Last Friday and Saturday brought us wonderful weather - perfect for getting some clean-up done in the gardens. The thermometer on our back patio registered 72ºF/22.2ºC at 4:00PM on Saturday! We haven't seen outdoor temperatures that high for what seems like a very long time!
Our first crocuses!
I found this busy little bee buzzing happily among the blooms.
It's so good to see color in the garden again!
Sunday was cloudy and wet, with quite heavy rain showers beginning in the afternoon and continuing overnight, but these bright yellow blooms appeared in spite of the inclement weather. Because of the clouds, they kept their petals closed, but today they opened their cheery little faces to the sunshine.
I also found these lovely striped blooms in the Lilac Garden, with the afternoon sun backlighting their petals.
If you look closely at the daffodils just to the left of the crocuses in the foreground of this picture, you'll see that they're budding. (click to enlarge for a closer look).
And around the corner in the Rose/Clematis Garden I found another clump with fat buds on them. I wonder how long it will take for them to open.
Last year I recorded, with my camera, the first daffodils opening on April 13th. It seems to me that these will be earlier than that.
Let's not forget the dear little snowdrops, making such a pretty display. The petals were closed when I took the photo of this group in the Pink Garden at 1:45PM.
I went out to check at 4:00PM and found them open in the warmth of the afternoon sunshine.
Several groups were planted here and there last summer and fall...all thinnings of the original group in the Rose/Clematis Garden. They multiply readily.
It's so good to see the bees buzzing around flowers again!
May April bring you gentle spring days!