Welcome to Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for April 2013.
Here in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6a garden, spring is slowly arriving. How slow? I went back through all my bloom day posts for April, back to 2007. Based on my records, this spring is one of the slowest so far, perhaps as slow as 2008, if not slower. We are definitely way behind last year’s spring. Way behind.
But there are still many blooms to enjoy including these tulips and star flowers (Ipheion uniflorum) growing by the front step. I’m sorry to say that I don’t have a name for these tulips. I do know that from a distance they almost look like daffodils.
Since it is still early in spring, we keep our eyes to the ground to see grape hyacinths (Muscari sp.) blooming. I have some pink ones.
And the more traditional purple grape hyacinths.
These are really not in a good location. I should dig them and move them elsewhere. I might plant them in the lawn.
Out in the lawn, the crocuses are long gone but here are there are a few violas that I’m hoping will naturalize. Up by the house, several clumps of violas made it through the winter and look great now.
I was excited to find that where the redbud tree provided shade until it fell over last summer, some of the woodland wildflowers I rescued a few springs ago returned.
I love these spring beauties, Claytonia virginica. I’ve always watched for them, even when they didn’t grow in my garden, because they really do signal that it is officially Spring.
Oh, did I show you the ‘Lady Jane’ tulips?
Just one group is starting to bloom but there will be many more over the next week, which promises to be warm and spring like.
Across the way, Leucojum is in bloom.
If you squint at that picture you can make out some tiny Forsythia blooming in the distance. The forsythia and the Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata) in the front give us a chance to see some flowers at eye level.
Around the neighborhood, the Bradford pears (Pyrus calleryana) are in bloom. I have none in my yard, preferring to wait a week or so longer for the blooms of the Serviceberry (Amelanchier sp).
I’m also excitedly waiting to see the first blooms of the dogwood (Cornus florida ‘Cherokee Princess’) that I planted last fall.
What’s blooming in your garden in the middle of April? Is it a slow spring for you, too? Or is it right on time? Tell us by joining in for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, one of the longest running memes for garden bloggers, going back to February 2007.
It’s easy to join in. Just post on your own blog about what’s blooming in your garden right now, outdoors or indoors. You can include pictures, lists, common names, botanical names, whatever you’d like to do to showcase your blooms.
Then leave a comment and put your name and a link back to your bloom day post in the Mr. Linky widget below, so we know where to find your blog and can visit you virtually and read about your bloom day blooms.
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
Happy Garden Blogger' Bloom Day, and thanks for hosting the meme again! Seems we finally can see spring arriving, about time 🙂
Lovely to see all your bulbs flowering. Here spring is just about exactly on schedule, though a plant or two is lagging, and another plant or two is slightly ahead. Thanks for hosting another beautiful Bloom Day!
Spring has finally arrived, the temperatures are rising and the blooms are here. Your spring bulbs are a welcomed site Carol. Thank you for hosting and a Happy Garden Blogger's Bloom Day to all!
Pink Muscari! How wonderful!
Thanks for hosting GBBD!
Lea
Lea's Menagerie
Hi Carol,
I love how spring just 'erupts' in your zone. Those tulips are gorgeous. Short stems, long, lovely petals. Cheers, Jenni
Thanks for hosting. Love the pink muscari! I just have the common purple ones.
We've had a bit longer spring than normal in Central Texas, but temps will ramp up rather quickly now, I imagine. So many pretties you have! Thanks for hosting GBDD.
Very slow spring here too Carol. You are definitely ahead of us. I'm not complaining about the chilly, slow spring though. I'll take this over last spring's hot, dry weather and hope last year's drought is not repeated. So far we've gotten much more rain this spring than last – yay! Happy Bloom Day.
Thanks for another great GBBD. It's really slow here too this year. I've still got lots in flower in the garden and this month I've started to add my wide angle views of the garden again.
http://www.leavesnbloom.com
Thanks for hosting such a great event! This is my first time to post GBBD. Your Muscaris are lovely! Spring has finally come all over the world!
Love the star magnolia! My Bloom Day post has a magnolia too. Thank you for hosting.
Hi Carol – spring is very slow on this side of the pond too after our coldest March in over 50 years. I too have the Lady Jane tulips, but the muscari and star magnolia have yet to appear. It looks like your garden has caught up and overtaken mine this month 🙂
Spring has arrived at last in the south-west of the UK, Mother Nature does a great job at making up for lost time.
Lovely images of what's to come in my garden soon Carol. Spring has been very slow here.
