A (very) brief visit from the sun.

 Right now while other parts of the country are enjoying temps 30 to 40 degrees above normal, us here in the Pacific Northwest are "enjoying" temperatures about 10 to 15 degrees below normal along with endless rainstorms and wind.  It's hard to believe that spring is just a few days away.  They are still forecasting snow and rain mixed for next week.  I decided that since the sun was out for a few minutes I would see how my soggy garden was doing.

 The birds are sporadically working on nests in the birdhouses.  I found sticks all over the deck after the last wind.  I think it was part of a nest because I also found a dead baby bird under a tree - it almost looked like some type of woodpecker.  Made me sad that the poor birds are even struggling with this weather.

 Tete-a-tetes splattered in mud.

 I'm so glad I built up this bed recently.  The dirt next to it is so soggy I'm not sure the plants would survive.

 Bleeding Hearts are slowly but surely coming up.

 Hellebore 'Cotton Candy' raised it's face to the sun.

 One Camellia 'Marie Bracey' is open, the rest of the buds are tightly closed.

 Winter Hazel 'Buttercup' survived the move last fall and is starting to bloom.

 Grape Hyacinths are coming up everywhere.

 Flowering Currants are behind right now.  They are usually in full bloom with hummingbirds fighting over them.

 The variegated Rhododendron still has flowerbuds, hoping it will finally bloom this year.

 A lone daffodil thinking about blooming.

 Pieris and Violas blooming despite the weather.

Blackthorn was anxious to get out of his hutch and play for awhile.  He loves being pet and flops all around his hutch looking for attention.  Poor guy has barely had a chance to get some exercise.

I know I'm not the only one beyond ready for some dry days.  The ground is soggy no matter where you walk and constant gray days can really get you down.  So, for as short of a while that the sun pops out and no matter how windy it is while it's out, it does feel good to go outside and soak up what there is.
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.

The Path garden is waking up!

 Today felt like it should've been the first day of spring.  It was sunny and warm (around 60) with a gentle breeze blowing.  I spent the majority of the day working in the front yard, but had to see how the path garden was looking since it's pretty behind where it normally is this time of year.  I was happy to see that everything is waking up, in fact I was shocked at just how quickly some things had changed since I last looked.

 A look down the path from this morning.  It's hard to see in this picture both Clematises on the arbor have lots of new growth.  I know I should prune 'Comtesse de Bouchaud' back but it's so full of new growth, some of which look like flower buds, that I've decided to leave it and will prune when it's done blooming.  Geraniums are filling in along the deck.

Golden Mock Orange (Philadelphus) is leafing out.  I can't wait to smell it's pretty white flowers soon.

Old-fashioned Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is starting to grow much faster now after some warmer weather.

One of my and the hummingbirds favorite spring blooming shrubs is Pink Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum).  I just love how it looks against the bark of the Ponderosa Pine.

Navelwort (Omphalodes cappadocica) 'Starry Eyes' is beginning to spread some.  It's flowers are a true blue, but tiny.  You need to get right down low to appreciate them.

Camellia japonica 'Marie Bracey'

Corylopsis (Winter Hazel) 'Buttercup' is a tricky one to photograph.  It has the softest butter yellow flowers.

 Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum commutatum) is popping up all over the place.  I'm so happy it continues to spread under this big rhododendron.

I also found flower buds on Epimedium, as well as tiny leaves emerging where I thought a mole's continually pushing up on another one had killed it, and flower buds on the fruiting currant bush.  Still no signs of life on a my favorite hydrangea in the path garden.   No signs of Uvularia or Virginia Bluebells yet either.
Sometimes I get so focused on one part of my garden that I sort of forget about other areas.  It's little signs of the path garden waking up that remind me of how pretty this part of the garden is in spring.  It just might be my favorite part of the yard this time of year.
Hope you are finding more and more of your garden waking up soon.
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.

It's just a matter of time.

Not too long I mentioned how behind the garden was getting from all of the below normal temperatures we'd been having.  I knew a few days above 50 would inspire the plants to get growing.  Along with some warmer weather (50 degrees feels warm right now) we've had lots of rain and wind.  Yesterday we set a record for rainfall.  I'm not sure I've seen it rain that hard many times before.  In one day we received half the average rainfall for March.  But, it's hard to complain when the plants seem to be getting revved up for a nice big spring show.

The Blueberry Bushes are loaded with buds.

Camellia japonica 'Marie Bracey' is finally starting to show a little pink.

Ribes sanguineum or Pink Flowering Currant is usually in bloom during March.  It looks like it won't be long now though.

Tete-a-tete daffodils are behind too, they sure got beat up by the rain.  I love how bright and cheery they are.

Marsh Marigold has one tattered bloom.  I also saw that the Water Hawthorne in the pond is starting to bloom.

