Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Spring Fireworks and Photo Ops

Spring comes to the Ozarks in skyrocket bursts, from the popping of crocus buds like silent firecrackers to the bright explosion of forsythia against a dark stone wall. Then the sparks of daffodils and tulips, glowing and intense, underscored by the softer, gentle notes of wildflowers. All of a sudden, rockets of magentas, pinks and bright white punctuate the glowing green background of the emerging trees, as redbuds, dogwoods, flowering cherry open almost before your eyes. There is nothing subtle about an Ozark spring!

Lunaria

Dicentra spectablilis, old-fashioned bleeding heart

Emerging dogwood blooms

Narcissus poeticus, "Poets" narcisus. A very old variety

Pretty pansy faces

Redbuds (cercis canadensis) everywhere

Wild pear

Everywhere you look is a "Kodak moment" with spring! I just can't seem to stop!

Luscious lips: wild ginger. "Give us a kiss?"

New oak leaves

Newly emerging maidenhair fern frond. How delicate!

Rhubarb! I foresee pie in the future!

Wasn't there supposed to be another rhubarb here? What ARE these things?
"Yeah, lady, we ate your rhubarb. Whadda ya gonna do aboudit?"

And the enemy....Poison Ivy (rhus radicans). Where is my Roundup?

Today is a beautiful, rain-washed morning after thundershowers last night. The sun is glowing, the petals of the tulip magnolia litter the deck like a bridal aisle, and I see that there are lilacs blooming and viburnum "Carlessi" is open today. I must go smell them!  


"Nature does her spring housecleaning
with rainclouds for her buckets
And the wind for her broom." --S.P.




6 comments:

  1. Love them all and what is the name of that tulip?

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  2. Hello from Illinois (zone 5). We're having spring, but not like this. I think I'll indulge in some zone envy.

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  3. Thank you! Lily, I got that tulip in a mixed bag of Rembrandt tulips a long time ago, so I never did know exactly which one it is.

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  4. Hi Isadora. Wow spring is really bursting out in your area. I cannot believe the dogwoods are in bloom already.The fruit trees and violas are so beautiful. I have a tulip just like yours. Sure liven up a flowerbed doesn't it LOL!

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  5. I have never seen oak leaves that colour before! that is a great picture (one of many I might add)

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  6. The tulips are sometimes the only spice in a wonderland of pink, yellow and blue! I love them too!

    The tiny new oak leaves are on a sapling. The ones on the mature trees are green. Thanks for the kind compliments!

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