Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - April 2017

Flowering currant

I don't know where the first half of April went and now I feel behind on so many things in the garden. But I take solice in the fact that I see something new in bloom every time I go outside.

My favorite natives showing off:

Flowering currant

Oregon grape

Oregon grape

Bulbs! I planted more tulips this year and it's still not enough:

Grape hyacinth

Fritillaria meleagris

Some of the other flowers around the yard:

Asian pear

Sea thrift

Rock cress, newly planted

Forget me not

Creeping phlox

Vinca minor, carefully controlled in one area

Kinnikinnick

First strawberry blooms

Hellebores win the prize for longest bloom, these have been going since December.

Blooming inside:

My grandmother's Christmas cactus

African violets - three of my four are blooming, but hard to get good pictures

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting the monthly Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day! Even when my garden is keeping me busy with spring chores, it's still fun to see what's going on in gardens around the world. 

What's next? Blueberries, lilacs, aquilegia and a rhubarb stalk that will probably be cut down before it blooms.

In bloom this week: Apr. 24, 2016

Roses!

I skipped my in bloom post last week, I just didn't have the energy to put pictures together. It was very hot and bright for the first half of the week, reminded me unpleasantly of last summer. I've planted so many new plants this spring, had to do a lot of watering. Back to rain now, so I was dodging showers to take pictures.

Roses are about to leap into full bloom, about a quarter of our bushes have large buds or blooms already.

A few last spring bulbs: the allium are in full bloom, anemones and bluebells are fading. The bluebells went quickly, they weren't even fully in bloom two weeks ago.

Allium

Bluebell

Anemone

This is cheating because I just planted it, but I've always loved foxglove. I remember seeing these as a kid - and being warned not to touch them. Apparently it's not really a native plant, but is very common in more wild areas.

Foxglove

Borage in my vegetable garden, planted earlier this year because it's supposed to be a good companion plant. I didn't realize it would have such nice flowers.

Borage

I really hope my great camas will spread a lot, I don't know how it took me so long to discover this native plant.

Great camas

The kiwi blooms finally opened all the way, and now starting to fade. The grapes will be next, and then that's all of my fruit.

Hardy kiwi

All except the strawberries, which will bloom on and off all summer.

Strawberries

Next week: maybe an iris?

Iris, unknown variety

In bloom this week: Apr. 13, 2016

Lilacs

Lilacs! We have giant old overgrown bushes next to the front porch. There were barely any blooms the first year, because the previous owners had chopped them flat across to look nice for the sale. We just let them grow wild.

Overgrown lilacs

A couple of very early roses are blooming. These aren't very healthy blooms, but they are a nice hint for coming weeks.

Early roses

The wisteria is also blooming, this is the only time of year that I like the plant. It's boring in the winter and way too much work in the summer. I cut it way back this winter, it seems fine with that and hopefully will help keep it under control this summer.

Wisteria

The anemones that I mentioned last week are open now, I love the blue!

Anemone

Other bulbs continue to bloom, including one lonely allium - I wish I had written down what type it is.

Allium

On the fruit front, strawberries are starting to bloom. How many weeks until ripe berries?

Strawberry

Hardy kiwi are also just starting to bloom, I thought that would happen weeks ago but may finally see full bloom next week.

Hardy kiwi

And my bluebells - a birthday present from my husband last fall - are finally starting to grow blooms. I thought they might not at all this year, since all of the others around our neighborhood are in full bloom now, but the flower stems have popped up almost overnight.

English bluebell