These Daffodils seem to be on time, they bloom after the Tete-a-tetes are finished.

This Pulmonaria was a seedling that surprised me a couple of years ago.  I think this will be it's first year blooming, it's got lots of buds on it.

Crossing my fingers that this Magnolia 'Vulcan' finally blooms.  We had a late frost last year that killed the buds.

The Weeping Cherry tree is starting to bloom.

This might not look that exciting, but to me it's great news.  I dug up and moved this Peony a few weeks ago, just before the big freeze and snow.  I was hoping I hadn't killed it.  I'm doubtful it will bloom, but still hoping it might.

I found this the other day at a little antique mall near us.  I can't wait to plant it.  I'm trying to decide whether to make it a small water garden or a container garden.

I spotted this Bewick's Wren in the Snowball Bush with a little tuft of what looks like dog fur.  I couldn't figure out where he was going with it.  Early today I noticed sticks on our deck under the Pine tree and wondered where they were coming from.  Were the school kids throwing them over the fence?  (You'd be surprised at what they throw over).  They were not Pine tree twigs.  After seeing this wren with it's nesting material I remembered that a few years ago Crows built a nest in the Pine tree and I found the same types of sticks on the deck.  The wind must have knocked them loose.

I probably won't be around much the next several days since we will have company staying with us this weekend.  Hopefully the next time I post some of these buds will have opened into flowers. 
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.

March 2010 Bloom Day!

It's already mid March and just 5 days until Spring is officially on the calender. It's also time for March Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I looked back to see what was happening last year for March's bloom day and was reminded that it was snowing! I also saw that about all that was blooming were Hellebores, Pansies and Pulmonaria. This year all those and then some are blooming. This looks more like an April bloom day post, but I won't complain about that.

Blooming near the pond is Old Fashioned Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra spectabilis), the White Bleeding Heart is behind this one. The short yellow flowers to the left are Leopard's Bane (Doronicum orientale) and to their left are Tete-a-tete Daffodils.

In the pond Water Hawthorn (Aponogeton distachyos) is blooming although they look a little beat up after the freeze we had about a week ago.

Behind the pond are Daffodils 'Dutch Master' and Drumstick Primrose (Primula denticulata).

Out front the Weeping Cherry is in full bloom. It got a very short haircut last year, so it's a bit shorter than it should be. We thought it looked like a "Who" from Dr. Seuss.

Camellia japonica 'Kumaska' is covered in blooms and buds.

Lots and lots of Muscari is blooming. They've spread like crazy and are overtaking the Heucheras. Guess I'll have to divide and thin them out after they finish flowering.

In the back corner of the path garden it's never looked so good. There are several different types of Hellebores blooming, another Bleeding Heart, Muscari, Pulmonaria, Corylopsis 'Buttercup' and the Camellia japonica 'Marie Bracy'.

Not too bad for it being the middle of March. Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is hosted on the 15th of each month by Carol of May Dreams Gardens. Join her to see what she and other gardeners around the world have blooming today.

February 2010 Bloom Day.

It's hard to believe we're halfway through February already and time for another Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I looked back at last February's bloom day and saw that I had several of the same things blooming then as we have now. The Sarcococca ruscifolia is still blooming, as are the Primroses and Hellebores just like last year. But, I also remember we had snow for March's bloom day, so I think before I feel like Spring really is early here I want to see what March brings.
When I was out taking pictures I could feel how saturated the ground is with all of the rain we've had. With each step I took I could feel it squish beneath my feet.

Tete-a-tete Daffodils are popping open left and right, these are definitely a little early.

I might be jinxing myself by posting blooms of the Winter Daphne (Daphne odora), but I can't help it. The smell of just the first few blooms open already carries halfway across the yard. This is right on time for this shrub to be blooming.

Lots and lots of Hellebores blooming with more on the way in other parts of the yard. The annoying Bishop's Weed is already coming up in this bed. I've been working on removing it for the last 10 years from this area, but it comes back every year.

A closeup of one of the pinkish flowers.

Pansies that have been blooming since they were planted in early Fall.

Hellebore 'Mardi Gras Double' fully opened. I think she'd get lots of beads at the real Mardi Gras.

Camellia japonica 'Marie Bracey'. I love the bright pink of these against the glossy green leaves.

Pulmonaria just starting blooming. You can see the blooms starting to change color on some of the flowers. They start pink and eventually turn purple. I've found that these self seed as well as form clumps that are easy to divide. I started with one and now have 6 plants, all but one of the seedlings from last year even have buds on them. This plant was also blooming last year in February, and will bloom for a couple of more months.

Carol of May Dreams Gardens hosts Garden Bloggers Bloom Day on the 15th of each month. Visit her to see what she and other bloggers around the world have blooming.