On the Street Where We Live
I love April. It is not only the month of my birth, but the most promising of seasons. We live on a short little street, just four minutes from uptown. But it’s like being in another world to us. Quiet and shaded by giant oaks, it’s as if you’re driving into a forest when the turn is made off Queens Road. We were just kids when we moved here, and never plan to leave.
Shown above is the gorgeous next door cherry tree which now covers a portion of our yard. Puppydog Numa surveys her surroundings, ready to become friends or to protect.
This is a part of our new front yard landscaping. I’ll share more later this week.
The birdhouse was found in my home state. It’s roof is an Illinois license plate.
Spring, Glorious Spring
I blinked, and it was suddenly spring in the Carolinas! Each morning when I walk through our back garden, I find more and more plants have emerged. There was not a sign of baptisia yesterday, and today it has poked its sprigs four inches through the soil. Most of our older azaleas are blooming, and the dogwood are coming into full flower. The first of our wildflowers is blooming, hostas are bursting forth, and even the lilies of the valley have shown their shoots. The red knockout rose is covered in buds, with the other strains not far behind.
I know we’ll probably pay later on for having had literally no winter. Right now peach farmers are holding their breath for fear of a freeze. Gardeners were once cautioned against planting too early. The last official frost date here is April 26. It’s not unusual to have a big snow after the daffodils bloom…..as on my sister Sue’s birthday in 1993. Thirteen inches of snow on March 13. But I digress. I’ll enjoy the beauty and try not to think about what summer may bring.
The last plant shown is a calico euphorbia. I was fascinated by a beautiful variety my DIL had gotten from her grandmother, who calls it primrose. Apparently there are over 2,000 varieties of the species. This was the only one I was able to find in Charlotte.
Still Thriving
It is unseasonably cold in Charlotte, following a week of delightful warmth. But the knock-out roses, black and blue salvia, angelonia and Becky daisies are still blooming their hearts out. The gardenias planted last spring are just now beginning to bloom. Some years, we have roses until December.
This photo above was an experimental shot with my new camera.
