PROUD PIED APRIL

"From you have I been absent in the spring,

When proud-pied April dress'd in all his trim
Hath put a spirit of youth in every thing,
That heavy Saturn laugh'd and leap'd with him.
Yet nor the lays of birds nor the sweet smell
Of different flowers in odour and in hue
Could make me any summer's story tell,
Or from their proud lap pluck them where they grew;
Nor did I wonder at the lily's white,
Nor praise the deep vermilion in the rose;
They were but sweet, but figures of delight,
Drawn after you, you pattern of all those.
Yet seem'd it winter still, and, you away,

As with your shadow I with these did play."
- William Shakespeare, Sonnet 98

                    My gardening buddy Odie is ready for Spring !

We've enjoyed an unusually mild Spring since February and almost everything is early this year.

   View of my boulder garden.  The Japanese roof iris are blooming, as is the Chinese snowball viburnum.

    My favorite annual/perennial is Dianthus which is cold-hardy here. It's a great bargain sold as annual price but it acts like a perennial.  

   A  touch of red with my early-blooming autumn sage.  In the far background the woodland phlox is blooming.

     Odie has spied one of the many lizards that live in the garden.  Woodland phlox are beautiful this year .

          April showers have been ample this month and as a result everything is lush !

Now onto the Merry Month of May !