Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day ~ April 2012
It has been a busy month in the garden ... for the gardener, the plants and wildlife. Everyday there are new buds and sprouts awaking to greet spring, more critters are arriving or awakening from their winter slumber and I am flat wore out at the end of each day in the garden. There is so much to do since everything is up early this season. I am very behind schedule.
The (biennial) foxgloves are blooming this year. I planted foxgloves in our garden in memory of my father. They always reminded him of his native England.
The blooms of the Baptisia 'Carolina Moonlight'
and Salvia greggii 'Navajo Rose' and 'Hot Lips' are blooming on the walled hill garden.
I struggle growing Rhododendrons. I'm not sure why since they are relatives of our native azaleas which do beautifully here. This is the first time EVER that they have bloomed and I planted this one three years ago!
The Encore azaleas are one of the stars this month. The bees, butterflies and hummingbird moths approve of their abundance of blooms. They are covered with pollinators from sun up to sun down.
Jack is preaching in his pulpit. This native plant starts life as a male but after two years or more in poor soil conditions it will turn into a female, flower and then seed.
The Foam flowers 'Dark Star' are starting to brighten the woodland garden.
My garden is blooming in more ways than one. The wildlife have been busy too...
I am seeing more and more butterflies everyday and I just love the little skippers...
And the next generation is starting...
The loud calling we heard the past few evening paid off. Apparently the female (the larger of the two toads) approved. We found these two near the pond and egg sacks sinking to the bottom. Perhaps soon we will have some tadpoles! They hatch anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks.
I had to include a picture of the knock-out-roses before the Japanese beetles start to devour them. This is a shot of half the wall or pink. There are a total of 55 roses along this slope.
Be sure to stop over at May Dreams Garden to look at other gardener's bloom day blooms.
Bearded Iris
The (biennial) foxgloves are blooming this year. I planted foxgloves in our garden in memory of my father. They always reminded him of his native England.
The blooms of the Baptisia 'Carolina Moonlight'
and Salvia greggii 'Navajo Rose' and 'Hot Lips' are blooming on the walled hill garden.
I struggle growing Rhododendrons. I'm not sure why since they are relatives of our native azaleas which do beautifully here. This is the first time EVER that they have bloomed and I planted this one three years ago!
The Encore azaleas are one of the stars this month. The bees, butterflies and hummingbird moths approve of their abundance of blooms. They are covered with pollinators from sun up to sun down.
Jack is preaching in his pulpit. This native plant starts life as a male but after two years or more in poor soil conditions it will turn into a female, flower and then seed.
The Foam flowers 'Dark Star' are starting to brighten the woodland garden.
My garden is blooming in more ways than one. The wildlife have been busy too...
I am seeing more and more butterflies everyday and I just love the little skippers...
 |
| Silver-spotted Skipper |
 | |
| Horace's Duskywing Skipper |
And the next generation is starting...
Swallowtail caterpillars munching on bronze fennel
The loud calling we heard the past few evening paid off. Apparently the female (the larger of the two toads) approved. We found these two near the pond and egg sacks sinking to the bottom. Perhaps soon we will have some tadpoles! They hatch anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks.
I had to include a picture of the knock-out-roses before the Japanese beetles start to devour them. This is a shot of half the wall or pink. There are a total of 55 roses along this slope.
Be sure to stop over at May Dreams Garden to look at other gardener's bloom day blooms.
