"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

It's gonna be great...

So many people around here are talking about how behind their gardens are.  Many of us are still waiting for flowers that normally bloom in March and April and here it is 4 days from the beginning of May.  Someone mentioned that everything will probably be blooming all at once. 
I keep wandering around looking to see what is close to blooming, but it looks like most flowers still need a bit more time.  Right now the Hellebores are finished, daffodils are done and the Camellias are starting to fade.  The violas and pansies seem to be the main source of color aside from a pulmonaria or two.  I've got some tulips finishing up while the next round are getting close to opening. 

The Snowball bush, Abelia and Columbines will probably all be blooming at the same time in this corner.  Maybe even the trilliums will bloom with them.  All were either blooming or had bloomed this time last year.

A new Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) 'Little Lanterns' was just added to the garden above.

Will the Deutzia, roses, iris, lilies and Oriental Poppy all bloom at the same time?  It's beginning to look like it will be that late here.

Columbines, Peonies, Alliums and iris don't normally bloom all at the same time in my garden, but they sure would look pretty all together.

It already is looking pretty, but full of flowers will be even better.  I've moved many plants around since last spring and am looking forward to seeing how they will look in their new spots.

The pear trees are loaded with flowers.  Wouldn't it be great if we had lots of pears this year?  Last year we had 2.

The Lilacs have gotten so tall that I don't think I'll be able to smell them.  They may bloom with the Dogwood tree at the rate they're going.  The Dogwoods were in full bloom this time last year.

Chickadees are still deciding on birdhouses.  This seems very late for them.

They sure seemed interested in this one.  Their babies may be leaving the nest when the Clematis that grows up this post is in bloom.

These tulips were a pretty surprise when I saw them coming up.  I don't remember when I planted them or if they were even here last year, so they're a bit of extra color when there isn't a whole lot of other flowers blooming right now.


When things finally start to bloom, it's gonna be great!  Early spring, late spring and early summer flowers all at once.
Is your garden ahead, behind or right on time? 
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress. Pin It

41 comments:

  1. Hi Catherine, I'm the same as you! And I agree..it's gonna be great when they all bloom :) I love your bird houses, you are going to inspire me to add some in my yard. Beautiful pink tulips! Cheers, jenni

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  2. Your garden is really looking beautiful! So spring-y and is that blue sky I see? I hope you are enjoying some lovely weather now. Send any rain my way please! Only 2 more months and I will be visiting your lovely state!

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  3. Catherine--your garden is looking so lovely! Those pink tulips against the pond are wonderful.

    My garden is waaaay behind...and I'm still finding out out things that didn't survive the wet and cold winter...odd things, that I wasn't even worried about....

    But that one day of warm weather last Saturday really made some of the things pop!

    I have columbines that are *almost* there, and most of the tulips still needing a little bit of time.

    Come on, Spring. We're waiting on you!!

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  4. As Becca rightly said, it's so springy - like that word - describes your garden so aptly. Love the tulips!

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  5. Catherine your garden is bursting with lovey plants and shrubs

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  6. Each new post of yours just gets more exciting, Catherine! Everything is already looking marvellous and it can only get better and better.

    I noticed our first camelia flower while strolling in the garden, yesterday. My orchids are sending up buds, the freezias are leaping out of the ground, I have azaleas in bloom...all earlier than normal for our part of the globe, so it would seem weather patterns are changing all over. We even had a hail storm overnight and snow was forecast on the higher lying (mountainous) areas of the Western Cape last night! Very unusual for us at this time of the year!! Our deciduous trees are still in full leaf although each morning more leaves have fallen to the ground.

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  7. Hi Catherine, you have a beautiful garden (I love visiting your blog) and I'm looking forward to seeing your plants bloom in coming weeks and months. Your white picket fence in your last post looks fab - every garden needs a white picket fence! All the best, Kelli.

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  8. As you know Catherine, my garden is late also. I had Columbine at my last home, even the woodland variety. I saw some last weekend at Home Depot but they were all muted colors.

    I will look for the orange one that you have and hope it is hardy in this area. The fence really looks great in that long shot.

    Eileen

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  9. Catherine,
    Must have been a senior moment when you planted those beautiful tulips. I did the same thing last year with anemones.

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  10. My garden is behind but doing its best to keep up with time. With that I mean that all spring bulbs flowered at the same time and I can tell you that it was great! BUT, there always seem to be a but... it didn't last for long. They where all gone in just a few days. Anyhow it's great every year no matter how early or late they are, isn't it..

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  11. It was a long winter even here in the south. I am so envious of your lilac. Mine didn't bloom at all. I think my husband still holds hope, but I think it's time is past. Lovely things going on in your gardens. Hugs, Bonnie

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  12. It will be so exciting to see everything bloom together!

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  13. You always have such gorgeous photos Catherine. I love the blossoms on the pear tree. How I wish I could taste my grandma's pear preserves again! We have a lot of chickadees who enjoy the river birch tree here. We are under a tornado watch here in GA today.
    Can't wait to see all your colorful blooms soon.

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  14. Just wonderful...I LOVE this part of the season, just before everything really starts blooming...the garden is just so full of promise. You may need a stepladder to enjoy the lilacs, though! ;-)

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  15. Our garden is definitely behind, by a week or two. It's OK though, we're still playing catch up out there.

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  16. It is going to be great. I can hardly wait to see pics of the Deutzia, I do so love it.
    I still can't get over how we both are in the PNW but your garden is warmer then mine because my flowers are a few weeks behind yours. Hopeful there will be more sunshine and less rain over the next few weeks so we get some blooms soon.

