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Sunday, April 15, 2012

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day 4.15.2012

It's so rewarding to see so many plants in bloom this month!  April flowers are our colorful reward after a long winter's nap.  Although I don't think of my own garden as having a particularly dazzling early spring display, there are at least a few things to share with you today:

The prairie garden is coming to life
Although the buffalo grass is still dormant...
the first of the species tulips, T. dasystemon, are on show
...and the Caragana is blooming.



The back border is awash in lilacs and mahonia                                    
Syringa vulgaris
Mahonia aquifolium
Bergenia cordifolia
and the standing-on-my-head shot
The pond is not ready for prime-time, but some of the surrounding plants are at their flowering peak now.   These plants provided evergreen foliage all winter:
variegated Vinca minor
candytuft, Iberis sempervirens
Turkish veronica, V. liwanensis

Across the entry garden mahonia, vinca and an informal hedge of Cameo quince:


It's always fun to look back and compare today's bloomers with those from last year.  2012 will certainly go down as an "early" and floriferous Spring!

Don't forget to visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens to find links to other gardens from around the world that are sharing their colorful blooms today too!
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12 comments:

  1. Hoover Boo8:13 AM MDT

    I really enjoyed seeing the prairie through your eyes on this spring day. That Quince--wow! Happy Bloom Day!

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  2. Noel Morata12:00 PM MDT

    aloha,

    wow, i loved that back area with all the beautiful blooming lilacs, it must be amazing to see and smell up close, thanks for sharing this.

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  3. Jocelyn H. Chilvers6:38 PM MDT

    Thanks, HB! I love my little piece of the prairie - it keeps me relating to my native habitat here in my urban/suburban domain.

    Noel, those lilacs are actually on my neighbor's property and were fully mature when we moved here in 1985. They make a wonderful screen and the fragrance, as you guessed, is fantastic!

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  4. greggo3:05 PM MDT

    Nice quince photo for sure. It's too bad those blooms are so short.

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  5. Desert Dweller6:44 AM MDT

    What a nice display...the species tulips and bulbs in the buffalograss are so impressive. So much more interesting that the norm!

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  6. Jocelyn H. Chilvers8:11 AM MDT

    Greggo, this year's display of quince has a lot of staying power - two weeks and counting now!

    DD, I think the bulbs 'n buffalo grass idea originated 20+ years ago with fellow Denverite and gardener extraordinaire Sandy Snyder. Crocus and other small spring bulbs work wonders providing color while the warm season grass is still wearing its wintertime brown.

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  7. Les5:38 AM MDT

    This is the year I have gained a whole new appreciation of Mahonia species. It seems there is a variety that will grow practically anywhere. Happy spring to you!

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  8. Jocelyn H. Chilvers8:07 AM MDT

    I agree, Les! I've seen some beautiful -different- Mahonia species featured in the British mag "Gardens Illustrated"

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  9. Erin8:19 AM MDT

    I saw a honeysuckle [I'm pretty sure] COMPLETELY covered in blooms in North Denver the other day.

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  10. Jocelyn H. Chilvers4:36 PM MDT

    Yes, Erin - everything seems to be on an early schedule this year. The poplars are "snowing" now too!

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  11. El8:14 AM MDT

    Hi Jocelyn, this is my first time visiting your blog and it is lovely! You are inspiring me to be more deliberate in my garden photography. Thank you for sharing!

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  12. Jocelyn H. Chilvers3:28 PM MDT

    Thanks for your kind comments, El. I really enjoy crafting photographs of my garden and encourage you to stick with it (hurray for digital!).

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