Spring Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Betty Hall Photography

March happenings

I’m seeing several signs of spring in the backyard. Most of them are small with varying shapes and colors.

Here are a few of the sights I found recently.

From the top, left to right: Dogwood buds beginning to open (Cornus florida), Rue Anemone blossom (Anemonella thalictroides), buds of Redbud tree (Cercis canadensis), Hepatica blossom (Hepatica acutiloba), Ragwort buds (Senecio), tiny Gooseberry leaves (Ribes missouriense), Sessile Trillium bud (Trillium sessile), and Red Maple seeds (Acer rubrum).

I’m looking forward to seeing my first butterfly of the season, and I’ve had one report of a swallowtail in the Red River Gorge. So far, the only insects I’ve seen were small flies and honey bees.

I look forward to watching new developments, and I’d be glad to hear what signs of spring you are seeing.

Mystery Crocuses – first sign of spring

These crocuses mysteriously appeared under the red maple a few years ago. I didn’t plant them and I have no idea how they got there. However, I’m pleased to see these first blossoms of the year.

The blossoms are small – about one inch wide and two inches tall. They are not spectacular, but they’re big enough to be seen from the dining room window and they brighten my day.

It was only when I looked closely at the inside of a blossom that I noticed the richness and beauty within.

Crocuses are not native to Kentucky, but they provide an early source of nectar for insects. And I enjoy them as an early sign of spring.

Creeping Phlox

I recently took my small point-and-shoot camera to the backyard, looking for possible signs of spring. I was pleasantly surprised to see that a number of plants have remained green throughout our prolonged winter.

I was especially glad to see the Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) looking healthy through patches of snow.

The dense foliage creates a ground cover tough enough I can walk on it. It keeps weeds down and spreads slowly, but is not invasive.

There are already tiny buds and, with a little luck, by the first of April it will become a mass of color as in this image from last spring.

It grows especially well on the rocky, sunny slope that leads to our rain garden and has proven to be drought tolerant.

With its evergreen foliage, colorful spring blossoms, and ease of maintenance, Creeping Phlox is an effective ground cover and one of my favorite native backyard plants.

I was also glad to see my first backyard honey bee (Apis mellifera) on February 16. I know spring isn’t here yet, but I trust it’s on the way. I’d be glad to hear of any signs of spring you’re seeing.

Redbud time in Kentucky

It’s redbud (Cercis canadensis) time in Kentucky. I love seeing all the pink along our roads and highways. However, my favorite is the one that’s blooming in our backyard. I enjoy its big splash of pink and the lacy texture of the blossoms. As the flowers begin to drop, I’ll enjoy the tiny red heart-shaped leaves. These will turn green as they grow larger and I’ll enjoy them all summer.

This is the tree soon after it was planted five years ago. When we reworked the backyard, we added three new native trees – a redbud, bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), and black gum or tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica). We’ve been pleasantly surprised at how fast they have grown.

I’ve always liked trees, and I’ve recently become aware of how important they are to a healthy environment. In particular, native trees are nurseries for many kinds of insects, which are essential to nature’s food chain. For example, birds depend on insects as food for themselves and their young. If we don’t have insects, we won’t have birds.

I enjoy our trees and the wildlife they bring to our backyard. It’s exciting to see another season of growth begin.

Celandine Poppy – Easter 2010

This was a bright spot of yellow in the backyard on Easter Sunday. It was the first blossom of the celandine poppy or wood poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) which is one of my favorite backyard plants. I can usually count on lots of bright yellow blossoms in April. If I remove the old flowers, I will likely have blooms until late summer. It’s a hardy plant, and it grows in dry shade. In addition, I like the texture of its foliage.

The poppy is the brightest spot in the shade garden right now, but other blossoms include sessile trillium, Dutchman’s britches, anemones, Virginia bluebells, wild ginger, and bellworts. I enjoyed finding these these same flowers blooming abundantly in the woods this past weekend, and it was nice to come home and see them in my own backyard.