Today was an absolutely gorgeous day! It was sunny and got up to 70 degrees! I spent most of the day outside cleaning up in my own flower beds and doing some cleaning up and pruning at the neighborhood entrance.
We have a small island at our entrance with a cluster of seven burning bushes at each end. They were way too tall and desperately needed to be cut back and thinned out. I volunteered to do the job. I just hope they survive the massive pruning, but if they don't, we had talked of pulling them all out anyway. This was just a cost saving measure to see if we could keep them where they are for the time being. I can't imagine why anyone planted so many of them in such a small space to begin with. I clipped each branch individually to make sure that I got them all even. My hands have blisters and I am so sore, but it felt so wonderful to work outside. I loved every minute of it!
These flower pictures are not from the archives! No, they are blooming in my yard right now! I couldn't believe it when I went out today to look around. I thought I might have daffodils blooming by the weekend, but I was surprised to find so many already in bloom and many more are about to open. The cluster of little purple irises are so pretty. They were a delightful surprise today too!
I hope all of my Midwestern friends had a chance to enjoy this lovely spring day too.
Beautiful blooms and the ducks are quite photogenic, too. :-) Still waiting here for Daffs to bloom and that first 7o degree day!
ReplyDeleteThose flowers are beautifu. I'm glad you had the chance to enjoy the weather and work in the garden. I know the feeling. Tired but very satisfying.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a great feeling to find unexpected blooms...really stunning photos of the irises,and cute ducks, too!
ReplyDeleteLynn
Poor Lily. I'm sure she is excited about all those scents. We had a pair of Mallards who wanted to nest next to our porch. I shooed them away time and time again and finally they gave up and went elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteIrises already? Wow, it's a lot warmer there than here in the Inland Northwest! Still in the 30-40s, and snow all over. Those duck pictures are beautiful, what a sweet pair.
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous Robin! The Daffodils are only up about 4"; still a long time before they flower!
ReplyDeleteEvery time I come here, my heart just leaps, the colours, the flowers, the birds and insects - just wonderful. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures Robin!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYour Dutch Iris are gorgeous! Looks just like the ones I saw at the park today, which of course you'll see in a blog post another day! Thanks for offering to make that butterfly poster for me! I was thinking it would be nice as a 16 by 20, do you think that would be too big? If you think the picture quality would suffer, an 8 by 10 would fine too. LMK
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty post today. That first purple flower is a stunning hello when you first open your blog. I remember your duckies from last year. I think it's comforting to have been reading your blog long enough to feel at home in your garden. Remembering with a friend is a gift to the heart.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Robin, you aren't that much further south than I am, but you are quite a bit ahead of us here in blooms! I have but one reticulated iris blooming (opened yesterday) and not a single daffodil. There is a clump on the south side of the house that will be the first, but it will be several days I think before those open up. None of the others is up enough for me to even see buds and I have several kinds!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, as usual!
Your iris and daffs are glorious, Robin ... way ahead of thawing Michigan gardens. Happy Spring!
ReplyDeleteLovely iris and daffodil photos Robin...it's spring in Indiana! The local wildlife is loving your garden these days...gail
ReplyDeleteThat first nice weather is the best isn't it?!! I was outside this past week doing a lot of the same stuff you were. My first daffodils are beginning to bloom too but I don't have any of those gorgeous iris. Enjoy the great weather (while it lasts!)
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