Harbingers, three

      Harbinger is probably the wrong term to use now.  The fruit trees, both ornamental and producing, are in full bloom.  There is a riot of color most everywhere you look.  The fresh green leaves are sprouting out on the trees.  In another week, all this new stuff will be old hat, and we will have an established green back drop for the summer.  But to help me with a visual journal to remember the gardens, here are pictures taken 4/22/11:

      The hellebores in the foreground have nearly run their course.  The yellow ones have outlasted the magenta ones that are now mostly covered in foliage.  I have noticed lots of babies under the mother plants, so maybe there will be some give aways.  A pink bleeding heart, one of many volunteers, is right behind the hellebores.

Grape hyacinth, 4/22/11

      The wood hyacinth are gone now, replaced by the equally cute grape hyacinths.

Liberated daffodils, 4/22/11

      These daffodils have grown from a small clump, that gasp, I found growing in the woods.  Some were liberated to come home to my garden, and this is the first year that they have flowered with some vigor.  It was a gray morning when these were shot, so the flash came on, and I discovered that it is much more difficult to get a sharp picture with the flash.  I really don't feel like carrying a tripod around, as this is supposed to be just a record keeping endeavor.  So, I'm sorry for the fuzzies.

Virginia bluebells, 4/22/11

      The Virginia bluebells in the center of this shot were transplanted two years ago as they had been getting too much shade as the Red Japanese Maple spread over them.  At Winterthur Museum the bluebells run rampant, and will push up through the black tar pathways in the woods!  No joke, right on through the black top.  I quietly wish mine were that invasive.  Just to the right of the bluebells is a patch of sweet woodruff, Galium odoratum.  I purchased one little pot of the woodruff years and years ago at the Flower Market donation tent.  It has spread nicely throughout my shaded gardens.

Bleeding heart, 4/22/11

      The bleeding heart took years before it started to send out volunteers.  But now there are many, so chime in if you are offering a good home to some.  It won't be too long before they shrivel back into the ground to wait again for next year.

Purple primrose, 4/22/11

      This little clump of primrose is the only one to retain the purple color.  Having planted out lots of yellow, pink and purple primrose from Easters past, all but this one have reverted to a pretty red.

Primrose out front, 4/22/11

       Indeed, here are the red primrose from out front.  These are thriving now that our beloved Sheltie went to doggie heaven a couple of weeks ago.  This was one of her favorite napping areas, and the primrose did not respond well to her roosting on them.  I would gladly exchange struggling primrose to have our dog still with us.  But now that the primrose are doing so well, I am going to divide them and move some to her final resting spot under the Winterberry bush, another of her favorite places.  Sadie, you good girl, rest in peace.  We miss your furry friendship.

Sadie, fifteen years a great dog