Thursday, March 17, 2011

Finally, Spring!


Sunshine, warm temperature and Azaleas in bud. It must really be Spring.

The dry summer last year took a toll on our plants. Our yard is over an acre and too large to keep watered with conditions as dry as 2010. Several large Azalea bushes appear not to have survived. We are going to cut them to the ground and see if perhaps they will still sprout from the roots. I hate to loose 20 year old plants, but if they are gone, I have an opportunity to replace with something new!

Come along and see what is blooming on the Cypress Knee Swamp.


English Dogwood in bud.
Their flowers are a creamy white and similar to the Dogwood bloom.



I just love the Oakleaf Hydrangea.
Even the shape of the leaf and the color is pretty to me.


Lovely Spirea with its graceful form and sweet, fragrant little flower clusters.




The wind was blowing and I couldn't get a really good picture of the yellow Jasmine.
 I decided to share anyway just because the color is so pretty.


Years ago, a friend gave me this apricot colored Flowering Quince.
 We shared a love of gardening and took several gardening classes together.
 I always think of Toni when this blooms in the spring. 


The blooms are a pale peachy apricot color, turning darker as they open fully.


The Dogwood is just beginning to open buds.
I am giving it a few more days before I try to capture it's beauty.


"It's so beautiful!'
she said, a little breathless with her speed..
It has come!.. It is here now!
It has come, the Spring!"
                                 Frances Burnett

That pretty much sums up how I felt today.
It is finally spring!


4 comments:

Jenni said...

Girl, you take such awesome pictures... and I had never seen a flowering quince. It is so pretty!

I love the other pics, too. I hate to hear y'all lost the azaleas, I love our old azalea bush... it's budding right now...

But as you said, it's the oppertunity to plant some new things.. and it sounds like you have a lot of knowledge about plants, so you should know lots to pick from to replace the azaleas...
let us know how it all turns out!

Have a happy weekend,
Jenni

Jenni said...

Oh, and I love the little poems you share sometimes when you post..

;-) Jenni

Cheryl @ TFD said...

Beautiful photos, Carolyn, and I especially love the apricot colors. I don't see much of that color in spring flowers here in MO. At least I can't think of much at the moment! Have a great weekend.

Southern Lady said...

So beautiful, Carolyn -- especially the apricot quince. What a lovely reminder of your friend.

I'll look forward to seeing your dogwoods in bloom.