Daffodils

First daffodil bouquet on the day before my sister's birthday - being able to pick some for her means it has been a mostly mild winter!

Vegetable garden started

A  60 degree day on February  26 - was able to prep 2 garden raised beds and planted beets, lettuce, spinach and carrots. Covered the boxes with mesh to keep the squirrels and birds out. Last year they dug up most of the seeds!

Crocus

Calendar spring is still a few weeks away but sunshine and  54 degrees after 2.5 inches of rain in the last 10 days gives me hope that warm weather is on the way! So many patches of crocus blooming all over the garden beds / mostly purple with a few white and lavenders. Daffodils are almost blooming too.

Maui flowers

Lotus blooming on a koi pond, wild orchids and shell ginger looking like little pearls before it blossoms. So many beautiful tropical flowers.

Camellia in bloom

The first bloom open this year - seems earlier than usual. Also the cyclamen coum is full of blossoms and the hellebores continue to bloom. After the big frost in December it seems we are having a mild and dry winter 

More winter blooms and fragrance

Such a wonderful winter garden - witch hazel which looks like lemon zest hanging on the tree with a light fragrance. Then the sarcococca confusa "sweet box" with its tiny white flowers and amazing sweet smell which lingers around the yard. Then the shy hellebore which is just starting to bloom. Nothing boring about winter bloomers!

New Years Day 2014

The winter garden is beginning to bloom - cyclamen coum, hellebores and witch hazel. The saracoca sweet box is almost ready to blossom with its fragrant blooms! The garden is heading to spring!