Spring has sprung in the mountains! On our property, our cherry is starting to bloom. I’m not sure what variety this is, I think it is a Japanese cherry, but I really don’t know. I’ve never seen any fruit on it. Or else the birds and bears are eating them before I notice any. Still, the pretty pink blooms on the edge of the meadow say spring is here. I just hope we don’t get a late freeze.
As we drove over to the vaccination clinic last week, I noticed that the weeping cherries were blooming beautifully. I hadn’t brought a camera with me, so here is a photo of one from a few years ago. These are bursting out all over the place right now, just gorgeous. The delicate pink blooms have a lovely light scent.
I love weeping cherries. They grow very tall, this one was well over 100 feet, with delicate pink blooms that cascade down the branches. This isn’t the best photo as it was taken on a rainy day, but it shows the shape and majesty of these trees.
Lots of forsythia are in bloom now too. These golden blossoms are so pretty, and I have been meaning to plant a couple in our yard for years now. Every spring I declare I’ll do it, and every year I forget to get them when I’m getting my torenias. Maybe this will be the year. This photo is from a few years ago, too. I should never go anywhere without a camera!
A thunderstorm with hail was forecast last week, so right before it started to rain, I went out to cut some of the daffodils to bring inside. I usually don’t do this, as I like them to remain in the garden. But hail would destroy them, so I cut a couple of vases full.
Then the storm wasn’t as bad as predicted. I was glad I left half of them in the garden, so now I can enjoy them on the counter as well as in the yard.
A few days later, and more blooms have opened, so you don’t even know I cut a bunch. It looks like there are yet more to come, too.
On the island flowerbed in the driveway circle, the vinca minor ground covers are blooming bright purple, looking like a carpet. Such a vibrant color, especially when accented by the yellow daffodils.
Going up the mountainside in the back, the vincas cover the ground all over.
Here’s a look at another section. These cover the mountainside, thousands of tiny purple flowers.
I found this little hyacinth bloom in the front flowerbed, not as full as the first time it bloomed, but still fragrant. And it is several years old now.
Jack stopped by a few days in the past week. I haven’t seen Oliver in a few days. My Sweet Babboo has observed that Jack has bigger areas of white fur behind his ears, and we’ve been using that to tell them apart. Oliver’s tufts are smaller. Still, though, the best indicator of which one is here is where they take their tidbits to eat. Jack favors the top of the stairs to the right, while Oliver heads for the retaining wall to the left.
On the bird feeder, a female cardinal shares the bounty with a red bellied woodpecker.
At the lower edge of the meadow, a pear tree blooms white, while a maple blooms in a rust color.
Foggy mornings are common in the spring, dawn is quiet and magical. You can see the cherry in the mist.
Back on the feeder, a downy woodpecker stopped by.
In the basement, the seedlings are coming along well. I hope to have squash and tomatoes in abundance, with lots of basil and parsley too.
Going out to water the plants in the Carolina room, I found a lovely surprise! The bleeding heart has woken up, started growing and is blooming!
So pretty, these delicate heart shaped flowers are pale pink and white. A grouping is tucked up next to the base of the plant.
Another stalk is longer and has several flowers still developing.
My avocado tree is starting to grow again too. It will get re-potted in early April when warms up and I can move it to the veranda.
Don’t laugh, but I cannot remember what this plant is. But it survived the winter and looks healthy. If it blooms, I’ll know then.
The geraniums continue to bloom sporadically. This one is a pretty pink.
The other one has an orange cast.
There is such a feeling of hope for the future when spring flowers begin to bloom. The land is waking up, coming alive again after a long winter. This year more than ever, probably because we have been cooped up so long, this spring seems to be more of an awakening than any spring before. I look forward to renewing friendships, taking drives again, and going hiking more.
What is blooming in your garden? Any pretty birds stopping by?
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From My Carolina Home 
The pictures are beautiful. Yesterday was the day last year that the blue bird came but didn’t stay. So hoping he comes back. We are ready for him, birdhouse and food.
