Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Spring ---or Winter????


We showed you our Daffodils... SO now, we'll show you some other flowers in our yard right now... Spring is a wonderful time because the yard evolves... First are our Crocuses, Hyacinths, Tulips and Daffodils. SOON we'll have our Lilies and Daylilies, Irises and Roses. And besides our flowers, we now have our Red Bud and Cherry trees trying to bloom. (The Bradford Pear blooms are gone now.) Then we'll have our Dogwood, Azaleas and Rhododendrons blooming... OH--how I love Spring!


BUT--in some ways, we are still 'in' winter... In fact, it's supposed to get cold again here early next week... (Please say a prayer that it doesn't get cold enough to damage our roses and other flowers.) The picture above shows both spring and winter... I like that picture though since you can see our great American flag and one of our Red Buds... BUT--you can also see all of our big shade trees with NO leaves yet... Still looks like winter, doesn't it????? More pictures are below.







Here are our Red Dynasty Tulips. Aren't they gorgeous?









This beautiful orange Tulip is named Orange Emperor.







This gorgeous Tulip is named Mardi Gras.







Don't you just love those cute little (they really are small) Grape Hyacinths??







We have three small round flowerbeds in our front yard. We call this one the lamppost flowerbed. Last year, besides our Daffodils, we had lots of gorgeous Pansies still blooming. But--this year we lost most of our Pansies due to a cold, harsh winter. The good news is that the Lilies are growing and will bloom soon.









Here is another of our round flowerbeds. This one is under our Pink Dogwood.







Our groundcover ---throughout our yard (Periwinkle) just gets prettier and prettier. I love all of those gorgeous blue flowers.









We have a ditch in our front yard with a drainage pipe under our driveway. George has always had trouble mowing around the pipe on both sides of the driveway---so this year, Dad Adams gave us some of his Semps (Chicks and Hens). George has planted them around the edge of the yard near the ditch and drainage pipe. They look so pretty there.







Here's one more look at our "John Adams" Daffodils. Wish you could see them. They are so pretty right now!!!! Hope you had a good day yesterday. We made our scheduled trip to Hendersonville to check on Mom and Dad Adams. Again, we found them doing very very well. They had been to the doctor for their physical this past week---and everything came back GREAT. They never cease to amaze me.
Hugs,

41 comments:

Kim said...

Such lovliness in you yard!! All of them are gorgeous. I will pray the weather doesn't get too cold for you. Make is spring allready darn it!

Femin Susan said...

All of them are magnificent. Hope the weather won't get too cold for you.
Cheers!

Michele said...

Such wonderful pictures of loveliness!
If I cannot have Spring come to me here, then I know where I can always go to catch a glimpse of it!
You have magnificent flower gardens and I pray that it does not get too cold for them!

Hugs♥

Jessica said...

Oh, I'm so envious of your "spring" yard. I barely have a green blade of grass here in Michigan yet and certainly no flowers yet. Your yard is beautiful! Thanks for sharing those photos.

Unknown said...

It is looking springy around your place..Way too much rain here and yes a cold snap is a coming!! Glad Mom and Dad Adams are doing well!

Jayne said...

Oh, I know Betsy. I saw where our lows will dip into the 30's this week. I will be so very sad if it nips everything.

Mandy said...

I love all your flowers. We have some beautiful tulips thanks to the previous owners!

We have all kinds of little surprises popping up in our beds!

Mandy

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Betsy: Beautiful flowers, you are so much further along then we are. We are also headed for snow next week. I think the Rembrant Tulip is an outstanding find.

Mary said...

Gorgeous bulbs! We are having the same crazy weather....cold one day, warm the next and a danger of frost come in a few days. I wish it would hurry up and settle into warm weather! I love that orange tulip!

NCmountainwoman said...

Here's hoping the cold front won't be too harsh for the early bloomers. Lovely flowers you have.

Cicero Sings said...

Such color you have already. Lucky, lucky you. It is supposed to warm up here over the weekend ... up to 13 C (55 F) ... that should set the remaining snow to melting at a grand rate!

Karin said...

Beautiful spring garden - lots of work to make it such a lovely showcase! It was April showers in State College all day yesterday and today it is windy city and chilly! Sure hope that the sun comes out while we are here! Heard the robin's song at 5:00 a.m. yesterday - he must have blown away with the wind this morning, lol.

Pat - Arkansas said...

Lovely trees and flowers, Betsy! It's evident to see that you and George have put a lot of love (and sweat) into your landscaping. Very beautiful!

Anonymous said...

Spectacular bloomings! hehehe I love your photos of all these flowers - they're sooo pretty!

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

WoW! After looking at these pictures I don't want to look outside,still too much snow.I really like that 'Rembrant'tulip.

Today the sun is shining and the snow will disappear fast.I hope.
Blessings,Ruth

Diane said...

Betsy, I think I love the Rembrandt tulips the best, they're so painterly and so aptly named. I've tried to grow them but soon they all turn yellow.

Susie said...

I'm glad George's parents are doing great.

Love your photos Betsy. I hope it doesn't get too cold there. We too are suppose to have temps down in 30's. Today it's suppose to be 80. Can you believe it?

Diane AZ said...

