spring garden

Even though the calendar says it will not be Spring until next Thursday, my garden says otherwise. The first spring blooms of 2014!

First Crocus

I saw these little guys yesterday, and today they were much more open. And in walking around, I found one other little early volunteer.

Another Crocus

I think this one looks to be a slightly different variety, with a double row of petals.

I also found some daffodils blooming! I knew they would start soon, but I wasn’t sure when exactly. I guess the time is now!

Daffodils

After this pleasant surprise, I started wandering around a bit, as I’m wont to do, and found some miniature daffodils blooming in the lower terrace.

Miniature Daffodils Little Gem

I think this variety is called Little Gem, but I don’t know for sure. They are so cute and petite standing at around six inches tall.

There are lots of other daffodils coming up and will be blooming soon- just take a look at these two pictures of the same area which were taken three weeks apart. The first photo was taken around Feb. 23, and the bottom photo was taken today (March 15).

Spring is Coming

Mid March

I’m also surprised at how big the hellebores are getting! They are all over the yard, front and back, and are in two colors.

More Helleborus

See how nice and full and luscious some of them are? Three weeks ago, most of them, that were blooming, looked more like this:

Purple Hellebores

Smaller and not quite as bushy. They don’t have a high contrast color so they don’t stand out from a distance too well. But if you are standing in the garden, and really take a moment to look, you start seeing them everywhere.

Hellebores Blooming

I also stumbled across the camelia on the corner trying to bloom- meaning this is the only colorful bud I found on the bush. I am not sure when any of the camelia’s are supposed to bloom- as I’ve noticed that I have several around the property. But so far, only one has bloomed, and that was late fall.

Red Camelia

And one of my favorite sites in all of spring–the buds on the trees. Soon the buds will flower (on some) and we’ll have our “tree house” once again! I love the cover of trees and natural foliage, and I’m tired of being able to see the neighbors from my back yard.