Our spring has also been slow to arrive, but now the barn door is wide open. I actually prefer a slow one to the years where we go from winter to summer and skip spring altogether. At least in a slow spring there is time to savor, and not everything blooms all at once. Thank you again for pulling this together and happy Bloom Day to you.
Thank you for hosting, Carol! I think it is very interesting to see spring in a world context! It is so late this year in Norway as well. Wishing you a wonderful day!
Happy Spring (finally), you are so much ahead of us here in upstate New York (zone 5) but spring is trying – it is really trying. Wishing you a happy gardening day!
What's true for you is true in Nova Scotia, Canada. Spring is S L O W. I see that the flowers I blogged about today were at the same stage last year on March 26. Well, March was a heat wave last year, compared with this season! Seeing blogs like yours, where growth is several weeks ahead of us here, is always inspiring. Thanks.
Happy Springtime to you, and beautiful flowers I wish I could grow in my hot climate.
Being a newbie to gardening, I would just mention that my daffodils are still trying to bloom and the tulips are coming up so I agree, things are moving slow from what I can tell.
We have many of the same things blooming today. Love seeing all. I find that my garden is much slower than last year. I haven't looked so far back as you did. We are just happy for what we have blooming. Happy GBBD.
Spring has sprung in Arkansas! Thanks for hosting this event.
Brenda
You have quite a lot blooming and I love those little violas! Our Spring is definitely behind yours and late in general. And it feels worse after last year's incredibly early Spring.
Spring has been coming into Southern Ontario very slowly. You have more in bloom than we do but I still enjoy any signs of Spring and they are starting to happen. Thanks for hosting this great meme!! I really enjoy seeing what's blooming around the world.
Astrid
Daffodils and Bradford Pear in my garden!
Hey Carol, thanks again for the floral party! Spring here started a little late but things seem to have caught up prett quickly! Suddenly, everything seems greener.
Despite your cold spring you have lots of pretty blooms. I think I would prefer a lingers cool spring. A few days in the 90s and those delicate spring flowers croak. I have happy memories now of recent Lady Jane blooms.. Enjoy yours. Happy bloom day Carol.
Hey, can you please remove my link Aud – Norway # 31? Did not catch that post should be from the garden.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Thaanks for hosting, Carol, and for sharing your beauties – I love 'Lady Jane' too
Happy Bloomday one and all from the Left Coast !
Those Lady Jane tulips are just devine. My first magnolia stellata bud is just peeking open 🙂
It's all good! Thanks for hosting!
It's a slow spring in Zone 6b Connecticut, as well. As you said, much slower than last year. Warm temperatures have not been able to hang on here for more than a day or two so far. But I much more enjoy a slow spring emergence than having everything bloom all at once.
Spring arrived somewhat early in Southern California but then, that's normal. I'm glad to see that she's finally made it to your area. Thanks for hosting this event, Carol!
Spring has sprung in the Mid-Atlantic! What a difference in the air and people's attitudes. Loving being out in the garden and seeing all of your shared blooms.
Spring is definitely late this year, but appreciated all the more for it. This is my fist Bloom Day, since I just began garden blogging 2 weeks ago.
It's spring here in south Texas! That's for sure. Saturday I went to the Botanical Gardens for their Boom Day and had posted a few pics of that before finding this post. This is my first time to join you on Bloggers Bloom Day and I sure am excited about visiting everyone.
The difference between this year and last is truly amazing. But, the cooler weather has given me more time to work out in my garden. Love your Lady Jane tulips! Thanks for hosting!
Nice to see spring finally springing! Definitely slower than in recent years, but I have to say the timing was impeccable for GBBD.
Your garden is looking lovely – that claytonia is fabulous! I have not seen that before – will have to see if it will grow here. Also love that first combo with the daffodil-tulips ipheion and heuchera.
Hi Carol, what a beautiful collection of spring flowers you have, despite the late show. I can't wait until my own magnolia looks as smothered with blooms as yours. I really like tulip 'Lady Jane', I will have to look out for that one. Thanks for hosting GBBD again, I always look forward to it.
I don't believe I've ever seen pink hyacinths!
Thanks for another Bloomday Carol, and I'm sorry to hear you won't be at the Fling this year.
It's so much fun to see what everyone has planted and all the beautiful photos!
Thanks for hosting the bloom day again! yours are stunning!!!!
http://parallel49palms.blogspot.ca/2013/04/bloom-day.html
Your spring looks like mine which is weird. I have a few more leaves on the trees, but this is not a normal spring in any way. I need our temperatures to stay well above freezing so I can set some stuff out. Happy Bloom Day anyway dear.~~Dee
Thanks Carol – for another wonderful Bloom Day… The garden in the Triangle of North Carolina have come alive… enjoy! !!!
