We can usually count on forsythia being in full bloom by now ... an unmistakable sign that it's time to put winter behind us and begin the spring pruning and clean up in the rose garden. No forsythia flowers in sight yet. The buds are there, but they barely show any color.
The roses are generally beginning to put on noticeable growth by now, as they prepare for their late May spring show. This year, leaf buds are just barely beginning to break on some roses ... they are still tightly closed on others.
'Dr. E. M. Mills' rooted cutting from last year in a pot.
Rosa acicularis, brought home from our trip to Alaska two years ago. I knew it would be okay in the cold.
Hellebores don't mind winter, no matter how cold and snowy it was. They appear to be immune to whatever winter dishes out. They bloom and spread and are a wonderful early season feature in the shady parts of my garden.
This little group of crocus is in the same bed as the Hellebores, but I didn't plant them. I'm thinking that they were probably brought here and buried by squirrels, who stole them from one of our neighbors.
Finally, we have this single dandelion flower in the grass beside my greenhouse. Weeds will always find a way.
As far as I can tell, the garden may be as much as a full two weeks behind where I expect it to be. I am not at all disappointed by this ... it feels as if I have been given a bit of extra time to do what I can to put the roses and the rest of the garden into better shape this year.
According to the weather folks, winter isn't finished with us yet. It's supposed to snow again tomorrow.