A Monsoon for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

New Gnome Friend

 This month's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day arrives with a huge rainstorm and dip in the temperatures. Just as we dared hope that spring had finally sprung, we are getting hit by this one-two punch. In between the winds and rain, I managed to run out in the garden and take this two photos. The gnome above is one of a set of three I bought at last weekend's Beltsville Garden Club plant sale. What do you think of him? One friend remarked that he is appallingly phallic. I think he (or she) is adorable.

   Below is the Spring Snowflake (Leucojum), which resembles the early Snowdrop (Galanthus) bulb as well as the later Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis). I first saw the Spring Snowflake with its elegant nodding bells scattered along a woodland pathway at Hillwood's Gardens in DC and had to have it. A gardening friend said she had lots of extras at her place and dug three small clumps for me. Aren't fellow gardeners the most generous people on this planet?

   The rest of the garden is bursting with blooms and I hope they survive tonight's freeze. They include: Lilacs, Daffodils, Veronica, Snapdragons, Hellebore, Sweet Violets, Lobelia, Pansy, Hyacinth, Muscari, Tulips, Forsythia, PJM Rhododendron, Flowering Plum and Crabapple trees, Weeping Higan Cherry Tree, and Violas. Those are all that I could quickly jot down running around in the rain. I'm sure there is more, but it is growing late and I'll end with those.

   What is blooming in your garden today?

Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum)