Garden Blogger Bloom Day- April 2014

It is finally April! In the last month we had snow, freezing, melting of the snow, two days of summer and ...read more to find out.

We had a rough winter here in Ohio, hardiness zone 5b. As I was looking at pictures from last year I felt that we had recovered somewhat from the late start of spring.  
The Hellebores, the Spring beauties (Scilla siberica) the winter aconites bloomed since beginning of April. 

Scilla siberica and Eranthis hyemalis or Winter aconite 

Just as of two days ago some of the pulmonaria, primulas and early tulips bloomed.  

Pulmonaria or Lungwort - common garden variety

Primula vulgaris or Primrose

Tulip Kaufmanniana "Hearts Delight"

But today we have a small set-back. Snow again! Not unusual for Ohio.  In 2012 we had an early start of the spring and the snow storm of April 11 piled a foot on top of the late tulips varieties. It didn't last long, and everything survived just fine.  I am not worried about this one either.

April 11, 2012  Tulip Darwin " Ivory Floradale" covered with snow

Here are the Daffodils on Sunday

and here are the daffodils today

Pushed the Fig tree pot back in the garage today since we are expecting lows of 20F tonight.  I will not look outside today! I will pretend this snow is not happening.  I will look in the sunroom where new blooms are happening:

Meyer Lemon Tree blooming second time in the last two months. Only one lemon growing from the February blooms.

Bougainvillea in full bloom in the sunroom

Bougainvillea are not  your typical houseplants—in their natural form, they are sprawling climbers and shrubs with formidable thorns. They are suited to a somewhat arid, subtropical to tropical climate. Nevertheless, these plants possess something I prize for indoor : color.  After I saw 15 ft high and wide plants in Mexico and Jamaica, I was happy I was growing this since I started gardening; the blooms on this plants remind me of warm vacation destinations. More about the sunroom plants here

And to finish on the high note ..high color note, I share with you a picture of the violas recently purchased to decorate the outside porch:

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day is hosted on the 15th of each month by Carol at  May Dream Gardens.  Visit her blog to see what is in bloom this month in gardens from many climates and countries.