Garden Bloggers Bloom Day for April 2021

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   April is shining it's spring light down the road to the end of the tunnel. I'm starting to fantasize about what it will be like to go to the grocery store or a public garden without a mask. As of today it has been the requisite two weeks since my 2nd vaccine and my first non self-inflicted haircut since last February is on the horizon.  Since Boom Day this month falls on a busy workday I have only a small selection of the blooms in my garden to share.

 We have had no rain here in the Napa Valley since mid-March , and the total for that month was a meager 1.85". I fully expect water restrictions to be enacted this summer as we are unlikely to get more than a couple inches between now and June. If that. The only upside is that the snail population is practically non-existent .

 

 The roses are just coming on , an event I always enjoy. My population is less than half what it was 10 years ago and I'm about ready to suspend the removal efforts for awhile. I think I am happy with my collection as it stands now, though I am a gardener so that could change at any moment.


Golden Celebration


Reine des Violettes
 
 
Jeanne la Joie
 
 
Gruss an Auchen 
 
In 2019 I strategically located a few bearded iris  where their summer awkwardness would be hidden behind herbaceous stuff that emerges after they are done blooming. This has worked out really well, they are barely visible in summer.

 Home of the Blues



Anthriscus 'Ravens Wing' with Geum 'Totally Tangerine' in the background.
 
 
One of my collection of scented Pelargoniums. This one blooms almost year round.


 Pelargonium Nutmeg


A personal favorite with great weed smothering properties
 

Silene uniflora 
 
 
I skipped the tulips last fall because I am redoing the beds I usually plant them in. I've decided to do a similar quantity of Ranunculus this year. They don't need chilling, they're less expensive and I don't have to replace them every year. They bloom later but I can always place a couple dozen more daffodils and anemones around for early spring blooms.
 
 

Mixed Ranunculus 
 
 
NOID first Clematis if the year , with the others not far behind. These flowers were too high up for me to photograph properly.

 
And there you have my offering for April. Be sure to stop by and see our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see what other blooms bloggers have to share.

Comments

  1. SwimrayApril 16, 2021 at 4:31 AM

    Your roses are worthy of a botanical garden. And I like your term "weed smothering properties." Laughing, - a nice term to call my two invasives.
    -Ray

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ksApril 16, 2021 at 5:18 PM

      The weed-pulling just goes on and on and the Oxalis has breeched the mulch !

      Delete
  2. LeaApril 16, 2021 at 6:43 AM

    Love the roses! Beautiful clematis!
    Have a wonderful day!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Phillip OliverApril 16, 2021 at 7:08 AM

    Beautiful roses - you are ahead of us. My second shot is next week. I'm hoping for no side effects since I'm scheduled to work the next day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ksApril 16, 2021 at 5:19 PM

      I worked the next day too, but it happened to be a day I was working from home which was good-I was soooo sleepy.

      Delete
  4. danger gardenApril 16, 2021 at 9:16 AM

    No rose fan here but wow, you really do have some beauties!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kris PetersonApril 16, 2021 at 11:27 AM

    Your photographic inventory this month may be light but each and every photo is spectacular, Kathy. I skipped Ranunculus this year and I'm already regretting that, especially as my Anemone "crop" has been disappointing overall. Although my Bloom Day post is long, there's a noticeable impact in the actual number of flowers due to our extremely low rainfall. We can't expect any more rain until October or later and I fully expect drought restrictions to be reintroduced at the state level.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ksApril 16, 2021 at 5:29 PM

      I keep reading the forecast discussion on NOAA hoping they will change their mind about rain but it's not looking good -since we are expecting the 80's this weekend I won't be able to put off watering anymore. I'm going to go heavy on the Ranunculus this fall.

      Delete
  6. Denise/agrowingobsessionApril 16, 2021 at 12:27 PM

    Wow, if you've figured out how to camouflage bearded iris after it's done blooming, hat's off! I'm a big fan of that silene too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ksApril 16, 2021 at 5:36 PM

      The camo job has worked out so well I'm going to order a few more this summer . There's nothing like a few really gaudy irisies to get spring off to a start.

      Delete
  7. Hoover BooApril 18, 2021 at 11:21 AM

    Beautiful, beautiful. Quality over quantity: your rose photos are awesome. Most of mine look either like mug shots or driver's license photos.

    'Totally Tangerine' flowers? My new plants have grown a little, but that's all. Do they take a while to get going?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ksApril 21, 2021 at 8:15 PM

      I like Totally Tangerine so much I bought another one last year. 4" pot, planted -maybe in early summer ? Not sure, Anyway it is blooming as we speak. It really never goes dormant either-it's evergreen for me .

      Delete
  8. YvonneApril 23, 2021 at 1:17 PM

    Your old fashion roses are absolutely beautiful. When I first started gardening I had a Reine des Violettes rose bush. It grew very tall and was beautifully fragrant. Beautiful plants and photographs.

    ReplyDelete

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