EARLY SPRING

I have never looked upon early February as being spring before. Usually our first spring bloomer is the Carolina jessamine, Gelsemium sempervirens. And yes, this year it is just starting to bloom.

But our warm weather has brought a host of plants to challenge this spring bloomer. Many are the flowering bulbs, like Ipheion uniflorum with its star-shaped blue flowers.

iph

And the summer snowflake, Leucojum aestivum, the southern answer to the snowdrop. Why is it not called the spring snowflake?

Both theses are about a month early this year and today a solitary flower on the blue-eyed grass, Sisyrinchium sp. caught my eye. These are native to this area and now grow in the garden from gathered seed. This year is going to be a spectacular year for them as favorable conditions have meant an explosion in the number of plants with their iris-like leaves. Hopefully their bloom will not be spoilt by the unseasonably warm temperatures.

I dragged the citrus out of their winter home because I could see flowers beginning to develop. Within a few days this one plant was in full bloom. This was a plant I had root pruned last year and had only one or two lemons. I think it is going to make up for the this year as long as we don't see a hard freeze.

The bees have been busy for days and I can already see tiny lemons forming.

There are still plenty of lemons on the other trees and tonight, for dessert, we had crêpes drizzled with sugar and lemon juice. No need to wait for Shrove Tuesday this year.

Growing up, as I did, on the west coast of England there was never a time when I asked for it to rain. Quite the contrary I was always asking for it not to rain. As those rain-laden winds blew off the Irish Sea and rose to climb over the Pennines, they dropped their rain. But here in Texas, with no rain for weeks,  I have been praying for rain and it looks as though finally we will get some. It may be too late for some plants. My Lady Banks rose has already started blooming but the the blooms are small and many quickly dried up in the heat.

There is still the white Lady Banks in the back garden. Lots of buds but no open flowers.
And yes, the rain came. Only and inch but maybe some more next week. For now Spring continues.