Jayme B
It's pine pollen season in North Carolina, but my garden is looking promising under the haze of green dust. Thanks for hosting once again.
Now that April's here, let the gardenening begin! Thank you for yet another Bloom Day fest.
Wow, it's amazing how cold it has been this year. Good to see blooms are finding their way to your garden now.
Hello from Pasadena, California and thank you for hosting.
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Carol, I had to smile as I read your posting which read almost the same as mine at the beginning. I was also struck by how far we are behind last year's flowers even though we've already been over 90 degrees. Amazing eh? Well we'll take each day as it comes and enjoy these flowers, one by one…
I didn't go through all my past April Bloom Day posts, but I did discover that I had almost the same blooms pictured this time as last year–except that last year they were all blooming for the March Bloom Day! Love all those little grape hyacinths.
I love Claytonia! Happy spring and happy bloom day!
I came back to say I really do know how to spell Gardening. I added my Dotty Plants greenhouse Journal, too.
Thanks again for hosting such a fun Meme.
We are having a rather cold spring here too. This time last year our native Saskatoon bushes were blooming, they always bloom with the balsam, but not this year. A few species tulips are out and primula are just starting. Thanks for sharing bloom day!
Spring is well and truly sprung in your garden, while it's just getting under way in mine. I don't know if this is the latest spring, but it's definitely in the running.
Spring is definitely late here in southern Wisconsin, although next week is looking much better. The benefit of a cooler spring: The blooms are lasting much longer. Thanks, again, for hosting, Carol!
Thanks for hosting again, Carol. Great to see your blooms!
Carol, true spring colors there. Can't wait! Here in South Dakota we are getting some welcome precipitation but spring is delayed. So one more month of indoor blooms here! Thanks for hosting Gardeners Bloom Day. I enjoy looking at flowers all over the world! Great idea Carol!
Carol, it looks like our spring and yours are about neck and neck!
You are waaay ahead of us, Carol. Spring is so slow this year. We may not have many blooms, but a Spring Snow brought plenty of magic to our gardens!
Look at all those bulbs! And a star magnolia, too. Beautiful! Is that a painted trillium with the claytonia? I just bought a Trillium erectum (deep red) today. Can't wait to see it bloom!
It's a gorgeous April Bloom Day in the Pacific Northwest and in my garden. Possibly my favorite plant blooming right now is Cornus 'Eddies White Wonder'. Its small greenish flowers just get bigger and whiter by the day! Thank you for hosting, Carol!
It looks like spring has come a bit later everywhere this year. It makes those early blooms seem extra special. Such pretty things in your garden, Carol.
Spring is late here too but I'm enjoying it more than last year when it came and went in a flash. Happy GBBD Carol-thanks for hosting!
Happy April Bloom Day to all. I hope you'll drop by my garden this month.
Thank you for the opportunity. I was searching for this only but could not find until I visited Donna's page :-). Absolutely lovely flowers you have.
You look a little more advanced than me. We've had a long winter although it hasn't been severely cold. No matter. Spring is here and with it the warmer days.
It's decided: I must have one of those star magnolias! Most of my current blooms would be down at ankle level, too, but terracing helps me see the flowers without stooping.
You have pink muscari! Super
It's SO VERY GOOD to be back for a Bloom Day! It has been too long! I was spoiled last year by an early spring. I suppose things aren't unusually late, since our frost date is at the end of May, but it seems so very slow to me. There have been no days when I could cut back grasses or prune clematis until now. We have had nothing but snow, rain and bitter winds. But now, I am eagerly anticipating the game of catch-up with all the folks here! Thank-you Carol!
Happy Bloom Day everyone! Thanks again for hosting, Carol – this year flowers have been keeping us waiting with the prolonged cold spell. Great to see colour again isn't it? Loving your clump of Snowflakes – mine has a long way to go 🙂
Pretty, pretty, pretty! Love the natives you rescued! The violas I plant in pots every winter find their way all over my garden and in the grass. I love seeing them pop up in unexpected places. Happy GBBD!
This was my first Bloom Day posting – thank you so much for hosting!
Happy bloom day! We are still waiting for tulips here. Maybe by the end of this week, once we're done with this cold snap. Lovely photos.
It is a curious delight to think of your garden all that far north of me, and we both grow star magnolia and summer snowflake. My blooms have come and gone; it is lovely to see yours, and all your beautiful garden!
We are having a beautiful spring here in the Central Valley of California. So many flowers and plants in bloom! Thank you, Carol, for hosting Bloom Day. I enjoy seeing the gardens from all over the world!
