Bloom Time!

 

 

Now that plants have been well-watered by April’s showers and the sun is finally out, shrubs and trees are blooming and most notably, the neighborhood is filled with the scent of lilacs. The flowery aroma is filling the house this year because May has been warm enough to have windows open. On a recent walk we saw white lilacs and more shades of purple than I knew lilacs could be.

The state flower, rhododendron, is bursting forth throughout the neighborhood in shades from pale pink to the vivid red here too.

 

 

Are we ever going to have apples this year! Pear, cherry, and plum trees also have tiny fruits beginning to grow. If I run out of freezer space for applesauce I can share the apple crop with a nearby little pantry.


 

The strawberry harvest looks to be shaping up for a good year, and I’m hoping to keep bunnies and squirrels from eating the fruit by covering it once the blossoms are done. Don’t worry, there are strawberries in the backyard for the wildlife to enjoy. Later this month more strawberry plants will be joining the blueberries and filling in bare spots in the yard.

 

 

 

Speaking of blueberries, they are flowering and this will be the first year we’ve had a crop from the raised bed in the front yard.

This little creeper, Kenilworth ivy, also graces the yard and didn't cost me a penny. Unlike many gardeners, I’m happy to have it trailing around walls and planters. 

 

 Soon bee balm, hyssop, lavender, and sage will be in bloom to provide a continuing buffet for bees that make all the fruit possible.