Surprises around every corner

Bulbs blooming, peonies growing, trees budding. There is so much going on that sometimes the small details are lost in all of spring's glory. But those small surprises are just as enjoyable - moreso, even, as you don't alway see them at first glance. They're like a secret between you and the garden. Here are a few of mine.

Tulip fringed with purple reveals a blue and white center.

Daffodil from my unlabeled bag of 50 I planted in the fall. This sweet one is about the size of two quarters.

Tulip 'White Emperor' has a touch of green on its petals.

Bi-colored daffodil. I've never seen anything like it.

I know it was a long winter, but I'm a little scared that I have no recollection of this pink
 creeping phlox (front of photo) on my front wall. Season-induced memory loss
 makes for great surprises.

Have you discovered any surprises in your garden?

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - April 2014

I'm back, baby.

After a whole lot of nothing to say during the winter that destroyed my soul, spring is here. Let me say that one more time, because there's a part of me that still doesn't believe it. Spring. Is. Here. I won't comment on the fact that t was 82* on Sunday, and we're having a freeze warning tonight. Whatever, Mother Nature.

One of the reasons I started a blog was to see how my garden looked from year to year. In my April 2013 bloom day post, I mentioned that things were coming up later than usual. This year, everything is coming up even later than last year. There's not much to report going on here in this city garden except bulbs. Thank goodness I went on a bulb-buying binge in the fall.

Let's get to pretty things now, shall we?

In the front, my $20-for-50-daffodil-bulbs purchase last fall paid off. This is just one clump that I planted.

Creeping phlox just starting to flower. It was already in full bloom at this time last year.

On the side, I finally trimmed the forsythia. I mean, I hacked the crap out of it, not that you can tell.  I know, you're not supposed to do it until after it flowers but if I'd waited, the 25 little baby forsythias I removed would still be there and my neighbor's car would continue to be scratched.

The allée is looking a little tacky with the brightly colored pink and blue hyacinth that were an impulse buy last fall. But boy does it smell good when you walk through.

Early tulips are blooming. In the fall, I finally made sure to get a variety of early and middle blooming bulbs.

There's not much to report in the back except a) there's no snow, and b) there are green leaves popping up here and there, so it's a win-win in my book.

My helleborus x hybridus 'Snow Bunting' bloomed! Sure, the flowers are all facing the fence so I have to do a weird yoga pose to see them, but it bloomed! Note to self: Plant more hellebores here for next year.

That wraps up my bloom day for this month. Spring has finally, finally arrived and I can't wait to see what continues to pop up in my garden. Thanks to May Dreams for hosting.