Back to nature

This is a catch-up entry about goings-on in the pleasure grounds. This morning when it was already light we saw a half-grown opossum and one of its parents. These must be responsible for the holes grubbed in the dirt the past few days. There is also a titmouse habitation established in the hollow "T" at the top of the old-fashioned metal clothespole close to the sun porch. Turk's cap is returning from the roots. Lantana will probably do the same, but has not yet done so. Pride of Barbados shows no signs of life yet. The most recent floral arrivals are two kinds of tulipa chrysantha (Tubergen's Gem and a paler, more buttery variety) and two new kinds of iris: white standards with yellow drops and some sort of fancy Siberian iris. Newest in the daffodil family are Erlicheer and daffodil Texas, both doubles. The earliest bunch of Thalia is done, but a new set is opening. Ranunculus is here at last, in several colors. The white bargain-basement fancy anemones are blooming every where and are quite showy when the sky is overcast. Leucojum is pretty much over for the season. April Tears lasted a long time. Lilac Wonder and red-and-white clusiana tulips are done for the year. Volunteer morning glories and cosmos are everywhere, and the same is true for delphinium. As expected, despite the winter's chills, nothing came from the Dutch tulips, but the leaves are pretty nevertheless. On warmer days, we've seen both giant dark swallowtail and giant yellow tiger swallowtail butterflies. Petals have fallen from both the ornamental pear and the redbuds; there was an overlap of a couple of days when both kinds of tree were in bloom, very pretty together. Little Marvel peas are in bloom. Small anoles are seen. The first of our Albertsons one-dollar clematis plants is in bloom, with a flower like a saucer. They are all budding. There are volunteer hyacinth beans. I had laid a dozen or so seed-pods from last year atop a fence; when I returned a half-hour later for them, there was not a sign of them to be seen. My suspicion falls on the squirrels, but perhaps some bird was interested. Fennel is back from the roots and now at about knee height. Pure white Dutch irises opened yesterday. Iphieon continues to be bluer and more prolific than ever before. All pink oxalis is blooming. Grape hyacinth is still blooming. Oakleaf lettuce has sprouted in surprising places and is highly ornamental. Three different kinds of nasturtiums in pots are covered with flowers. All three are trailing types. Various types of poet's narcissus are at their peak right now, also especially handsome under cloudy skies. Nearly all oak leaves have fallen; the front tree will soon be producing pollen. Purpleheart has returned; so have four o'clocks everywhere they have ever been, and in some new places as well. The fig tree is fully leafed out; there are tiny signs of green on the pecan. Hyacinths of every kind are now done for the year; we never did see any cream or white ones. Fancy anemones and anemone blanda are still going strong. Red anemones have been especially prolific. The old-fashioned kind of ornamental allium is still providing a frothy white background for all the other flowers. The mystery rose that had long done not much but that burst forth spectacularly last year was not winter-killed and has lots of buds on it right now. I think I'm seeing plumbago leaves up from the roots. We still have some Minnow and some Jetfire flowers. The grass is greening up ever so slightly.