Welcome to Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for April 2026.
Here in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6a garden in central Indiana, it is most definitely spring.
And once again, I’m showing a picture of violets to get the ball rolling because violets are out in force right now.
For the rest of the garden, my general observation is that we are ahead of schedule for spring, and today’s summerlike temperatures prove that point.
But I shall not be in a hurry to rush out any frost-tender plants because I’ve been burnt before doing that.
Instead, I’ll continue to admire what April is offering, which includes:
Spring Beauties, Claytonia virginica
These have been blooming for awhile and I’m letting them go to encourage self-sowing.
Viola soraria ‘Freckles”
It’s also self-sowing, which is a wondrous thing.
Mayapples, Podophyllum peltatum
It’s also blooming though I didn’t get a good picture of the actual flowrs under those umbrella-like fairy-hiding leaves. It’s in the same plant family, Berberidaceae, as Epimedium, which is also blooming but I didn’t get a picture of any of them.
Flowrering dogwood, Cornus florida ‘Cherokee Princess’
The cold snaps of a few weeks ago pretty much wiped out the flowering crabapple and what was left of the magnolias, but the flowering dogwoods are doing well, as are redbuds.
Various tulips
There are various tulips blooming throughout the garden, which give me pops of color in beds like Plopper’s Field before other perennials get going.
Finally, one last picture to show how early some of the flowers are…
Aquilegia vulgaris
I wasn’t expecting these for another few weeks, but there they are, proof of an early spring.
There are other flowers in bloom, but that’s probably enough for this post. Now it’s time to take a look back at past April Bloom Days to see how this year compares to those past years!
April 2007 – I think we had a slower spring.
April 2008 – Definitely a slower spring than this year.
April 2009 – We were not as far along as this year.
April 2010 – I featured some flowers I no longer have!
April 2011 – I noted, “April is like a reunion with flowers.” I like that!
April 2012 – This might be like this year, but where are those yellow tulips now?
April 2013 – Spring was not as far along as this year.
April 2014 – Also a slower spring!
April 2015 – This was a slower spring than this year!
April 2016 – Fairly typical, I’d say!
April 2017 – I featured a lot of flowers, as one should in April!
April 2018 – Another slower spring compared to this year.
April 2019 – The garden was definitely not as far along as this year.
April 2020 – I even noted it was a slow spring (and one we wouldn’t forget for a long time!)
April 2021 – Quite a lovely spring, with lots of violets featured.
April 2022 – Spring was slower arriving and I actually had to be reminded to post!
April 2023 – Fairly typical for mid-April.
April 2024 – Much the same, with lots of violets featured!
April 2025 – The ‘Lady Jane’ tulips were still going strong so this was a little slower spring than this year.
And that’s what I’ve got to show you on this Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day.
What’s blooming in your garden in mid-April? Join us in this long-running meme and show us! It’s easy to participate. Just post on your blog, Substack, Instagram, or wherever you show off you garden, about the blooms in your garden on or arount the 15th of the off the month, then leave a comment to let us know what flowers you have and where we can find your online offering.
Always remember, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
Your garden is looking wonderful Carol and of course there are violets to be seen! After a rollercoaster start of the month. Spring is finally underway here on Long Island! Happy Bloom Day! (To read my post, go through Substack for the link to my blog!)
Thanks for joining in! Happy to hear spring has also reached Long Island!
What a roller coaster spring has been here in the Southern Tier of New York. 80’s Monday and yesterday. Next week it may go down into the 20’s at night so I am definitely not putting anything out that I can’t bring back in (like hanging baskets). Love your violets and violas-I have neither. Alana https://ramblinwitham.blogspot.com/2026/04/meme-garden-bloggers-bloom-day.html
What!? No violets or violas! But I checked and you do have some other pretty flowers. Thanks for joining in!
For some strange reason I have never successfully grown violas. They never overwinter. Too bad because I love them. We had a purple violet patch on our front lawn for several years that planted itself, but it’s all gone now.
Well, they don’t overwinter here, much, though a few seedlings will pop up. I buy flats and flats of violas in early spring.
So happy to join you this month…as spring here in Black Mountain NC is a beautiful collection of blooms and blossoms.
https://boardwalkbarb.blogspot.com/2026/04/garden-bloggers-bloom-day.html
Thanks for hosting!
Thanks for joining in, Barb. You have some pretty blooms in your area right now. Loved seeing azaleas.
Freckles is certainly cute.
https://thisandthatablog.blogspot.com/2026/04/springtime-in-front-yard.html
Freckles is the cutest violet ever! I checked out your blog post. Looks like you are well on your way to spring!
Happy GBBD! We have a bunch up this year, but I need to check on Freckles! It is in my Spring Bed but I have not send it yet this year.
I was just wondering when I first joined you for GBBD and it was 15 years ago today! April 2011. Now we are in a new garden, but still the same favorite flowers are here. Times flies and the kids have grown. Thanks for making this monthly time to stop and enjoy the blooms along the way, Carol 🙂
I hope you find Freckles! Thanks for joining in for so many years!
Oh, lovely, Carol. You are just a tad ahead of us now. It’s been a crazy, wild spring so far here in S. Wisconsin. Early, dramatic and dangerous weather, full of vibrant life, and almost summer-like. But the plants are “happy” so I’m happy. Thanks for hosting!
https://plantpostings.blogspot.com/2026/04/magnolias-before-hail.html
Thanks for joining in, Beth. Yes, we have been summer-like too, and I don’t much care for it. Give me a slow spring any year!
Your violets are so lovely! With the drought in my area there have been very few of the wild ones–one very wet spring a few years back I had bunches of gorgeous white ones! And I love your Spring Beauties–are they difficult to grow? Happy GBBD, Carol, thanks for hosting!
https://mazastudio.blogspot.com
Elena, Spring Beauties grow wild wherever there are wooded lots and the owners don’t use herbicides on their lawns. Under those conditions, I think they are a great spring ephemeral to introduce to a garden. Sorry about your drought!
We are experiencing a transition of spring to summer weather this April . This is my entry for Garden Bloggers blooms day for the month of April. Thanks for hosting wonderful link up party for connecting Gardening enthusiast from around the world. https://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/2026/04/summer-season-has-arrived.html
Hi Carol, Thanks for sharing Freckles. Violets have no trouble growing here. We are facing a very rampant springtime moving rapidly towards summer. All kinds of things in bloom right now. — jw
https://macgardens.org/?p=8204