Flowers by the Dozens

March 29 – These days we can expect to see more flowers opening and showing off their spring finery, except when the snow pops in to remind them that March will be around for almost another week. I usually keep a list of the various kinds and mark them in my journal. It’s fun from year to year to check what I have written previously to see if the time for blooming, and if it varies a whole lot. Sometimes I have found that the little blooms arrive at just about the same time, but in other years, it will be a big surprise as some, the daring kind, come out a few weeks ahead of time.

[ Henbit all over ]

I think I have mentioned some of the flowers already, but since I haven’t done much blogging lately, I’m going to do it again. In no special order of their colors or sizes, I will mention some that first come to mind.

Henbit: Now this is a strange little plant with reddish-purple flowers. Last week I was down on my hands and knees photographing the early blooms, not as much concerned about capturing the prettiest, but the first. By this week, the blooms have really grown, and pretty well taken over much of the lawn and garden. Some have filled up a ten by twelve foot area, and in other spots there are more of the same. For the last few years, many parts of the lawn have been taken over by henbit; no matter how I hoed the plants out, they still come back to show who’s boss (and it’s not me).

[ Daffodils ]

Daffodils: Once they finally decided it was warm enough for them to be out in the weather, these arrived just about everywhere. We have two large beds of beautiful golden flowers down by the creek, another two over by the picnic area, and a third up near the old artichoke patch (in memory of Biz and her Uncle Pete). The cream-colored flowers with their huge heads blowing around in the breeze, are special. Sad to say, many of our prize daffodils, which usually give us 50 bright yellow blooms, lost out in the weather battle a couple of days ago. The rains poured down while the wind blew the daffodils around as if they were straws; I could hardly believe how damaged they were.

[ Pink hyacinths ]

Hyacinths: Scattered ere and there in the big bed are bright pink hyacinths. Unfortunately, with all of the high winds taking over lately, the poor hyacinths have fallen over and must wait till next year for another try. Even those reddish pink ones in the bed along the front of the house have given up.

Surprise lilies: The leaves are getting ready to fade back into the ground until time for them to shoot back up later this year when least expected; living up to the surprise in their blooms.

Iris: The plants in the iris beds are so green and healthy-looking, reminding us that towards the end of May they will be showing off their many bright colors of lavender, golden yellow, white, and a lovely shade of yellow/brown. They were always one of my mother’s favorite flowers.

[ Grape hyacinths ]

Grape Hyacinths: Many of these cute little flowers are pushing their way up out of the ground to enjoy the sunshine. We can find them just about everywhere along the paths with their standing-up stem and bright purple flowers.

More about flowers tomorrow. – CHRIS