March 25, 2012 Spring will not look back!

A lone tulip in a sunny spot is weeks ahead of most of the others...

When should roses be pruned?  A good rule of thumb is, when the forsythia blooms...

Low to the ground the crocus and anemone take full advantage of the first warm rays of spring...

Another low grower, only 4" tall, resembles the hyacinth, but is actually Puschkinia libanotica and is native to Asia and the Middle East...

The Bergenia has a pretty flower and likes to bloom early, even though the blossoms can't tolerate frost.  I often lose the blooms before I've had a chance to enjoy them...

The Dafodils are just starting and the Apricots are in full bloom...

Some plants are just as interesting as their names.  The flower on this plant is as unique as its sprouts and can measure over 12 inches.  It is in the Arum family and is called....take a guess before I tell you.

Four days of spring in Arizona was great; what a beautiful place!

I was fascinated by all the thorns and surprised to see them even on palms

What appeared to be delicate leaves turned out to be very unforgiving; more like knives than leaves...

In Jerome we found a bit of spring much like our own, but several weeks ahead of us...

The Arizona Sycamore, below Montezuma's Castle were beautiful, even without leaves...

Page Arizona is nearly 6000 ft. above sea level, but even there I saw the spring breathing softly in  the shadow of former splendor...

Meanwhile, here at home, the first harolds of spring have spoken...

A southern exposure helps a few windflowers to bloom slightly early...

And in the greenhouse spring is in full force...but, in the next couple weeks the number of plants will double...

One of the palms that came back with us from Arizona is this Sago...

Life is truly a gift and it shines most brightly in the spring.