Spring Has Sprung

My front garden peaked this week and looks spectacular.   Every time I've looked at the garden this week, my heart has been filled with such joy.  

I'm re-editing all of my gardens this year.  I'm getting rid of plants that are either too big or not thriving.  I'm adding a perennial cutting garden next to house.  And I'm re-engineering the back garden to make it feel more zen-like.  It's a big project, but it is extremely therapeutic.

And as an extra bonus both Zo Peep and Libby Doodle Doo have wanted to help me work in the garden this Spring.  Zo Peep has never shown any interest in the past.  This year she wants to know the name of the plants and keeps asking me a million questions.  The Doodle wants to gently touch the flowers and feel their textures.  She also isn't afraid of getting her hands dirty and wants to scratch in the dirt like mommy.

Perhaps I'm raising two budding horticulturists.

Here are some photos I took today.  I've tried to name the plants and varieties in each picture.  I'm a little rusty on the varieties of bulbs and perennials I have here (much better on the trees and shrubs).  If anyone sees something that they want to know more about, feel free to ask and I can go back in my records and find out what it is.  

#1 The entry to the garden.  Most trees are still in bud stage, but the cherry (Prunus 'Hally Jolivette') on the right is in full flower.  Next week the redbud (Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy') next to the front porch will be covered in pinkish buds.  The small greenish tree on the left is a dogwood (Cornus mas) and was covered in lovely yellow flowers only a week ago.

#2 -- Hellebores in bloom.
#3   A collection of tulips, muscari, and dozens of varieties of daffs and the base of my Baldcypress ( Taxodium distichum'Shawnee Brave')
#4  A close-up of the muscari -- with a little tulip and coral bells (heucheras)
#5 Another close-up showing a hosta in lower right  unfurling its huge leaves.   Such a nice contrast to the bulb foliage and boxwood (Buxus microphylla) on the far left.

Gotta love Spring!!