“When there are no more flowers on the tree”. John Dromgoole

Well it’s definitely still the height of blooming time here! What a glorious spring.

We had record cold snap this year. A 7 degree cold snap in fact. The coldest we’ve had so far. Our Bottle-brush tree died to the ground this time. It’s shooting up new sprouts but it has left a huge open hole in the garage garden.

This is what it looked like just a couple of years ago:So Sad!! What a beaut!

We can’t seem to decide if we want to pull the stump and plant something else there, or give it one more chance. Decisions decisions.

We lost the Anacacho Orchid tree also and I miss it’s cheerful while blooms in late April.

Moving along to more cheerful sightings, snapdragons are out sunning themselves after a cold snap.

But it didn’t stop the bluebonnets from popping up in this very Texas looking garden. You can still see the cold burn on the pads of the cactus.

Perennial Blanket flower has been a big hit for the bees so far. It’s a relatively new cultivar and the label said that it should bloom for longer than the annual blanket flowers bloom. I bought this plant this spring  – I just couldn’t resist – so we will see how it handles the tough heat and drought.

And the Coral honeysuckle is doing really well so far. It didn’t flinch in the cold and sent out a flush of pink blooms which the migrating hummingbirds appreciated. This is its 2nd year in the ground near the arbor and is steadily making its way up and around.

Their flowers almost look like an alien with the feelers sticking up.

Corsican violet does NOT disappoint so far.  I planted it in the new garage garden early April and it’s pushed out lovely blooms all month. We will have to see if it can hold up to the Texas drought and heat. It’s in afternoon shade so it should handle it ok. It adds a measure of blue cheeriness to this bare new garden while other plants are barely visible still coming out of winter dormancy.

Last summer I threw some bluebonnet seeds into this garden too. I was hoping it would have the same effect and it sure did.

Coreopsis ‘Uptick Yellow and Red’ sure did not disappointing either! What a gem to the early spring garden. I planted it 2 weeks ago and already it has bloomed and attracting all manner of critters to its pretty petals.This poor fly unfortunately did not fare too well but I bet the spider is pleased.

I planted a bunch of yellow perennials in this garden so it would look cheerful in spring. And so far it has worked wonders.

On to the birds in the garden: Cedar Waxwings really only spend late winter and early spring with us and I was just so thrilled to find them enjoying one of my fountains. I was even more thrilled to finally get an amazing close up shot of them. It’s usually hard to get any good photos of them because they flock high in tall trees and are pretty shy of humans. Imagine my delighted surprise to see them bathing in the fountain near the back window. Birds just can’t resist moving water. Cedar Waxwings are highly social and spend the short months here in large flocks stripping every last berry off the hollies before flying north for the breeding season. Fly safe little ones.   

A surprise visit of a Painted Bunting sharing a bath with a Tufted Titmouse. These birds are pretty shy too. They stay the summer and breed here. It would be so lovely if there is a nest nearby.

Irises are up for the early April bloom cycle. I used to have all the colors of irises in there from red, to blue to yellow to purple. Over the years only the blue and purple have remained. I’ll have to go shopping for another one – maybe a yellow.

I’ll end this post with a semi action shot of Sadie and her surprise squirrel visitor. She was sunning herself around the bird feeders and I guess Miss Squirrel was hungry and couldn’t wait any longer to get some lunch and took her chances. Let the standoff begin!

Happy spring everyone. I hope it warms up soon for all my northern friends. I know it’s been a tough winter for many out there.