The sun run continues!

Well, for once I'm glad the weather forecast at the beginning of the week was wrong.  We had another day of sun.  I had some time outside and I worked on cleaning out a smallish bed that I put together last year.  

There was already a viburnum (Snowball bush) in the bed, that we planted quite a few years ago.  Last spring I asked my husband to put a post in for a birdhouse near the back of the bed for me.  I've planted a clematis on two sides of the post and I saw yesterday that both are popping back up.  The shrub that is visible here is pieris japonica 'Purity'.  I see that  I need to get some more soil to fill in the back area.  Since the viburnum is lower than the edge of the planter, and I don't want to dig it up, I'm trying to be careful about how I add the soil.  The butterfly bush is just barely visible to the left in this picture.  There is a penstemon on the right.  I think it will be okay, just a bit beat up from the winter.  I also have some echinacea in the blank space here.  I'll see how things look as the spring and summer progress and decide what else I need to add.   

My new abelia 'Francis Mason' has finally gotten some new leaves.  I didn't get to see it bloom last year, but the tag says it will have "fragrant light pink flowers from late spring to fall." Abelia is semi-evergreen here, but this winter it lost all of its leaves, as did all of the other abelias in my yard. 

In the same bed I found that the polemonium 'Brise d'Anjou' (Jacob's ladder) has new growth as well.  They were really pretty last year and I'm looking forward to them being bigger and better.  The variegated foliage really brightened up an area that doesn't get a whole lot of sun.

In the front part of the yard I saw that the pear trees have lots of buds on them.  Even if they don't produce pears this year, I'm sure they will look pretty.  It looks as if a couple of petals are escaping!

Look what else I found in the front yard.  Hellebore seedlings, and lots of them!  

I did find one other newly planted abelia from last year that looks quite dead.  It feels brittle and I can't find any new growth.  I'm not giving up just yet, but I don't have much hope for it.  

Could it be possible that we'll have another nice day, or will the weatherman be right that there is now a chance of a snow/rain mix in the next few days?

Blotanical working yet?

I'm still having a difficult time figuring out if Blotanical is back up yet.  I miss reading all the great blogs!

Sunny backyard photos.

 The sun returned again yesterday.  I was quite surprised because the morning was gray and rainy.   I was very good and didn't go out until I had finished my inside work.  Just thought I'd share some of what I found in my backyard.

My Corsican hellebore was looking especially pretty with sun shining on her.  It's interesting to note that the Corsican hellebores that are not in mostly sun are very far behind in blooming.  They are just beginning to show buds.  This particular one is full of flowers and buds.

Clematis jackmanii is showing lots of new growth.  It covers a tuteur outside the kitchen window with tons of dark purple flowers.

The pulmonaria is continuing to produce a lot of flowers.  I'd say this is the best year it's had. The other pulmonarias in my yard are nowhere near as energetic right now.  They are mostly resting and showing some leaves.

I think this is one of my favorite pictures of flowers this year.   You can see the color changing from blue to pink on two of the flowers.  If you click to enlarge it, the flowers almost pop out.

Looking up at the blue sky through the apple tree.  The buds are swelling and it looks as if the flowers are not far away. 

A lupine leaf with the sun shining on it.   I've forgotten what color flowers are on this one.  They only seem to live for a few years, if I'm lucky they reseed.  They are one of my favorite early June flowers.   I think they have a very nice scent as well.  

I hope the sun can hold on for one more day, I have another flower bed that needs a good cleanup.