Thursday, April 22, 2010

New arrivals in the pleasure grounds

We hear warblers every morning, but so far we've caught a good glimpse of only one: a yellow warbler shooting across a small open space. Very much to our surprise, this morning we found bud stalks on many amaryllis plants (hippeastrum), some in pots and some in the ground. Coreopsis is now in bloom, and so is a mauve poppy opening from large buds on very tall plants with light silver-green and very serrated leaves. These came from seed and this is the first year we have planted them, whatever they are. I think they've been returning for several years in a yard farther up the hill. There's a departure to be recorded: someone dug up one of the clumps of red A&M bluebonnets. Two kinds of nasturtiums are blooming in pots; one is plain orange and one is a creamy pale yellow with red-brown streaks at the throat. We think these are from a Fordhook mix from Burpee. Johnny jump-up volunteers continue to appear and bloom. We continue to enjoy various kinds of poppies, sweet peas, ranunculus, delphiniums, calendulas, bachelor buttons, firewheels, and new waves of red anemones. The mystery rose continues to be heavy with countless blooms. There are buds on the oleander. It's not yet known whether Pride of Barbados will show any signs of life. Turks caps are leafing out everywhere. Lantanas may need to be pruned back entirely, since new leaves seem to be appearing only at the base. On the bare lantana plants are green chrysalises of an unknown butterfly. Loquat fruits are few but very large and are turning yellow. The peas we've been enjoying at suppertime are about done.

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