Spring Blossoms

One of my favorite things to do in the spring is to wander around the yard to look at all of the little changes that occur each day.  I'm almost obsessive about it.  Recently, I have been researching a good DSLR camera to take action shots of Olivia playing field hockey or at her piano recitals and such.  My mom kindly allowed me to borrow hers to see if I like it.  I have absolutely loved having a camera that can capture the life in the garden with such detail.  Looking through the photos I realize that I have taken way more photos of the plants in my life than the people in my life.......

Mr. Hunter, the original owner of our house, loved roses.  The neighbor across the street who lived in our neighborhood for 25+ years said that Mr. Hunter used to have the most beautiful roses around.  The bushes and shrubs went uncared for for many years, but I am trying to restore our house's rosy reputation.

Mr. Hunter also loved hydrangeas.  I have been documenting the budding and blooming of our blue bushes in the backyard.  The tiny clusters of flowers remind me of sweet butterflies ready to take flight.

All of the other flowers in the yard have been planted by me or by my mom's secret plantings.  Not having a much of a yard at her house, occasionally my mom will come over while I'm at work to dig, weed, or plant.  It's a terrific surprise to come home to a weeded flower bed and a few new plants!

A new clematis that will soon be winding around the newly placed mailbox (courtesy of Will).

Beautiful columbine blooms in my not-so-shady shade bed.

Lacy foxglove - I recently discovered (through the curriculum I teach) that foxglove is a biennial.  It only blooms in its second year of life, and then it dies.  Seeing that it has beautiful flowers now, I think I'm looking at a dead plant blooming.

Nasturtiums are planted in between my camellias (another Mr. Hunter favorite).  The bright orange blossom echoes the silhouette of its satellite dish-shaped leaves.  It is the most fun to water the nasturtiums and to watch the water bead up on the leaves as if they were made of glass.  Only a person obsessed with their garden would say that is the "most fun."

I have to say that Maggie is almost as obsessive about being out in the yard as I am.  Here she is taking a whiff of the dianthus planted in the front yard.  Being that dianthus really doesn't have a scent, I have a feeling the neighborhood tease (aka: cat) has continued with her evil taunts.