More Signs of Spring

One of my favorite times of year is when the crocus start to bloom in the yard of a neighbor up the street. I've posted pictures before of his yard, but it's always a thrill to see these cheerful blooms begin. I'm so appreciative of someone who takes the care to naturalize these colorful beauties in his front yard, for all to enjoy in the spring. I hope others appreciate them as much as I do. ( I'm the stalker in front of his house with a camera...)

Saturday was a beautiful day, maybe 70 degrees, so Walt and I both worked outside most of the day in the gardens, cleaning up, mostly raking leaves out of the beds. It felt so good to be outside and to feel the sun. I pruned my Limelight hydrangea hard--I didn't realize I should be pruning it hard every spring, no wonder if was so big and awkward. I pruned all my roses, knockouts and regular (I prune them by half), I cut down the remaining perennials, the baptisia, the sedums, old asters. It looks like my big rosemary bush is dead, victim of our cold, cold winter. And this is the first time I can remember that none of my pansies planted in the fall survived.  But there are signs of life, the hellebores are starting to bloom,  snowdrops are up, and I see a few green buds. Spring has begun.