I realize the last post said LAST DAY of April, but these photos are from the last few days of April.

It's been sunny and warm (high 70s/ low 80s) for several days in a row, so all the spring things are cycling through very fast. I thought I'd better get some photos up before it's all gone by. These are all from my phone - I'll be getting some better pictures with my camera camera once things have settled a little bit. (I HOPE.)



This is facing west - the two trees are lilacs that I hoped would bloom this year, but didn't. No matter! They will be gorgeous when they do. They were purchased at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens a couple of years ago. If you're looking for a lovely garden to stroll through, I recommend taking the trip up there.  The fern got completely cut back in the late winter. We only started doing this recently - it makes for a much happier (and more reasonably sized) fern. You can see the bluebells in the background and the phlox in the foreground.



bluebells and many poppy leaves. The heat has finished them off early this year.  They spread like crazy and make a mess with their leaves, but I sure do like them.



Pretty yellow arnica flowers (aka: Leopard's Bane), bluebells (I told you they get everywhere), poppy leaves (DITTO - the poppies are starting to bloom now, but those are pictures for another post), the crooked bird bath that I can't get level no matter what I do, the crape myrtle that the cats use as a scratching post, the lilac that's also not blooming because it got a severe haircut last year, and to the right the multiple trunks (? stems??) of the mock orange. I love the mock orange.



SWEET WOODRUFF,  how I love you! It smells good and fills in awkward spots. This is an old brick window planter under the main living room window. It gets a little sketchy once it gets really hot, but it's so lovely in the spring. The tree trunk you see  to the left is yet another lilac, which is the last (really first) of the lilacs! I realize these photos make it seem like they're everywhere. They're not, really.

the five leaved small tree in the lower left is a horse chestnut. There's a HUGE version of this tree in the corner of the yard, but apparently the squirrels want them everywhere. I spent a goodly portion of today pulling them out.

OKAY! On to the beginning of May post. I'm really hoping I can pull it together and get a visual guide of what the garden looks like during its busy season. There's always so much to do, but it's rewarding to see how it changes.