Signs of Spring

All week I have been commenting on Facebook and  happily tweeting
about the signs of Spring. Foremost are the warm sun and soft breezes (finally!), made for luxuriating and gardening.  Although the first Narcissus ('Rijnveld's Early Sensation') opened back on January 4 and are just now fading, additional trumpets have been opening all month, and the incredibly fragrant Hyacintha Blue 'Delft' are adding scent all over the garden.

Chaenomales speciosa 'Nivalis" white Quince is in full flower at the corner of the house (albeit 3 months late), while


the Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten Roses) look even better now that I have trimmed off a few winter-burned leaves, allowing the flowers to take center stage a' la Rosemary Verey.

The Iris unguicularis has 5 blooms today (admittedly late for the winter-blooming Algerian Iris), Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft) is opening its white flowers, as is the unfortunate-smelling Pyrus calleryana (Bradford Callery Pear) futher down the street. Forsythia and Star and Saucer Magnolia are all in bloom.

Viburnum dentatum and Aesculus pavia buds are swelling into leaves.


Hydrangea quercifolia leaves look less like silver candles (that was so last week) and more like young leaves coated with pearlescence. The Oakleaf hydrangea is a wonderful native addition to the garden with 4 seasons of appeal, not the least this Spring.
Tomorrow is officially the First Day of Spring! What's going on in your neck of the woods?