and haven't watered much. However, there is always something blooming somewhere!
Things are later this year here in Portland, OR as well. It's been so cold and wet I can't blame them. The Euphorbia flower no matter the weather, just with a little less enthusiasm. I love the look of your about to open lilacs, unfortunately I can't find a single bud on my plant.
I like the way you talked about the reunions with our plants. I frequently tell plants welcome to the party when I see they are up. Sometimes, I get downright excited as I talk to them.
Someone told me the link, #61, I put up led to last month's post, so I put in the correct one. I have daffodils, hellebores, tulips, and such.
Happy GBBD!
Thanks for hosting bloom day once again. Your garden is coming to life! My lilac is in bloom and yours will be soon!
Here in NC we have had an earlier spring then last year… funny how it varies from place to place.
Why did I only just discover this now and not sooner??? A fantastic collection of loveliness!!
Always fun to link in …lovely bulbs Carol
Carol, thanks so much for hosting Bloom Day. Gosh, you've done it so long, and it's different every year. It gives us all an opportunity to see what is going on in our gardens each month for three years or so depending on when we joined. Happy Bloom Day to you. I'm glad you're having a sweet flower reunion.~~Dee
Spring is in wonderful full swing in your garden. That pink rimmed daffodil is lovely. My records indicate that spring 2010 was running ahead of schedule.
My best bloomer today is a Red, Double-flowering Peach. See the blog at http://kansasgardenmusings.blogspot.com/2011/04/peachy-red.html
Thanks for doing this, Carol–just in the nick of time I have a bloom, but more are on the way!
Spring's definitely arrived there! Love the blush on those pale daffodils. Glad they survived the drought.
Your garden is lovely! Thanks for organizing Bloom Day.
Beautiful flowers, as always. I love the soft, delicate colors.
I also like that you posted a picture of that dandelion. I was quite offended to find THREE in my yard yesterday and yanked them out without thinking. Then later I thought that I should have taken a picture, because they did look quite pretty sitting amongst all that green. 😉
Bloom Day in Indiana looks beautiful! Thanks for hosting us once again, Carol. My post is up and waiting for visitors.
Glad to visit this month, March was a rainy sloppy mess here !
Thanks as always for hosting and for sharing all the things that we still have to look forward to. Our daffs are approaching peak… But lately my nose has noticed more in bloom than my eyes: the evergreens are going nuts this year!
I noticed too that 2010 was earlier (my daffs were blooming April 1, 2010).Anyway, looks like spring is here now!
Lovely spring colour. Our blooms are rather modest, but still it's great to feel spring in the air.
Love the intimacy you have with your plants. I had a little daff 'Thalia,' in bloom a couple weeks ago, but that was pretty much it for the classic spring bulbs, so it's a treat to read of spring unfolding elsewhere. Happy Bloom Day!
Happy to join in again on this April bloom day, Carol! Happy Spring to you;-)
Lovely blooms! I'm happy to be joining my first GBBD!
It looks like your garden is about at the same stage as my zone 6b Gettysburg garden, Carol. I love your violas as those pink-tinged daffodils. Isn't this a wonderful time of year? Thanks again for hosting. -Jean
Looks like a great day for blooms. Can't wait for time to look at them all. Thanks for hosting.
Carol – Thanks for letting me join GBBD. I like your grape hyacinths and I would like to share my bluebells.
I love the pretty little violas – always a sure sign of spring!
So fantastic to find another gardener! i am so excited!!! i started a garden party a few months back in hopes to find other gardeners who share a passion for gardening and landscape! so fun to find you. I'm your newest follower & will add you to my Link Party page….xoox, tracie
Thanks again for hosting. Had these done last weekend but didn't have time to get them uploade 'til tonight.
I'm excited to post on my very first Blooms Day! I hope you enjoy it- I decided to add a twist, and show both wild and cultivated species that are blooming.
Carol, I love the daffodils with the apricot coloring. I can't wait to see all the other posts today. Thanks everybody!
Well…I have something a little different blooming today…six fluff-balls! We added chicks to our little suburban microfarm today, and I'm just enamored. I'm going to follow-up a bit later with my real blooming post, because in sunny SC, the blooms are fabulous! Happy Bloom Day, all!
Those daffs are great! I didn't have the nerve to show all the dandelions blooming in my yard. Thanks for being a wonderful hostess.
My clematis and roses got hammered by thunderstorms today, but still blooming! Thanks 🙂
My first time participating. I have some blue grape hyacinths, or muscari, for your viewing pleasure today. It got me outside today even though it's pretty wet out there.
Wow, you have so much in bloom already! My forsythia is just beginning to bud. And this will be the first year for my service berry. All very exciting as you have reminded me! What a beautiful peach frilled daffodil. Of course, I too, have weeds – probably more than blooms!
