Signs of Spring

With the temperatures reaching the 50’s, okay only twice, but I’m optimistic it will be a regular thing soon, I found signs that the garden is awakening.

One tiny sprout from a daylily Stella De Oro has awakened and is poking through the mulch.

Veronica Sunny Border Blue is beginning to take off.

Crocus have been blooming for a couple of weeks.

One lonely Early Stardrift.

The Woodstock Hyacinth are beginning to fade after blooming for about two weeks now.

Lilac Fragrant Purple, Syringa vulgaris, an old-fashioned common lilac, purchased from Stark Bros in spring 2005, are increasing in size each spring and this year are showing more buds. I have three surviving plants out of a package of ten (the only way are sold) and they are growing at different rates. The one planted in a raised bed is fairly scrawny compared to the other two, perhaps the soil is too rich for it. The other two are planted a little too close together so will need to be transplanted soon, probably next spring. My plan is to replace a few other lilacs that were growing here when we moved in and were not very well kept. But since I began pruning them out the last two years they are starting to show improvement. I don’t know what the cultivar is but I might keep those and give these to my daughter.