After last week's snow, sleet and freezing rain we had balmy and humid temps in the 60's on Friday, with the threat of tornadoes. Welcome to winter in central NC. Even when we do experience doses of real winter weather, there are almost always days like spring mixed in too. Very, very thankfully we did not receive the apocalyptic 2" of ice that was forecast last week. We just got snow and then a trace of freezing rain and our power stayed on.
Once the snow melted and the weather warmed up, the frogs turned their music up full blast and the flowers of the winter honeysuckle, which I had thought finished by the cold, are coming out again and buzzing with honeybees. The early speedwells, both the volunteer Creeping Speedwell and Georgia Speedwell, are covered with blue flowers. The Bluebirds and Song Sparrows are singing and some of the crocus are in bloom! To celebrate the eventual return of spring here are pictures of the garden next to the house from May of 2013.
Coast azalea
Iris dalmatica
The pink flowers are Phlox pilosa var. ozarkana
Foxglove
Purple geranium
'Alchymist'
Delia's Purple
'Sir Robert Lipton' and Phlox pilosa
Mockorange
Oakleaf hydrangea
I think we have had the same weather as you, but my Veronica 'Georgia Blue' has yet to flower. Another day or so like the past two, and I know it will pop into bloom.
ReplyDeleteOh, so lovely and lush! I can almost feel the warmth. I love that last shot of the oakleaf Hydrangea tumbling into the grass. Glad you didn't lose power or get inundated with ice.
ReplyDeleteWith so much beauty to look forward to, I can understand the yearning to hasten spring's return. So much of the US has suffered through one weather challenge after another this year. In southern California we seemed to have skipped even our subdued version of winter altogether this year, although there is a prediction of rain for the end of next week...
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe that all that greenery is only 2-3 months away! We've had our first crocus blossoms and the daffodil leaves are pushing up out of the ground, but otherwise things still look pretty darn wintery.
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!! As always I am in awe of all that luscious beauty that you have there surrounding you. A lot of hard work, but well worth it. What is the white flowering plant that sprawls and looks so wonderful in several pictures? I always love seeing your roses, your purple flowers plants, your spiderworts, (you have colors of them that I don't have). Thanks for sharing your bit of paradise on earth.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely Sunday and a great week ~ FlowerLady
Thank you Lorraine! The white flowering plant is a mockorange I started from a cutting.
DeleteO yes, I am also looking forward to such a beautiful summer garden. At this time of year I always wonder how on earth it´s possible that within a few months all gets green and colored again. You have a lovely white Clematis!
ReplyDeleteThese are enchanting photos of your spring garden 2013! I would look very much forward to such a garden as well! I especially love the arbor with the roses growing to its side, the foxgloves, and the mockorange. That shrub is out of this world beautiful! In my garden due to the very unusual warm temperatures this winter we will get a very early spring. I guess, that everything will be at least flowering a month prior to its normal bloom time. Wishing you a good week!
ReplyDeleteChristina
It's great to read the forecasted weather did not come. Your gardenphoto's are so gorgeous. You have a beautiful paradise.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week.
So much beauty ... Thank you, Sweetbay !
ReplyDeleteThe beautiful month of May. You've had much more of a 'proper' winter than we have. Dank and grey sums up Jan and Feb over here. Roll on Spring. Roll on sunshine.
ReplyDeleteHi Dear,
ReplyDeleteyou don't have a garden, you have a paradies! Thank you for sharing it.
Wish you sunnshine and a good time
Elisabeth
Your spring pictures have brightened a cold Monday morning. I have been toying with the idea of buying a mock orange- not that I really have room for one. It is such a lovely shrub and the fragrance is supposed to be so nice. Your pictures have me very tempted and cautious at the same time. It looks like it takes up quite a bit of space. Man it pretty though! Hmm...maybe by the side fence where the old weigela died...
ReplyDeleteGlad you didn't get the predicted ice--I'll take snow anyday rather than ice! We had one day last week when the temps were near 60, but we're back to arctic conditions once again. Your photos are such a treat today--surely, spring will be here one of these days?? The mock orange is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAhhhh....I will have to enjoy your spring virtually for a while yet. It looks gorgeous! We planted some mockorange and I can't wait to see--and smell--them!
ReplyDelete