Interesting. In my zone 5b garden that on occasion remembers it is in the south, we are about two weeks ahead of last year and what is normal. But then what do I know about normal in a zone 5b garden.
And it might be said I have two Bloom Day posts. I did one earlier just in case.
I love 'a reunion of flowers.'
What a busy day for me! Garden Bloggers Bloom Day – the twilight edition! Thank you as always Carol, and Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day 🙂
Hi Carol, thanks for hosting once again. I also conclude that the flowers are a little behind last years. I am surprised to see that your Carlesi is actually blooming a few days before ours in Maryland. Must be your local hot spot 🙂
Not the first time I've been late to the Bloom Day party! I look forward to browsing some of the other blogs with Bloom Day posts… and to warmer, drier weather that will let me start my kitchen garden!
Carol, this is my first time posting on your GBBD. I'm so thrilled to actually have something to post from this year's garden! Happy gardening to you!
Your garden is quite a little ahead of mine, Carol, and what a beautiful array of blooms you have!
Our blooms are later than last year as well. I'll have to look back and check to see how much, but I think it's at least a week or more.
We have Coltsfoot blooming but I haven't noticed any dandelion blooms yet. But they'll be out in force very soon 🙂
Happy Bloom Day!
Better late than never– my post is up. Looking forward to checking out all of your links; happy spring!
Gadzooks bloom day has gotten huge. Thanks for hosting it, it is a great service to the garden blog community. I think spring came a little late this year in northern California too. You've got a great collection of photos for April and it looks like May will be huge. Cheers.
As Spring is going its time to move to the garden and patio area and feel the warmth of sun as well as greenery all around.
mine's not really a "proper" bloom day post because I forgot and it's gloomy today 🙁 but it sorta works.
A day late, but who can resist more blooms? Thank you again for hosting!
The more common Blossoms that were left off Secrets of a Seedscatterer on the 15th clamored to be featured on Dotty Plants today and tacked on at the end of the Bloom Day list.
I like your little yellow tulip – one of the T. batalini varieties?
It's raining here this morning, so I finally had a chance to do my GBBD post.
I haven't participated in a few months and this has gotten huge!! Wow! I am so happy to see color finally popping in my gardens. It's been a very long a hard winter here in Minnesota Zone 4. Here's what's blooming in my April gardens…
http://www.getbusygardening.com/2011/04/april-whats-blooming.html
Amy
Haven't posted/participated in months due to our early winter and health – so glad to be back in the game despite not having much in bloom yet! A day late but better late than never!
Goodness I'm the 162th to post a GBBD post this month – thats some going!!
even though you are 3 zones colder, it looks like your spring is as advanced already as ours is
In new York right now it is freezing, but at least I had a little carpet of violets on my terrace floor…
The pink & white daffodil & stalwart violas are wonderful, Carol – but the thought of the fragrance of the Abraham Lincoln lilac is killing me!
The plant reunions here have been very odd – plants that usually bloom together are out of sync… drought? Heat? Something is weird.
My bloom day post is a little late but it's now up.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
In Central Texas, my dreams are of April. Thanks, Carol, for hosting this wonderful garden meme.
Thanks for hosting, Carol. I love seeing so many different blooms than I'm used to here in Austin. My post is a day late, but it's up now. I love the sweet violas. I was so happy when I found a volunteer viola mixed in with my garlic plants!
I always enjoy visiting other gardens via GBBD. Thanks for the opportunity! Our 'Judd' viburnum is scenting the entire NE corner of the garden right now. Heavenly! I wish more gardens contained that plant! ~~Rhonda
I'm so sorry I'm late with my submission. Just got home from a holiday in Bandung, Indonesia.
I had posted for GBBD earlier before the linky for GBBD was out.
Love your spring flowers,Carol.
Rosie@mygardenhaven
Such pretty flowers! I have added your site to the blog-roll on my blog; hope that's OK?
Managed to comment on the wrong post…
My daffs are done for the year, so it's great to see that someone still has some early Spring left!
This is my first garden blog hop! I love the idea of looking at garden progress monthly.
YOur season is farther ahead then here. My grape hyacinths and daffodils have not begun yet. What a great assortment you have.
Sorry I got here so late this month! My blog post is here.
Lovely to see everyone else's spring flowers are popping through too!
First time participating in Bloom Day. Thanks for having me! I've added your site to my blog roll.
Love the idea of a garden reunion! April has been unpredictable in my Iowa garden. But there are blooms here to cheer up the rainy days. Hopefully all the rain will lead to lush gardens!
Happy spring!
I figure I am about 2 weeks behind you. My daffs are just starting to bloom now and will be fully out in a few days.
I love that analogy – a reunion of flowers. This year I've got many new flowers, so some of them are just getting to know each other. 🙂
Lovely to see your site and take part in that long list of keen plantspeople! Hope you'll enjoy some of my May photos from Italy. I had rain here today – like you!
Clark
http://www.galeazzagarden.tumblr.com