Good morning Carole. Spring in the mountains must be gorgeous! I love all the flowering trees and your garden coming to life. I can almost smell the hyacinth. Spring always lifts my spirit after a long winter. Happy Tuesday!
Lovely to see the spring flowers. You are ahead of us…does look like the redbuds might be starting soon, and baby daffodils are blooming. Such a fun time of year to see all our familiar friends returning!
Oh, how I love spring! Forsythia and daffs are blooming fiercely, but the tulip magnolias and Bradford pears are still shy. I have not seen any cherry trees in bloom yet in our region, though I look each day. Lilac bush leaves are popping out. I love that pink blush color of your bleeding heart. I bought that plant for a friend when her pet dog died for a memory planting.
beautiful trees and plants. I planted a weeping Cherry tree 3 years ago and it is near the house – I had no idea it could get so tall!! it didn’t say that on the info that came with it. 🙂 I think if it starts to get very tall we will have to start to prune it in some way to keep it shorter as it is within 20 feet of the house LOL
Spring has only just begun, therefore not much to see in the garden but last fall’s leaves. Daffies & hyacinths are sending up shoots & I spied the green of my woodruff ground cover. Deer feasted on my periwinkle over winter but it will be back. Jack might be Jacklyn tending a litter.
The only flowersI have up here right now are Crocus, they bloom almost as soon as the snow is off them . Your flowers and trees are just beautiful. How did you make out with the horse pad?
You are blessed to live in such a beautiful location. Here in central Iowa the tulips, daffodils and grape hyacinths are emerging but flowers are a ways off. I’ve chopped up and spread several bars of Irish Spring to try to keep the rabbits out of them and my hostas. Inside I’ve started tomato, pepper and lots of flower seeds. I found a seed packet/postcard in a photo album that my dad sent me from Alaska 20 years ago. They are called Glacier tomatoes. Even though they are very old and stored in less than optimal conditions, I decided to give a few a try and after a very long wait one has germinated. I wish my dad was around to share the news with. The robins have returned but no other new visitors at the feeders yet. I’m hoping a few migrants will stop by on their way north and I’ll be happy to have the goldfinches back. I have seen one this past winter that decided to stay. We have rain forecast all week so things should really get growing!
Thank you for sharing all those lovely photos of spring… no signs here yet, but I did sit outside to do some binding!
Beautiful photos thanks for sharing I really enjoyed seeing all the blooms.
I posted about seeds too enjoy your day
Most years we are visiting in NC in mid-March and it’s always a joy to see the redbuds and other flowering trees burst into bloom. We’re having unusually warm weather this week. Crocus, reticulated iris and hellebores in bloom. Daffs showing buds and growing daily. And, of course, the weeds are growing super fast. But we are very dry, 4″ under normal rainfall for this time of year, which doesn’t bode well for summer. Mostly robins bobbing around and I can hear the woodpeckers, although I haven’t seen any (no trees left in our yard). And the wrens or sparrows (I don’t know which they are) have taken up residence in the bird house on the front porch. Like you, I’m hoping there isn’t a hard freeze now that so many things have burst forth.
Pat
Lots of Spring beauty all around you, Carole! Your daffodils are gorgeous! I always enjoy your bird photos, too. It’s still kind of wintry here, but I’m seeing signs of tulip and daffodil buds, so they’re coming!
Beautiful spring flowers and I always enjoy the birds. My mini daffies have opened but the standard sizes are still just buds. I noticed fresh leaves on my clematis so they are waking up and my hyacinths are pretty much in full bloom. I saw a junco yesterday so winter is still trying to hang on. Once we warm up, the juncos will be long gone.
Things are just starting to come alive here. Lenten roses do really great in our area, so seeing a lot of those in various colors (love the really dark maroon ones). Love your bird pics.
Gorgeous pictures Carole!!!
Your gardens look great.
Your progress makes me look exceptionally unproductive….
I think we have three daffodils in the back yard… and the gardens are a mess, and the sparrows tried to sabotage the blue bird house, so I spent an hour sparrow proofing per directions from some Michigan website, foil on the roof etc. We will be lucky if we get any blue birds this year. The big boys moved in years ago, many blue jays, and mocking birds, pigeons and of course some robins and cardinals that do not get involved in bird drama.
