March is the New April

It's been another early Spring in Durham. I think it was impacted by El Nino which brought us a warm and wet winter season. Another new record was set at RDU - 752 days with no measurable snow. That ties in perfectly with our new cold hardiness zone of 8.

The azalea is synonomous with a North Carolina Spring. My favorites in the garden are the three pink speckled azaleas retrieved from a neighbor who was throwing them away many years ago. They are paired with the terra cotta moon bunny. He got a fresh coat of white paint last year. I let him go natural for awhile which was fine, but the white really highlights his lines.

So, I've decided to build on the white azalea theme. I purchased two last Fall which will hopefully, coincide in time with the bloom time of the pink freckled ones.

Here's a conundrum.... These azaleas are supposed to be the same variety, but look at the difference in bloom time.

The one on the left has many young buds, but isn't blooming yet. Maybe, next year it will sort itself out.

Winter Bliss hellebores always go from a creamy white in late winter to leprechuan green at the end of the season, which I love.

Late Winter often brings soft sunset colors.

The moon and Jupiter on March 13th.

Spring green and purple/blues are one of my favorite color combinations, but I need to weed out some of the vinca soon or it will swamp the cushion spurge.

Looking up at the romantic cherry tree.

This tree doesn't provide a heavy blossom, but it is so graceful.

The warm weather has brought out some early butterflies. I hope they can find nectar plants to support them this early in the season. I'm not sure what kind of butterfly this is, perhaps a Red Admiral. He is feeding on the paper bush blossom.

It's been a good year for the wild violets. I'm glad these are available to emerging pollinators. I'm even ignoring the random dandelions, so more food will be available. I rarely see pollinators feeding on these violets, but this year I did spot a Cabbage White butterfly using them. Their big attraction for me is the beauty of the violets and they are a host plant for Fritillary butterflies.

The bird netting worked again! We had gorgeous open camellia blossoms in March. Score: Carol and Ian two years winning, marauding squirrels, almost zero. They still destroyed a few blossoms.

More Spring classics........

A new color find for me, a lilac viola.

Sunny daffodils

Mature Mount Hood blossoms- They open as soft yellow and white.

Soft pink hyacinth

A little color in the pine tree area of the backyard: epimedium versicolor

Nearby, the wild columbines are setting their buds in the fern bed also below the pines.

So, I was making a little joke about March being the new April. It can't really be April until the German irises bloom. They should put on a great show.

Happy gardening!