New appearances in the pleasure grounds

Ice Follies daffodils are few so far this year, having been spectacular last year. We're seeing more Ceylon and Caruso daffodils now. Carlton daffodils are producing multiple stems of flowers. A spectacular red-and-white hardy amaryllis with a greenish center was knocked down by the high winds but is very handsome in a vase indoors. A lettuce plant that wintered over in a pot has bolted. We've picked three pods of peas. A hyacinth bean and several lantanas are in bloom. This morning we saw the first flowers on the ornamental pear tree, so it will overlap with the redbud flowers. We have one blue florist's anemone, a couple of Siverian squills, about five grape hyacinths, several pink wood hyacinths, about six different shades of Dutch hyacinths, and a few flowers from the purple hearts and the pink oxalis. There are two very small Lilac Wonder tulip flowers. The two nasturtiums that bloomed earlier continue to furnish flowers, as do many milkweeds, both the all-yellow ones and the bi-colored variety. The fig tree is seriously budding out. This morning we found at least a dozen deep blue Dutch iris flowers. All the ornamental allium flowers provide a beautiful frothy background to the other flowers. Spring is in progress.