AUTUMNAL PLANTING OF BULBS
Virginia springtime is so different from Texas.
Whereas pops of colors set against green leaves reign in Texas, the opposite happens in Virginia.
Early spring blossoms in Virginia are set against the wintery dead trees, reaching bare branches to the sky.
Seeking to overcome the lateness of full spring, I carefully selected my favorite colors of spring flowers last autumn, in the bulb section of the garden center.
Completely new to me are these bulbs that don’t survive the short winters and long summer heat of San Antonio.
Since it was so new to me, to consider these mid-Atlantic spring blossoms, I took my time finding some that especially beguiled me.
Then as the days became warmer, they popped their colorful florals into the deadness of winter, giving hope for the full spring yet to come in May.
Meanwhile we also planted all the ornamental trees possible in our huge yard, to provide a profusion of color and newness.
Trees like these don’t usually grow well in the warm San Antonio weather.
APRIL BLOSSOMS
While this winter saw only one major snow storm, a Nor’easter that dropped ten inches, spring didn’t arrive in my garden until April.
Purchased from the Mount Vernon garden center, my creeping phlox is perfectly low lying yet perky, supporting the taller flowers in the garden.
Our own cherry blossom tree closely parallels the opening of the blossoms in Washington, D.C.
I love viewing these from my dining room window, where I sew.
This crabapple planted just below the cherry blossom is similar in form and color, yet much messier. Glad we planted it further down the hill.
We found this tiny tree frog on our deck railing at the end of April. I’ve never seen these in Texas!
Although I love all the spring trees, my favorite is the dogwood (see photo header).
As the movie An American President made famous, the dogwood is the Virginia state flower and state tree!
MAY BLOSSOMS
Then the beauty of April was superceded by the gloriousness of full out spring, florals set against the perky greeness of leaves and grass.
My favorite of all the spring flowers is the peony!
All of these flowers come back every spring, even these chives full of purple blossoms in my herb garden!
I love cooking with chives and my other herbs from the garden.
And I love the picket fence!
Although I just missed the freshness of this bleeding heart, I love its uniqueness.
I bought this at the colonial nursery in Colonial Williamsburg.
JUNE BLOSSOMS
And then it was warm enough to plant flowers in my urns near the front door.
This calla lily was first planted in the urn two years ago. I do nothing to protect it from the cold snows of winter.
And now we have grapes growing on the bare side of the house!
