Six on Saturday – daffs and tulips and hyacinths oh my

 

Can you close your eyes and waft in the fragrance of these Hyacinth? 

Spring has a firm hold on us now – there’s no stopping the explosion of colour all over the garden.  Tulips, Hyacinths and Narcissus are all starting to parade their seasonal, glorious display and our continued cool temperatures (a few days of warmth forecast for next week notwithstanding) will help ensure a lengthy blooming period.  We’re expecting rain later today and all day tomorrow (not a bad thing unless one was wanting to get on with the spring clean-up) so I was out early to get these six photos.  You can check out a lot more ‘Sixes’ by heading to The Propagator‘s page!

I’m so happy I planted hundreds of Chianodoxa last October – they’re everywhere, like here, helping define the path that divides the side garden.  So cheerful!

Here’s more Chianodoxa planted at the base of a small Korean Fir I paid $5 for at auction last fall.  It’s quite bedraggled (you should have seen the roots crammed into its pot!) , and I’m not sure it’ll grow out of it’s shagginess, but I do see that buds are expanding so there’s hope!

I love how Lupins emerge in the spring – sending their beautifully architectural leaves into the sky.

These vibrant red tulips are always the first to bloom.  I don’t know the variety, unfortunately, but when fully open it’s quite spectacular.  If there’s a peek of sunshine later today I’ll try to get a shot.

I can’t have a photo essay without including Shileau.  She’s by my side (or near my side, anyway, following trails only her nose can detect) whenever I’m in the garden. These daffs are planted just inside a patch of woods – they started life in a pot on the dining room table about 10 years ago.  I love how some bulbs can be re-purposed from being an interior decoration to an exterior fixture.