Blue birdies….. humans must be doing something stupid, perhaps feeders in bad places that discourage their presence. Whatever. I am hoping to make a big garden with Sarah this year, but…. I hear cicadas are coming? Daddy told me, so I should look that up.
You basement plants look so great
So many lovely signs of Spring in your beautiful area. Nothing announces the coming season more than beautiful Spring bulbs.
I am growing pineapples in Ohio, and have been for many years. This year is the fourth time one is producing a baby pineapple. We have harvested two over the years with a third one not making it. They only grow to about the size of a can of pop, but tasted yummy. Wish me luck that this years ripens this summer. I keep them in pots, on the deck in the summer and in our spare bedroom in the winter.
I’ve been enjoying Eastern towees at our feeder. They seem to come in formal dress.
I enjoy all of the pictures that you share but my goodness, yes, that weeping cherry is beautiful! Thank you very much for sharing!
I am from the Piedmont NC, would love to take a trip to mountains and see the all the spring flowers and trees blooming. Is it too early ? Your yard and flowers always looks so pretty.
I love your photos, Carole. The weeping cherry is amazing, I had no idea they existed or that they grew to such heights! I found my hyacinth in the garden has poked out of the soil, so I am very excited. Last year it didn’t show up until late June!
I just adore daffodils, but never seem to be able to grow them a second year. I’ll enjoy your beautiful ones instead.
Gorgeous flowers and the colors are so lovely. Here in Chicago the tulips are braving the chill, the mums are trying to inch their way out, the forsythia should be coming out but it’s a coin toss, sometimes they come out too early, get frosted which is all too common and go straight to green. But that makes it even more exciting! We tore everything out of the garden last year so get to start from scratch. So many choices! Thanks for such beautiful photos. j
Thanks for taking time to share how plants and birds are ‘Springing’ into action around you. The Primroses in our flowerbeds are giving a good show at the moment and they can also be spotted growing wild on grass verges alongside bright yellow Lesser Celandine and tiny deep purple Violas.
The main blossom show at the moment is from the Blackthorn hedges. There’s one cycle path near here that has them growing either side forming a long and beautiful tunnel of arching blossom branches. Every time the wind blows a few of the blossom petals fall – just like confetti.
Birds are busy pairing up. We have noisy neighbours setting up home in a nearby tree – a pair of Crows. All the garden birds are feeding themselves up ready for the nesting season. Our blackbirds love pears – we put one on the ground each morning and by the end of the day all that’s left is the stalk!
That plant that you couldn’t remember what it was looks like and avocado plant. Could you have planted an avocado seed?
Beautiful!! We had a bleeding heart when I was growing up and I always loved that bush!!
Lovely to see the signs of Spring. The cherry tree is beautiful.
Good morning, Love your Spring in the mountains, the weeping cherries tree. Never knew there was such a beautiful tree. Have known of the weeping willow tree and have always loved its Beauty and flowing limbs. Don’t even remember hearing my aunts or uncles ever talking about it in my 80 year lifetime, guess I need to take a trip I’m so looking forward to getting out to your neck of the woods to see that beauty. Bought some fresh fruits to eat in either plain or peach yogurt and it had some blackberries and raspberries that I don’t like so I put those out for the birdies but they didn’t seem to like them, even put some pecans crushed in with it and still no takers. Guess these terrible storms and tornadoes has them shared for awhile. Thank the Lord we were spared at the last moments and we weren’t hit. We were in like for a direct hit but prayers were answered, my home would have been demolished had it hit us as it a cement plank board siding. It was An F-4 that would have hit us. They were saying it was an F-2 at first but changed to the 4 level after reviewing the results of the inspections. My son and I were in the basement and it was to hit the northern Fayette area about 12:31 am so we made plans to even get under a couch we were going to flip over in case the house got torn apart, it got pretty dicie there for awhile. Just a thankful heart for our prayers answered. Got lots to do this weekend so you and hubby have a great weekend and bye for now. Phyllis
Loving your garden and it’s bursting to life…….