Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - April 2010

One of the things that I really like about GBBD is that it allows us to compare from year to year.  It's not just our imagination:  The things I had in bloom last year on April 15th were peaking a few weeks ago already!  Some, like the first of the species tulips, have long since shed their petals.

A few other things are in still in bloom, like the long-flowering hellebores... but it's still the "second wave" of tulips that are stealing the show, both indoors:

And outside, in shades ranging from creamy white:

To these interesting ones that are golden yellow with bold red markings when open, but a soft peachy-orange when closed:

More flower photos to come, but for now I'll close with my list of blooms:

Bulbs/Annuals:  All orange, red, yellow and white tulips (the dark ones, like 'Queen of Night,' are still just in bud) except for the very earliest ones near the 'Golden Sword' yucca.  About 1/5 of the 'Geranium' daffodils are starting to open, too.  Grape hyacinths are a cascade of blue in the shade garden.

Perennials:  All of the bergenias are putting on an amazing show!  'Purple Dragon' lamium is in bloom, along with European ginger and an unnamed pulmonaria.

Grasses:  Carex platyphylla and c. caryophyllea 'Beatlemania' are both in bloom

Shrubs/trees:  The peach tree is still blooming, along with both cherries and the apple tree.  I saw the first flower on my blueberry bush yesterday, too!

To see what's blooming all over the world on this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, visit Carol's GBBD Post at May Dreams Gardens!