Sunday, April 05, 2009

Sunday Stroll - Looking Closely



Above, are Tulips in my front garden bed. Several varieties of tulip are emerging. I see these little rosy-hued green leaves with their frost-bitten tips and I think in shades of red, purple, pink, white, orange, or yellow... depending on where the leaves are peeking through.

Below, the first delicate chives are shooting up. I tasted a tiny blade today... my first "harvest" of 2009. lol!
Aquilegia (columbines) and poppies have appeared .. just young leaves but they add color and texture to the garden in pale red and vibrant green.



Crocus buds remained closed, as the sun hid behind a heavy veil of clouds all day. The first purple crowns of grape hyacinth (muscari) are appearing along the butterfly garden trail. Daffodil buds are plumping up all over the garden, and that first iris blossom is tattered and faded, but hanging in there. It even survived our 10 inch snow fall last weekend.




The snow still lingers in some places, but temperatures in the upper thirties for the past few days have slowly but surely melted most of last week's snowfall away. There are tiny bubbling springs and little freshets in low places that are dry most of the year.


Inside the Quiet Country House, a few things are blooming. The Poinsettia from Christmas is still brightening up the dining room. There are now some tulips blooming on the kitchen counter which I bought myself in honor of my first child's birthday (someone ought to buy the Mom a gift on her child's birthday, right?) Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I hope a little beauty has brightened your day!







... all photos by Aisling, April 5, 2009

11 comments:

Cloudhands said...

I'm still amazed that you had such a early Iris. It still looks good. I'm not familiar with such an early blooming kind. My Iris are still emerging spears of green, no sign of buds. How nice for you that you are finding so many signs of spring growth. Your "I gave you your birthday" tulips are a very pretty color.

Brenda Pruitt said...

My purple hyacinths have seen their day, and are on their way out. Tulips are peaking. Azaleas, almost gone. But yes, the chives are thick with promise. And many things in my garden are blooming and growing like crazy today.
Brenda

Miss.Katie said...

gorgeous colours!

Marcie said...

Mom/Cloudhands,

This iris is a tiny dwarf. I think it came in a basket of early tulips, daffodils and this iris. It was in the house for a while, quite a few years back, then I planted them. Each year it pops up and is one of my earlist blooms. The rest of my iris are just starting to think about become green leaves.

Marcie said...

Brenda, I'm coming by to see if you postsed about any of that. The first herbs are always wonderful to me after a winter of using dried!

Running, Thank you, and thank you for visiting!

Green Mamma said...

I love how spring and new life emerge when just days ago you shared photos of a recent snow. Life's persistence and beauty bring a smile to my face every year at the end of a long winter.

It looks like your garden is really coming to life now. Amazing!

This week I am strolling around the blooming cherries in the Washington, D.C. area.

Marcie said...

Green Mamma, I look one direction and see a bank of snow... look another and see a flower bud. As you say, amazing!

I'm off to see your cherry-stroll and add you to the list of Sunday Strollers. Our cherries here are several weeks away. :)

Everydaywoman said...

Aisling~
I just love your up-close look at everything; wonderful photography! There IS hope that spring is indeed here even after your huge snowstorm last weekend.

I also LOVE your Mom's comments. How inspirational; now I know where you get it from!

Marcie said...

Ruth,

Our forecast for the week is looking pretty good this morning. Another snowstorm hit south of us, and we are "in the clear" for the next several days. I hope my flowers have a little growth spurt over the next week. *grin*

Thank you also for your kind words about my Mom. She is enjoying this blogging community, and I am thrilled to get to "visit" with her this way.

Have a great week!

Dee/reddirtramblings said...

Ah, spring will be there soon. It's looking better and better at your place. Here, well it's sprung, but the cold weather will rein us back in tonight.~~Dee

Marcie said...

Dee... That up and down in temperature is, I suppose, a regular part of spring. We have a dusting of snow on the ground this morning, but the rest of the week looks promising!