It is finally here...Spring 2016! This year March seemed to last forever. Who ever thought of giving it 31 days?! Certainly not a gardener. Luckily in Georgia we get an extra month on both ends, Spring and Fall. I shouldn't complain about poor March after all.
The daffodils were a dud. We had a false "Spring" during December and some came out yelling "Are we there yet" ? Is it time? NO. and that was it for them.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have another freeze like last year in April that took care of the hydrangea macrophylla blooms. These are the ones we are all familiar with, the mopheads also known as French hydrangeas.
30% of the color in my backyard comes from these hydrangeas so I had to improvise a lot last year with annuals. Luckily, as with investments, it pays to diversify; so I have others like hydrangea paniculata, that bloom on new wood.
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| hydrangea paniculata Limelight |
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| The Foxtail Fern wintered rather well in Mother's apartment. In a week, with warmer temperatures, it will be ready to go back out. |
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| I saved this dogwood from getting obliterated. All it needed was pruning and fertilizing. |
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| The only man in the house, the Macho Fern, waiting to go in his pot up front. Wait 'til you see him in a couple of months! |
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| Lavender from the grocery store in front of a photo from our sugar mill in Cuba in the 1950's. The mill is gone but the lavender will go in the ground and live another day... |
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| Small dahlias waiting to go in a pot on our deck. I have already been warned there won't be any on the ground this year....sigh. |
As I type this it's cool again...a typical early April. Tomorrow is Madame Mere's 91st birthday and we shall celebrate. We already had the big feast last weekend when the whole family was here for Easter. No matter, we shall celebrate again. Each year is a gift. For her and for each and every one of us.
Stay tuned for the recipe I cooked for Madame Mere's Birthday.