Cherry Blossom Time

The cherry blossoms in DC and in Herndon are blooming! That is my cherry tree above, but we hope to get downtown this week to see the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin. They are supposed to be at peak bloom tomorrow, and rain is coming later in the week, so I need to get down there in the next few days. They are blooming 3 weeks early this year, more evidence of the bizarro winter we have had.

I got some things done in the garden yesterday, mostly weeding in the front garden--there seem to be so many more weeds this year. I guess a lot of them never died off.  It is painstaking weeding around all the emerging perennials. One clump of lychnis had so much grass growing through it that I had to dig up the whole clump and pull it apart to get out the grass. I also trimmed up my lavenders, something every book tells you not to do in the spring (you're supposed to do it in the fall), but I always cut mine back and they bloom just fine.  I planted this row of lavenders ('Munstead') when I first made this garden back in 1990, and most of them still survive. I think I have had to replace one.

I also put one peony ring in place. Last year was the first year I used these peony rings and they work great, keeping the peonies from flopping over with their heavy blooms.

Golden oregano

Astilbe

Columbine 

Daffodil 'Thalia'

Brooks came over for corned beef and cabbage last night, which we had a day late for St. Patrick's Day. Then we watched Ohio University beat South Florida in an exciting game, and it is the first time OU has made it to the Sweet Sixteen since 1964--the year my brother played on their team and they went on to the Final Eight! I was telling Walt  that I can remember how excited everyone was at the time (especially my parents) and I didn't really understand what the big deal was (I was 12)! Now they will play UNC on Friday, which will be fun, as Julia will be rooting for UNC of course.