The Arbor, Daffodils, and the Front Garden

It really seems that spring has sprung already. The warm temperatures have brought everything to life, I only hope that the plants aren’t doomed by the next freeze happens to come along. It’s reminiscent of the spring of 2007. Back then we had an early warm-up followed by a hard freeze that damaged a significant number of Japanese maples and crape myrtles. I’ll keep my fingers crossed but everything is growing in full spring growth mode and I know we have a few freezes ahead. The daffodils have come alive this week and the front porch garden is starting to thicken up with early spring yellow blooms. There are some gaps to fill in and maybe I can make more by dividing a few of the bulbs later in the year.

My arbor has seen some wind damage lately. The diamond shaped decorations on each side have been battered by heavy winds that pulled the chains apart from the structure. It’s cosmetic and easily repaired but still another thing to add to the to do list.

In the front porch garden that I began remodeling last fall the glossy leaves of the camellia above are on the same plant as the frost burnt leaves on the tips of the branches below. I have two ‘Winter Snowman’ camellias in the front garden and one did fine while the other got a little singed. I’ll give them both a little pruning this spring and they will recover nicely!

The front sidewalk garden is the home of my tulips which are pushing through the mulch. I planted pansies here in the fall but the tulips will overtake them and you won’t even know the pansies are there.

This will probably be the last look at the winter jasmine this year. The picture was taken yesterday before the high winds of last evening and today that blew most of the petals away. You can see the new green foliage beginning to emerge from the stems. Spring is here again!

Has spring arrived where you are yet?

15 thoughts on “The Arbor, Daffodils, and the Front Garden”

  1. Ha. Ha. ahahhahahahahahahahaha…to answer your question, Dave, no. We got blasted with yet another snowstorm tonight, which then beget ice pellets, which then beget rain, and now I think it's not doing anything except blowing about 70 knots. The snowdrifts around my house are absurd…but one of these days, spring will find us. It always does. Your daffodils gladdened my heart.

  2. Yes, and no. The temperatures have risen and been wonderfully warm. A few of my forsythia buds have burst, but my daffodils are still wrapped up tight. I drive by other yards in my area where they are blooming and wonder when, when, when? When in my yard?

  3. I too am concerned that spring has come too soon. A friend with a blueberry farm has explained what damage this could do to her crop.

    I'm noticing changes such as my climbing rose getting leaves already. Usually it blooms in early April before getting leaves. I hope this doesn't mean no blooms this year. All my daffs and crocus are up, Lenten rose looking wonderful and tulips showing lots of leaf. Many trees are already greening too. The groundhog said spring was coming soon, but February felt too soon.

  4. Jodi,

    I'm sorry you guys have such a long winter! Just keep in mind that when we are sweltering down here in July through September that you will be nice and comfortable!

    Meemsnyc,

    It's hitting the 70's on occasional and regularly hitting the 60s now. Spring is here even if it's not official yet!

  5. Sarah,

    Soonish I'm sure! Our daffs came up before the forsythias. Sometimes it has to do with when you planted them. If they were recently planted and how late in the fall will determine when they bloom. It won't be long!

    Darla,

    That is a good way to put it!

    MKM,

    I sure hope we don't have those kind of issues to the fruit crops this year. It's always tense for those who grow – you just never know when that freeze is going got get the plants! Our extension service has water sprinklers that broadcast onto the peach trees. They do that when there is going to be a freeze and the ice protects the fruit.

  6. It's not springlike yet here in SE Michigan (zone 6a) – we still have a good 6" or more of snow on the ground in some places (up to several feet of snow where plows have piled it). It helps to see your daffodils and tulips coming up! It's March, and spring must be on the way!

  7. Spring has so arrive in GA. I just hope we dont have one of those hard freezes as you mention. Our J. Maple was a bit damaged as well that year but they both bounced back. I remember it happened while we were visiting the Saints parents in Virginia. We came back home to a sad garden but as I said, it did bounce back in time. I fear for the Peach farmers in our area. It really dips into their livelihood unlike us that call gardening a hobby…

  8. Anne,

    The daffodils will get there eventually! I have to say though, I'm glad we don't have snow!

    Skeeter,

    Many of those trees bounced back but it sure did wreak havoc on the landscape. we pulled out several hollies that were killed off because of it – although I have to say our landscape is much better because of it!

  9. Dave, has anybody alerted you to the scraper who has thousands of stolen blog posts on his site? I noticed your whole greenhouse building series is on there along with some herb garden posts.

    Putting your blog name in large letters didn't deter him. That's how I recognized your work.

  10. From my area it appears Spring has sprung. Many things blooming, trees putting on new leaves. Pollen is bad. Some fruit trees blooming or just finished.
    Temps are cooler which makes it better to garden. The sun does get hot.

Comments are closed.