Spring is in the Air!

It hit 80 degrees here today and I couldn’t resist spending some time outside this afternoon. My SIL was in town and stopped by for a quick visit, so we sat on the porch for an hour catching spring fever.

Here are a few photos I took in the garden today. Above is a winter iris (iris unguicularis) that is very late. It blooms fall through winter and is usually finished blooming by now, but these blooms with their beautiful markings are welcome anytime.

The pictures below show my plum tree, which is almost at the peak of bloom.

And this next picture shows the iris pallida variegata that are just emerging from the earth (the variegata form has eye-catching stripes on the foliage that provide interest even when the plant is not flowering). They will form pretty blue flowers in a few months. Iris pallida roots are used to make orris for perfume. These fresh shoots in February are among the first promises of spring as the garden starts to grow again. The sights of spring in the garden bring me joy every year. 🙂