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  17. Loving the white picket fence.
    Columbines (or Aquilegas as we call them in the UK), peonies and irises all flower at the same time in my garden with the poppies shortly afterwards. Funny how we get different combos in different parts of the world

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  18. Eww, your pink tulips look so pretty by the pond. What a great color. You have so much coming up in your garden. Mine has me so confused this year. Doesn't take much I know. LOL! It does look like there are going to be somethings blooming all at once here too.I may have lilies and rhoddies all at once at this rate. My Bluebirds were a month late too Catherine so even the birds are mixed up. LOL! It does look like you have some pretty sunshine in your garden today.

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  19. That columbine is a sweetheart of a color! I don't think I've ever seen one as deeply colored as this. Thanks for the wonderful photos.

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  20. Your garden IS great! I would like to say we're behind but I think most perennials are pretty much on schedule except for planting my veggies. This spring is exceptionally cool and wet so there isn't much chance of working the soil. I have so many plants to move and new beds to dig ... I am the one who is behind! Love that little lantern columbine!

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  21. Beautiful gardens, Catherine, even if the blooms are late in arriving. I also have those tulips in the last photo. Love them!

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  22. So behind here--first year into paying attention and everything is about a month behind last year! Some day I will get to posting updates!

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  23. Catherine, I can just repeat myself your garden looks great being a little bit behind or not! I am fascinated by the amount of variety of plants that you are growing in your garden and you are inspiring me to also strive for diversity in my yard. I love the white pear tree flowers and wish you many pears this year. My own garden is maybe two weeks behind in comparison to last year!
    Christina

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  24. It's the strangest spring. We had a mild winter which usually means something different will follow but it's not normally this cool and WINDY. ugh. I think we've had one 70 degree day and that's it. I'm so ready for some HEAT!! I bet everything will bloom at once. It will be crazy beautiful even if we'd like to see more staggered color.
    Your chickadees are adorable. I have a Robin nesting outside my kitchen window. It's so sweet to see her there. I hope it warms up for the babies when they hatch.
    We just need something to break up the weather pattern!!!

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  25. It looks pretty good already. We've set records here with temps up to 95 -- and it's only April. Weird weather is right!!

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  26. Looks great there, especially that beautiful blue sky, eh?

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  27. Everything looks so pretty! You're right, everything is very late this year but I'm hoping for the plant exchange next Saturday that some things will be open. Would love to have you if you can make it. This weekend is supposed to be really nice so I hope you are able to get out and enjoy the sun. Have a good one.

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  28. I'm visiting your blog for the first time, having clicked over from Tootsie Time. We're in the same boat in NJ as you are. Everything is so delayed this year... It will be interesting to see if things all bloom at once. I enjoyed your blog and your beautiful photos!

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  29. Catherine, have you missed me? ha-ha I need to somehow figure out how to make more time for blogging, reading and posting.

    Our lilac bushes are not even close to having leaves and look at yours, almost ready to bloom.

    Our spring bulbs are only now starting to bloom. My hellebores have not bloomed....because I never got around to planting them.

    Your pink tulips are crazy beautiful, especially with the pond in the background.

    donna

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  30. Ours is so far ahead I don't know if anything will still be blooming in August. But I really concentrated on leaf shapes, pattern, and foliage colors this time. I want the garden to look good even after everything has bloomed. For me, it is a new way of looking at the garden, it doesn't have to be in flower to be lovely.

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  31. Catherine I'm so glad I stopped by your post because I am feeling quite blue around my neck of the woods from the lack of sun and cool rainy days that have been non-stop.

    The trees, plants and flowers that I posted last April are not in bloom this April...It has been an odd spring this year.

    I love the photo of the chickadee at the bird house, the pink tulips are adorable.

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  32. Gorgeous tulips! Both the ones in the front bed, and the ones at the pond. I'd say we were pretty much on time here.

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  33. Those tulips are gorgeous! I never can seem to get columbine to live long.
    Brenda

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  34. The tulips are a lovely shade of pink. I feel like my garden is on the flipside of yours - things seem to be blooming earlier, even though my friends say that not the case. I think the wonky weather is making things feel a little off. And I can totally relate to being surprised to find a plant growing/blooming and not remembering it being there last year.

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  35. Hi Catherine, your garden has a lot of rich colours already. Everything is looking quite beautiful and fresh.

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  36. Soooo pretty!!! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks the season is running late...better late than never, right?

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  37. The tulips are beautiful Catherine. It looks like things are beginning to come around. My gardens are a little late this year. That may be why I didn't get but about 4 daffodils out of a ton of plants. Things have kinda caught up now though. The fencing looks so good. I see Gracie looking through and also the Littlest Gardener. Precious.

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  38. My tulips never DID bloom & the daffodils were only half-hearted in their efforts.

    Epimedium IS what my plant is. Thank you. As soon as I read it, I remembered it.

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  39. Hi Catherine, The next week or so will be hectic, so I wanted to visit your blog tonight and wish you a very Happy Mother's Day. Tell the girls "hi" from Harriet and me!

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  40. Not sure if my prior comment posted. If so, just delete this.

    Mostly I said "Epimedium" it is! As soon as I read it, I KNEW that was it. Thanks.

    Your tulips ARE so pretty. The few I have seemed to forget to bloom this year and the daffodils were very half-hearted in their effort. Just too little sunshine, I guess.

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  41. Your peonies look like they are going to be stunning! Love the red foliage.

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