That Tequila Sunrise tulip is a pretty color. Your flowers look so happy. Amazing all the things you do so well!

Jane said...

That's a lovely garden you have, Betsy. Hopefully, it will not get cold enough next week to do them harm!

Jane

Busy Bee Suz said...

You both have amazing green thumbs. Love all the flowers.
I really love your American flag...it looks similar to MINE!!!
:)

Pigeon said...

We too are expecting the return of the cold weather on Tuesday, and a possibility of snow! I am paying strict attention to your little gardens with the round paver stones around the trees. We are planning something similar. Your pictures give me lots of new ideas.

SmilingSally said...

Isn't spring pretty?

Judy said...

I love all your pretty flowers. I have got to get a hen and chicks for a pot my son gave me for my birthday last year. I love the way he planted them around the drain pipe. That is a great idea!

EG CameraGirl said...

Hmmm. I wonder how many weeks ahead of my gardens yours are. You sure have tons of flowers! And they sure are pretty. ;-)

Carol Murdock said...

Betsy your flowers are so gorgeous!
I tell you I have been losing my breath all week over how beautiful Spring is this year! Are you in Monday's forcast for Snow? If so ,
COVER your beauties! What a shame to lose them!We are forcast for 32 Monday so we are taking no chances and covering everything!
xoxo,
Carol

ShabbyInTheCity said...

That hill with the John Adamses :) is my fav...also the ground cover...and the siding on your home!!! Pretty Betsy!

Janie said...

Your yard definitely looks like spring with all of the beautiful flowers. Not here. We had an inch of snow last night and no flowers yet.

Clara....in TN said...

Hi Betsy, Thanks for all the comments you leave at my place. I have just taken a walk through your yard. It is georgous!!!!! It makes me want to get out there and make more flower beds. I can't wait! Oh, Gary is my son instead of my husband. He self taught himself to play the bagpipes. He played the trumpet in the high school band and knew how to read music. The bagpipes are hard to play. I am proud of him!

Betty said...

I love all of your flowers as well as your blog. I walked around our little lake today looking for something blooming so I could take some pictures,but even the skunk cabbage was puney.

Neal said...

You mentioned daffodils and guess what we done today. We went up to the old home place and dug up some daffodils to take back to IN. I'll bet my mom planted them 60-70 years ago so they will be something special to me.

Wendy said...

What beautiful flowers! Thank you for sharing. I love spring and watching everything wake-up from the cold winter. I planted some grape hyacinths and daffodils together in my garden one year. It was a suggestion from the grower (a picture in a catalogue, where I ordered the bulbs). Unfortunately the hyacinths bloomed and were finished before the daffodils!! I was so disappointed, because the colour contrast in the pic looked so nice.
Ah well!

Coy Hill said...

Wow, what beautiful color! Your spring is really bursting forth!

HWHL said...

Absolutely SPLENDID! I love this time of year too! My Kwanzaa (sp?) Cherry tree is blooming! It's only 3 years old and this is the FIRST year it's really had a lot of blooms on it.... when I planted it, it was about 5 feet high - now it's about 15 feet high and very sturdy! I'd say it has maybe 20 - 25 blooms that are just opening up into those beautiful "cotton candy-colored" flowers - LOVE it! It's right outside the guest room window (which is where my computer is. I'm very proud of this tree because it survived the horrible drought we had in 2007 (and plus I planted it all by myself... first time I've ever planted a tree.)

Anyway, I LOVE your yard and all your Springtime beauties! Hope your Winter blast early next week is not bad - we're supposed to get it too!

A Brit in Tennessee said...

Your garden is so lovely Betsy, so much love and work goes into it...that is obvious.
I like the Mardi Gras tulip best, I can't get over the colors, they are gorgeous...
We are supposed to get ( dare I say ) snow on Monday. Surely that can't be true ?
You will be covering all those flowers with sheets, as I have done for the past couple of nights this week ;)

Small City Scenes said...

Winter--Spring--who can tell. this crazy weather. Daffs are blooming but the tulips are about2 weeks behind because of all the cold weather. the flowering plum and cherry are starting to open up. We had frost tis morning--again, but that just makes for a gorgeous sunny day. Not necessarily warm but bright and pretty.
I went to Standwood's 14th annual Garden Faire---sorta a speciality garden and craft farmers market. Live singer too. Woo Hoo! It was fun. MB

Tootie said...

Betsy, your spring flowers are soooo pretty! I kind of miss that here, even though we have blooming flowers all year, it was always nice seeing the Spring flowers pop up after a long cold winter.

Tammy ~ Country Girl at Home ~ said...

Betsy,

I just knew your yard would be beautiful with flowers and all! I love your groundcover of periwinkles! They look so happy! Well I love it all! Wanna come make my yard look like that, please? Your's is beautiful!

Tammy

MNGarden said...

I like the Semp solution. I have lost the Hen and Chicks I have planted several times. I think they get covered by leaves or shaded out by plants nearby. Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Joy' is a succulent big enough to survive around here.

Shelley said...

You have such a great selection of flowers! Hyacinths are my favorite - I love how they smell!

Leedra said...

Your yard is looking so good, hope it survives this cold snap.

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Rose said...

Lots of beauty here!