Look closely to see the gnome photobombing the Helleborus argutifolius. The gnome was painted by my grandmother over 30 years ago and has lost a lot of his color but is still standing watch over the garden.
Hyacinthoides hispanica has spread slowly, in a well mannered way, in the river rock bed. It has taken a few years but I am now able to move plants elsewhere.
I am so pleased with this! Aquilegia viridiflora "Chocolate Soldier", a 1902 heirloom columbine purchased last year from Annie's Annuals and Perennials , is blooming and is just as sweet as I hoped! Planted in a pot for better viewing it is cute as can be.
The pear tree is the (hopefully) penultimate fruit tree to bloom. The Italian plum tree is only now budding out and I am hoping it has some nice blooms. I planted the plum where it has not gotten much winter sun but after 3 years it is just getting tall enough to fix that. I am hoping the wait is almost over.
Coleonema pulchellum, pink Breath of Heaven, is blooming in the Secret Garden. These are tiny blooms but the masses of them lend a pretty pink cast to the fence line.
Not quite open yet in a container on the fence, an echiveria imbricata sets off my plea for rain, a gift from Cindy at My Corner of Katy.
After a nice harvest of Bearss limes this past season I am very happy to see lots and lots of blooms on the tree. Maybe next year I will have enough to use for more than cocktails. Guess that all depends on how many cocktails is enough.
Loropetalum chinense "Sizzling Pink" is backed by Camellia "Chandleri Elegans" with a few leucojum aestivum mixed in as well.
Yes, these are the flowers of the fig tree. Figs are actually an inverted flower. Luckily, the female wasp that must enter the fig in order for pollination to occur, although stuck inside and eventually dying there, will be broken down by an enzyme in the fig/flower into protein. So it is not too terribly gross and wasp parts are not visible by the time the fruit is ripe. If that grosses you out I am OK with it because it means more figs for me.
The first scabiosa of the year, backed by Helleborus Blue Lady or some other hellebore that was mislabeled Blue Lady.
More freesias open every day. I do love them and they are so easy to plant and forget until they return each spring. Also in bloom now: daffodils, Tulipa clusiana stellata, Rosa Cecile Brunner, iberis, muscari, argyranthemum, dianthus, and cyclamen.
For more almost-spring blooms visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens where bloggers from around the world link on the 15th of each month.
One final photo...the wisteria, the oldest plant in my garden, is just beginning to bloom as well!
