How does the garden look?

Spring has been slow to start this year. We've had a colder than usual winter and lots of much-needed rain, but almost everything was shut down for the duration, even some tea roses that bloom almost perpetually.

The weather didn't slow down the weeds! The back rose garden needed several days of work to vanquish the crabgrass. Camellias have ceased their winter bloom and the pink azalea, perhaps confused, set only a portion of its buds this year. But roses are starting to awaken, with first blooms emerging from tea roses 'Niles Cochet' and 'Monsieur Tillier', plus climber 'Purezza' and shrub rose 'Papa Hemeray.' Nasturtiums and erigeron daisies also popped open this past week, and the clivia is in full flower.

I am a flower.
Clivia miniata blooms in the darkest corner of the garden.
I am a flower.
Heliotrope has a wonderful scent of cherries; its common name was "cherry pie".
I am a flower.
THe maple tree is eight feet high and its leaves shine in the sunlight.
I am a flower.
Erigeron daisies sport nickel-sized blossoms and carpet the back rose garden.
I am a flower.
This small geranium (actually pelargonium) has just started to bloom.
I am a flower.
Dark red abutilon is sometimes called Flowering Maple because of its leaf shape.
I am a flower.
'Niles Cochet', a tea rose, first of the season.
I am a flower.
Cuphea blossoms are usually pink, this one is a combination of blue and red.
I am a flower.
'Purezza' ("pearl" in Italian) is always one of the first to open.
I am a flower.
Pink-flowered strawberries are decorative, and the fruit will be a bonus.
I am a flower.
Dark red impatiens blooms all season long.
I am a flower.
'Papa Hemeray', a single red rose with a white eye, just opened up this week.
 

Click any of the images above for a captioned enlargement.

Last update: March 21 2010

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