I love it when the spring bulbs finally start blooming. There’s this odd anticipation of the coming summer, mixed with a constant watching of the sky for the next spring storm.
The orange Chopin Crown Imperials came up WAY too early. But I am really happy with how strong and tall their first year’s growth is.
The new Service berry trees made it through their first winter. We’ll see if they grow here in the tree ring in the front lawn. We planted Catalpa here the first year we moved in. They were beautiful until they were slaughtered by a late freeze in the 7th year. We replaced the Catalpas with hot pink crab apples, which made it two years. The freeze/heat/freeze/heat cycles of the 2014 winter took them out.
So fall of 2015 we planted the two Service berries. They’re supposed to be indestructible, native to the high plains. Convince me. Already, in early April the tulip bed is filled with weeds. I sprayed this bed three times last year but the weeds just keep coming. It’s like a divine farce or something. This year’s strategy is vinegar. But I need to pull this first batch while the tulips are blooming. Sigh.
This is the second winter for these baby Carol Mackie Daphnes. I had 4 really nice shrubs here, which I planted in 2005. I got them a little too close to the Korean Lilacs and they were crowding each other, so I trimmed them back and moved them forward. They did not appreciate that. So these babies are their replacement. So far so good.
The Daffodils have been up for a couple weeks, but I was surprised to see the tulips pop up so soon.
Into the Spring we go! Gird up your overalls, this journey is not for the faint of heart. Forward Ho!
