We have had freezing temperatures, ice, snow, wind, and rain, rain, rain. Even though we are in an El Nino pattern, we have been getting plenty of rain. I mention it only because when you have a “water intrusion” as the building trades like to call it (aka a leak), you do notice the unremitting rain.
However, all is not dreary and gray! No indeed, with the above average temperatures that El Nino brings, we are starting to see early spring flowers popping up. I should be worried about them; they should be worried about themselves. It’s really too early to be bursting into bloom. February is known around here as the ice storm month for good reason. But, I am so happy to see them!
In my yard, the winter blooming jasmine is sporting sunny yellow flowers. OK, it’s a winter bloomer, not a sign of early spring, but I love it anyway. Cheers for the jasmine! Thanks for the joy!
My neighbor’s yard is rife with daphne, and they are just starting to send out their heady fragrance. Do you like the smell of daphne? It reminds me of Froot Loops cereal, so sweet!
There are bulb-borne flowers starting to push out of the ground, strong, sturdy, sword-like leaves are cleaving their way through the soil. Tulips, hyacinths, daffodils.
Even the hydrangea is showing new leaf buds on its winter scarred branches. I wasn’t sure we’d get any hydrangeas after that cold snap and snow storm. It is such a fibrous plant that it dies right back in the cold. Ours seems to have survived.
Some planting guides suggest that we can put peas in the ground now (snow peas, I’d guess), but I’m going to wait just a little longer for that. That would be tempting fate, tempting the weather gods just a little too much.
What are your favorite spring flowers? What’s blooming in your yard or neighborhood?
5 comments:
Absolutely nothing going on over here in the Northeast. We're in the middle of another arctic blast so the weather is simply painful today. Reading about all the lovely flowers you have blossoming around you made me smile in anticipation of Spring. February is right around the corner - we're moving on from winter! Go away cold!
Wow, that's a lot of blooming stuff in January.
Nothing going on in Southeast Texas either. Garden centers will have a business boom come spring because of all the plants that died during the three days of below freezing weather we had. Lots of droopy, black leaves to be seen.
Soon, though, tulip magnolias, redbuds and flowering pears should blooming - harbingers of spring that they are.
Nothing blooming in upstate New York except for ice, snow and frost on all surfaces. Brrrrr.
We do have a holly bush that at least stays green along with some evergreen shrubs.
I most look forward to the lilacs, iris and daffodils. But it will be a few months yet. :(
You are so lucky to have so much spring growth in January. Not much growing in Virginia and a snow storm is on the way. But in February the forsythia will be in bloom and then the cherry, lilac and redbuds. I like spring flowering trees the best, but I enjoy daffodils and tulips, too.
Daphne is my favorite harbinger of spring...shortly followed by the daffodils! Bring it!
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