Spring before winter

While folks just out west of us are getting freezing rain and snow, it was HOT here today.  In the 80s, and muggy!  This was one of those brief warm spells, and then we dip back into cooler temps.  Meanwhile - here's pics showing a teaser of what summer will be like!

First, seedlings of EARLY SPRING veggies that haven't even been planted yet!  I'm a little late at getting them hardened off, and I'm kind of rushing it at that.  They weren't thrilled with the hot temps, but should do better over the next couple days.

The figs, pulled from the garage just last week, are already putting out new sprouts!

The plum trees are loaded with buds that are on the verge of bursting open.  This is a vulnerable time for them, and I worry that, if we dip way too cold, I'll have complete crop failure like last year.  I guess you sort of want SOME crop failure, otherwise the trees are strained and the fruit are wimpy, but I'd rather control that by picking off too many plums...not just have all the blooms freeze!

The asian pears are also about to have their buds burst open, but thankfully they can tolerate lower temps than the plums.

More Asian pears...

I've started trying to create sort of a mini woodland setting between the arborvitae on the north side of the house.  They still get blasted with late afternoon sun, but the impression is still there in early spring.

The dogs didn't even mind me running out to get some pics after we'd already been outside doing some yard work.  They forgot what the heat can be like (it's only gonna get warmer you guys!)

I forget the name of this shrub - but it's real pretty.  Pieris japonica maybe?  Anyhow, this bumblebee is loving the early blooms.

Hyacinths don't seem to hold up great after the first year.  These guys are at least a few years old - they look sparse, but still pretty.

Looks like we're going to get the earliest tulips soon!

Big narcissus, and tiny ones!

Another view of one of the front beds.  That redbud tree is covered in flower buds!

Here come the peonies!

One of the new half-octagon beds I attached to the ends of my veggie beds last summer.  Love how these turned out!

This weeping cherry went from loaded with closed buds to just bursting open the last day or so!

More pics of the half-octagon beds...

One of the hellebores, aka Lenten Rose.

Weeping cherry close up!

A different hellebore...

The climbing rose I put in two years ago is about to start showing off..

The edible peas finally sprouted!  (Oh, this reminds me - I still have sweet pea seeds to plant)

Yes, another close up of the weeping cherry  - couldn't resist!

And the half-octagons, with the bench and homemade pergola in the background.

Have you ever seen white forsythia before?  I won this at a garden symposium Mary and I went to a few years back.  It actually blooms just a little earlier than the standard issue yellow forsythia, and is just wrapping up.

That's all for now!