Sort of spring

     It is a bit early here in Buffalo, NY to see outdoor flowers, but I had some Snow irises, crocus and the beginning of the Hellebores start to open.

Yellow Hellebores

Pink buds starting on Hellebores

     Inside, some of the Christmas cactus are blooming the second time- first at Christmas, then now. Lucky me!

     And two orchids are blooming although one has to open yet!

Cool spring

      It has been a rainy, cold spring here. Lots of dark clouds. One thing that has resulted is that the tulips and spring flowers last a lot longer. There are still good looking daffodils among the tulips. In December, we had to take down an oversized oak tree and we were able to plant two columnar trees- a sweetgum and a Pacific Fire maple (great looking color branches). Still, the garden is behind in cleanup and planting due to the weather. Today, the sun came out and it is actually getting close to 60 degrees!

Yellow hellebore

Bleeding Hearts

Dirt area where oak was. Far right, the sweetgum, middle, the Pacific Fire.

Pacific Fire Maple

Finally flowers

      After a surprise late snow, it warmed like crazy and the daffodils burst forth. Their sunny faces are immensely cheering after dark days and times.
     I like a variety of daffodils, like scrappy fabrics in quilts, so that is what I plant. I have a small yard, but the flowers do their job well.

Thank God for flowers!

     Spring took a long time to get to Buffalo, NY. There was snow in May. Finally, the tulips arrived and because it was cooler, they hung around a long time. The rain and heat later did the tree peonies in too quickly. 

     When I go outside and visit the flowers, I am in awe of the colors, textures, shades of greens and shapes. I marvel how they are all different and all beautiful (except those no good wild chives that threaten the perennials and garden). 

      I finished potting all the annuals in containers and they are taking off. The rest of the perennials need to be dug in, and hopefully I will get that done in the next couple of days. (I did). The smell of the ground, the plants, and the weather are so incredibly life giving to me at this time. I am so grateful for the flowers in my little plot of the universe.

Flowering mania

     If you never have seen a tree peony, it is hard to believe how large and showy the blossoms are on such a stick like plant. I lost the magenta one last year due to garage construction and heavy handed workers (still sad). The pink one is blooming and it is so glorious! 
     On Memorial Day, I planted my pots and, of course, I ran out of plants as I have many more pots. I planted in the shade of the oak tree.