Friday, April 15, 2016

Meme - Garden Bloggers Bloom Day April 2016 #AtoZChallenge

Today, on the 15th day of the month, and the mid point of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, I participate in a monthly meme called Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.  Hosted by an Indiana blogger at May Dreams Gardens, gardeners from all over the world show off what is blooming in their yards (and/or houses) on the 15th of each month.

If you participate each month, it's a sneaky way of making you keep a gardening journal.

Here in my upstate New York zone 5b garden, it was a historic winter and early spring.  Low snowfall, an unforgettable Christmas Eve (December 24) with people partying outside on their patios, crocuses coming out in March.  What wasn't there to like?

Well, the snow we had on April 4 (followed by record cold that killed the already emerged cherry and magnolia blossoms (RIP), and turned daffodils into droopodils) then more snow.  But the good news is, the snow is gone and it appears that spring is finally here.  A spring that will be minus some of its signature blooms, but spring nevertheless.

Finally, I have more flowers than I have room to show you.

For the first time, I am grateful for my location - my blooms are always a few days later than those in the neighborhood, and that may have been what saved some of these flowers.

I propped up one of my droopodils against the side of the house, and it is quite alive and well.  Just drooped.  These came with the house, which we've owned for nearly 30 years.

My final jonquil bloom (not 100% sure if it is a jonquil or a tiny daffodil, but it was in full bloom when the snow came.)

My first white hyacinth is just starting to open.  Its lateness saved it - many area hyacinths were already in bloom.

My species tulip.
My first grape hyacinth.  Finally.
In the back, vinca.  These plants also came with the house, and are going strong.

Also, in the back, primroses are blooming furiously.  This is also not a modern variety.  The flowers are tiny, but are they prolific.

Sanguinaria, or bloodroot, is finishing up.

Meanwhile, as to my houseplants, kalanchoe is blooming.

My last Thanksgiving cactus bloom - although one of my plants is putting out blooms again.  This has been their best blooming season ever.

My last year Mother's Day moth orchid reblooming- here are some of the 14 blooms.  Not bad for a supermarket orchid plant, is it?

And last but not least, my gardening gamble - the April Rose camilla I bought in North Carolina last year.  It is out of its zone but I took a gamble in growing it in upstate New York.  I love camillas so.

It appears it has survived the late cold snap, and the one day it got to -10F.  Let's hope it lives up to its name.

Now, please click on the "May Dreams Gardens" link above, and visit other garden bloggers from all over the world.

14 comments:

  1. Beautiful! My garden is still hiding under the snow.

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  2. I do love hyacinths and I can almost smell yours. You have a wonderful selection of April blooms. Happy Bloom Day!

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  3. Love your flowers. and returning your visit to my Treetrack'n blog. I know what you mean about New York weather. We used to live in Middletown and I always held my breath until Mother's Day. I'm in Colorado now, the tulips and iris are finally ready to bloom and we expect 10 inches of heavy wet snow over the weekend. Such is the life of a gardener.

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  4. Gorgeous! Our morning glory is just starting to bloom.

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  5. I loved spring! And the beauty it adds to the garden. The flowers, the leaves, everything looks so fresh :)

    Wonderful pictures :)

    Cheers
    Geets

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  6. The camellia is looking good! We have our own mini ice age this weekend, just as the leaves are starting to appear everywhere. As we say in England, it's just not cricket.

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  7. So beautiful...all of your blooms. Meme's...clever Letter M. This really was a crazy winter weather year...even here in Texas. LOL on the droopadils!!!

    I've had a hectic...nice word for hellish...week at work, so I will be catching up with visiting on my day off...Sunday! Thanks for all your comments. I think I have replied to them all.
    Sue at CollectInTexas Gal

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  8. Droopadils, AWWWWW!

    Beautiful flowers despite this kinda whacky Spring we've been having. I'm in NYC and I was outside with a friend on April 1st - they commented on how nice a day it was and said something about Spring having sprung. I, on the other hand, had looked at the forecast. "Don't get your hopes up, this is just another April Fool's Day joke".

    I'm getting my little community garden plot ready for planting this weekend, though, ready or not!

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  9. so many beautiful flowers - and such a blessing they survived the snow - I haven't managed to grow many at all and we don't even get snow (so I have no excuses!) Leanne @ cresting the hill

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  10. How lovely! If not for my husband, our yard would be nothing but dirt and rocks. I have a black thumb. Best of intentions, but no skill at keeping plants alive and thriving. I've always had a special fondness for mint, asparagus ferns, pothos (which I never remember, but can easily find by Googling "office ivy you can't kill"), wandering jew, and spider plants. Mainly because they refuse to die on me unless I actually attempt to care for them at all.

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  11. Looks about the same rate as my flower bed does.
    Coffee is on

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  12. wow you got so many flowers in your garden... loved all of them :) It's autumn here so the growth is quite slow now. Long time for spring :)

    A Whimsical Medley
    Twinkle Eyed Traveller

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  13. Wow Alana I love your garden. I love gardening too. We stay in an apartment so our space is limited. I do container gardening. Currently China rose and Gerberas are blooming apart from some other herbs and garlic. I love loved your flowers.
    Tina From
    The Sunny Side of Life
    Twinkling Tina Cooks

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  14. Good luck on the camellia! I am looking forward to seeing it bloom! My bloodroot is just starting which shows how much further behind I am than you. The flowers of some of my droopadils looked fine so I cut them just above where the stem bent and they were fine. Others drooped right behind the blossom. They were no good for cutting but they didn't look good anyway. I love your first daffodil pictured. I think it's an heirloom variety but I don't remember the name.

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