Saturday, March 19, 2011

In Search Of Spring

I am on a mission to find spring this year.  Looking out the window I see nothing that would announce its arrival, but on closer examination, it is just waiting to explode!

The buds on the Rhodies are puffing up but gives no hint of that beautiful pink color beneath.


PJM Rhododendron

The fuzzy little buds on the Star Magnolia look plentiful this year after a severe limbing up last fall so we could walk on the narrow path.  I think it will be fine if we control it each year, hate to do this but the alternative is taking it out.


Star Magnolia

There are daffodils, hyacinths and tulips poking through.


Daffodil Itzim


Daffodil Early Sensation

I had a chance to spray my Euonymus Wintercreepter and Rhus Armomatica with a dormant oil spray to control the scale which is always one step ahead of me.


This is my only Hellebore coming up on the north side of the house.  I am redoing this area with a combination of shade plants among the hosta.  I have ordered some more hellebores for planting this spring.


This is how Heuchera Southern Comfort looks now after a winter under the snow.  This is certainly a four season plant in zone 5!

I decided I needed to have a little more spring outside so I headed to Home Depot.







Pansies are quite cold hardy and will survive temperatures below freezing even with a little snow covering them.  However, in my zone, they will not take high heat so do not put them in too late in the spring.

I kept going with this spring theme and brought some indoors - I feel much better about all of this waiting and waiting.

Iris on the kitchen table and purple candles, purple candles?


Tulips on the dining room table