I took these pictures on Tuesday, when the weather was beautiful and before the latest snowfall.
The Prunus mume in the big perennial bed
with its very cup-shaped blooms.
The Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) is in full bloom. As much as I would love to have a Daphne, I am happy to have this plant. It's huge but it's ironclad, ridiculously easy to propagate, and the flowers are very sweet and lemony.
Winter honeysuckle isn't known for its beauty, but in late winter its pink and spring green buds and waxy white flowers are beautiful beyond compare. Even in summer it's a handsome shrub with dark green foliage. Eventually it gets too big and gangly, but it can take being whacked back.
If the air is warm enough, these fragrant flowers always draw the honeybees.
Thank you to Katarina at roses and stuff for hosting Blooming Friday.
Beautiful pictures, as usual! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThose bee photos are really nice. I love seeing the pollen on its legs.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any problems with the Winter Honeysuckle spreading beyond its bounds? I first came across this plant last winter and was thrilled with its fragrance. The word honeysuckle made me pause. Well behaved or not?
I have never seen Winter Honeysuckle before - it is incredibly gorgeous! You have most excellent taste in trees and shrubs :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful pics! Thank goodness that spring is coming!
ReplyDeleteI guess the fragrance is paradisly. Lucky you! Have a nice weekend in your beautiful springtime.
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures. I like your blog. Have a nice weekend./Gela
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful winter blooms. I bet your yard smells yummy with all that honeysuckle!
ReplyDeleteLovely prunus and honeysuckle blossoms! In Holland the first snowdrops are showing their heads...it won't be long now...
ReplyDeleteLieve groet, Madelief
I am also new to winter honeysuckle -- never knew of it. The lemon fragrance sounds wonderful, but I'm not sure where to put a big rangy shrub that could still be enjoyed near enough for its scent. You've got me thinking, though....
ReplyDeleteI have not had a problem with Winter Honeysuckle spreading around, unlike Japanese Honeysuckle, which spreads everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWinter Honeysuckle is a wafter, so if conditions are good you can catch the fragrance 50 feet away.
Sweet & lemony sounds good to me (and obviously to the bees too!) It is really looking like spring from your photos.
ReplyDeleteSO pretty!! My eyes are getting ready for some colour - although I think we'll have a couple of weeks (um months?) of white yet :) I"ll have to get my fix with a houseplant and your lovely blog!
ReplyDeleteYour winter honeysuckle is beautiful with its friend the bee visiting the bloom. I love taking a walk and catching the scent on a breeze~My neighbor has a planting and i get to benefit from it while it's blooming.
ReplyDeleteHave a sweet weekend...I am so ready for spring bloom here. gail
It must be lovely to have the sweet fragrance of your honeysuckle Sweet bay. The honeybees seem to love it and are gathering a bunch of pollen. Great photos of the buds, blooms and bees! Hope you have a warm weekend. Carol
ReplyDeleteYour Honeysuckle looks beautiful and the smell of sweet lemons must be fantastic. I can't really see any harm made from the snow, you Prunus still look wonderful, as do all your lovely photoes.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your weekend :)
Thank you for showing bees, Sweet Bay. They are so cheering and mean that it will warm up, someday. Your honeysuckle is way better than our daphne! I'll trade ya! :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
amazing bee pictures! wow.
ReplyDeleteI'm so longing for the buzing sound of bees...
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely weekend!
Beautiful flowering trees, and those bee photos are amazing! I heart bees.
ReplyDeleteThe wonderfully, practical standbys are very much appreciated. Their beauty comes to the forefront in leaner times. I do love the blossoms of the early flowering trees. They have their special ethereal beauty.The bees are certainly convinced and staunch followers. It is such a pleasure to see these delicate beauties and the heart fills with wonder.
ReplyDeleteGreat action shots of the bees!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blooms and bees! How lucky can a girl get? That purplish pink is such a wonderful color and I sure would love to smell the honeysuckle.
ReplyDeleteYou got some wonderful shots of the bee.
It amazes me that one day you are in the midst of a snow storm and the next you're out photographing bees and flowering plants. You've got the best of both worlds going on there in NC.
ReplyDeletedonna
Bees and blooms--it doesn't get much better than that! I love the smell of honeysuckle; looks like the honeybees do as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you for bees!
ReplyDeleteI miss them so much!Your pictures are wonderful I can almost hear them buzzing.... I hope soon I will see bees and butterflies again. Spring is only 20 days away!
Happy March.
Sweetest of bees!
Sherry
Sweet Bay, I love Winter Honeysuckle. Mine isn't blooming yet, but will be soon. I planted it in a forlorn place next to our deck so that we could smell it when we went outdoors. Thank you for the beautiful photos. It reminds me of spring.~~Dee
ReplyDeleteI'm anxious to see bees and blossoms in my own garden. Yours put a big smile on my face. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love the fragrance from winter honeysuckle. You got some really good shots - they are not easy to capture with a lens.
ReplyDeleteYea, bees! Spring is near!
ReplyDelete