Thanks Carol!
Happy Bloom Day, Carol! Those tulips and star flowers are darling together. Love the magnolia as well. We are still a ways behind you in the tip-top section of 6a in MI. Very wet though.
Spring is kinda slow in my neck of the woods. Or else I'm just anxious for it. It looks like you have green grass already though! Love all your bulbs Carol. Hope you don't mind but I did a post 2 days ago so I put it on here. If I'd remembered Monday was Bloom Day, I would have waited! I so rarely blog anymore …
Here in Australia it's Autumn but it's still good to be joining in to Bloom Day and to see your beautiful flowers.
Cannot believe! I managed to post TWO Bloom Days in a row. I might get the hang of this yet. And, HOORAY for some warm spring days.
Thanks for hosting as always Carol! I was inspired to see what was blooming in my garden, and found out some disturbing information about our winter…
http://gardeninguptoeleven.blogspot.com/2013/04/bloom-day-april-2013.html
Off to visit the other blogs!
We had a mild winter, so spring seems to have come quickly. But that being said, my daffodils didn't start blooming until those in town started dying out. I was getting antsy to see my bright, cheery, yellow flowers. Thanks so much for hosting!
You seem to be a week ahead of us up here in the northern end of the state. Beautiful tulips and Muscari! Great job on the violas!
A slow spring sounds good to me. Wonderful show of bulbs you're having. Happy April Bloom Day, Carol.
Carol, Spring was late to arrive in my Gettysburg garden, too, but it is very sweet now that it is here. We seem to be at a similar stage in the season. Enjoy! -Jean
Carol, Spring was late to arrive in my Gettysburg garden, too, but it is very sweet now that it is here. We seem to be at a similar stage in the season. Enjoy! -Jean
Last year, daffodil shows were cancelled because Spring was early and this year all seems hesitant. Mother Nature seems to have a mind of her own! We may try to impose what we think is normal on the Natural World, but it can't be hurried or delayed!
Last year, daffodil shows were cancelled because Spring was early and this year all seems hesitant. Mother Nature seems to have a mind of her own! We may try to impose what we think is normal on the Natural World, but it can't be hurried or delayed!
hello from a fellow hoosier. so glad that it is indeed finally spring around here! thank you for the opportunity to link up…
It is an agonizingly slow spring here. Love that dogwood. I can't wait to see it bloom either! I have Lady Jane tulips, too – love. Claytonia virginica is now on my wish list!
I love your violas, my purslane I think is the closest I get to that look. The Lady Jane tulips are so pretty and elegant. Thanks again for another Bloom's Day.
Looks like I'm not the last to be late – in keeping with our late spring. Cheers, Carol!
Well I missed it by a day sorry!
Happy Bloom Day! I actually got my act together this month and contributed!
The lighting on the shot of the grape hyacinth muscari is really beautiful. In Austin, I want to tell spring to slow down, savor the moment; so your blooming bulbs are a breath a fresh, cool air.
It is so wonderful to see that spring has sprung in so many gardens. Happy Bloom Day and thanks Carol.
Love those Muscari, Carol! I have some spring bulbs as well, and various other flowers, spring is well under way here, as the weeds can attest.
Hi, I've enjoyed visiting some of the gardens on your list. My contribution was a day late, oops. Here spring came late but summer seems to be in a rush to arrive. So much to do before it get's too hot!
Spring is off to a slow start in Western Massachusetts and our bordering states. So far, crocuses and snow drops are all we have in bloom. Typically,by mid-April, the bright, sunny faces of daffodils are smiling upon us….maybe next week.
Love those tulips!
Bloom day at the Maison de Hiboux on the lower Cape fear now linked!
This is the second time I'm joining GBBD. I took the photos on the day but didn't find time to post until now. Unbelievable I'm already the 156th entry!!! I'll have to plan when I'll be able to visit all of the other gardens. Wondering what's blooming there….
Spring is much later here this year compared to other years as well.
I absolutely LOVE the star flowers in your first picture. I will have a look to see if they'd do well here in our garden, such pretty joyous little flowers.
Your Leucojum is already further along than the ones in our garden. They're just starting to bloom here.
Bye,
Marian
Happy GBBD! You have so many lovely bulbs – it's a treat for me to see them. In my rocky garden, the bulbs are few – but lots of other things are in bloom.
Those lady jane tulips are really pretty. I like their not-so-perfect nature. Spring has come on like gangbusters here. I snapped so many pics on GBBD that I've only gotten to post today (4 days later) and everythings grown many inches.
Your ipheions are the stars!
Your ipheions are the stars!