Give me one second … ahhhh that’s better. Just had to scratch the poison ivy on my arm, and on my thigh, and on my waist. Yep, it’s heeeeeere … spring officially arrived this weekend at Chez ONG and not a moment too soon.
The temperature may not be ideal quite yet (although we are hitting the 80’s today) but you could feel spring in so many ways. Most noticeably, all of the deciduous trees are in bud or are leafing out:
 |
| Cherry tree blooms about to burst |
 |
| More cherry tree blooms |
 |
| Crabapple leafing out |
 |
| Crabapple close up |
 |
| Plum tree emerged overnight |
 |
| More emerging foliage |
 |
| Heaven – leafing out tree and blue skies |
Some other not so obvious developments upon closer inspection:
 |
| Peonies have broken ground and will take no prisoners |
 |
| Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’ new growth is always fantastic, assuming they are consistently sprayed with Liquid Fence |
 |
| Ajuga ‘Chocolate Chip’ buds have formed and will soon form a purple mat of color |
 |
| Viburnum leaf out is in full effect |
 |
| Viburnums have such a vivid green foliage color this time of year |
 |
| Geraniums new growth has fought through the dead brown foliage |
 |
| Sedum ‘Red Carpet’ – this is how they roll |
 |
| Sedum ‘Red Carpet’ backed by yellow dwarf spireas |
The birds have taken over the still flooded yard and they consist of mostly robins. Yesterday morning, however, while I was taking my morning pee, I saw this character and immediately starting snapping photos through the window. I’m by no means a bird aficionado (but I’m working on it) and after some research, determined that this was a Northern Flicker woodpecker who was pecking like mad all over the soil:
 |
| Northern Flicker woodpecker |
I also spent some time cleaning up the beds and removing the old perennial foliage (hence the poison ivy):
 |
| Dead foliage off to the compost bins |
And turned this:
 |
| Dead Catmint foliage |
Into this:
 |
| New Catmint growth |
And I couldn’t end a post without mention of rabbit or deer destruction so I leave you with some of the artwork left by one of the many rabbits living under my deck:
 |
| Rabbit chewed daylily foliage |
Go out and get your hands dirty!
John
Wonderful photos of Spring ONG and the work that goes along with it. I have already had a round of steriods for poison ivy this year…do not spread it to your face…swollen eyes make for bad gardening photos!
Spring finally arrived for us up here in Maine this past weekend as well. Fortunately, I have no poison ivy nearby. 🙂
oh boy – poison ivy… if it gets out of hand for you, i’ve got some great tips. i used to get it terribly bad – enough to warrant trips to the doctor. but i’ve taken an herbal supplement and built up a good immunity to it now! Rhustoxicodendron is available at Whole Foods and if taken daily for a while, then every now and again, it really builds up your immunity so you can withstand the outbreaks with only a minimal treatment. 🙂
Sorry about the poison ivy. It does, however, sound like you’re going to be ok now that spring is here. All those buds! Yea spring!
You were taking a pee and ‘immediately’ started snapping pictures of that woodpecker? You bring the camera into the bathroom with you when you’re peeing?
You’re Extra Tasty Creepy, aren’t you?
Well we don’t have poison ivy…but spring is coming here…although our temperatures are still below freezing at nights highs during the day are….maybe if we are beside a building 50…but I have started my gardening! Enjoy your post… I am learning some names of my plants… I now know I have Sedum!
Hi,
Glad to see things are happening in your garden, such an exciting time of year!
Still have dirt under my fingernails from repotting some patio plants this weekend! Regret your Poison Ivy…used to get it annually when a kid…one year I managed to sit in it…yuck! Your plants are looking fantastic…and the woodpecker photo is excellent! The bathroom incident was more information than I needed to know though!
I get poison ivy every year and usually end up getting shots for it. I’m terribly allergic to the stuff. I’m going to try what texwisgirl mentioned.
Lots fo good things happening in the garden, but I know what you mean about the critters. I put four new spring plants in the ground, beautiful rose colored flowers, today gone eaten by the rabbits. They left the foliage and ate the flowers!
Eileen
What wonderful sights of Spring. We are slightly ahead of you here in Cincinnati.
Best,
Lois
We used to have rabbit damage while they nested in our garden. Luna (our dog) has made believers out of them by eating their young. She thought they were tasty treats left by the Easter bunny. I too have had my first case of poison Ivy. I can’t imagine where it is growing. I hope I got it all pulled out. Isn’t it fun to find all the emerging flowers. The Flicker will keep the ant population down. They think they are tasty.
It wouldn’t be gardening season without at least one or two rounds of poison ivy. 🙂
The weather here was finally warm enough to go outside to clean up the beds from last year and uncover the new growth. I love how the perennials wake up in springtime! It amazes me every year!
Your trees look beautiful! Ours are still leafless here in WI, but soon!
Niceeeeeeee….. It definitely felt like spring at the nursery today… people are actually waking up to spring.. mulching.. looking at possibilities.. 🙂
Welcome. Everyone that loves his garden, boasts of it, because I happy with something he has grown and blossomed something. And certainly no one knows everything, so I liked your opinion on the profile, “knows more than you actually know. ” Yours
Once again, really cool photos. Spring is actually the earth waking up. Time to get in touch with Mother Earth again. Hope evidence of your poison ivy encounter is much better if not all gone.
Crap aboutthe poison ivy, hope all gone! The pics of spring at your place are fantastic – always amazes me how plants know to shoot again and just when to come up and surprise everyone. Spring is my favourite season by far.
What zone are you in? It looks like you are in zone 5, same as Indiana. Most of the gardening blogs I follow are much further south. Drives me nuts to see all their stuff in bloom! We had those warm temps over the weekend and things grew like crazy!
Darla – I managed to avoid getting it on my face this time. I am thinking about a “best of poison ivy photos” post … maybe not though.
Brandi – I honestly have never longed for spring more than I have this year. So pumped up that it is here.
Texwis – I am going to go out and get that stuff ASAP. Thank you so much for the tip!
Sherlock – I’ll gladly take the poison ivy if it means spring is here and I got outside.
Kyna – I was as quick as a cat; finished my duties, grabbed the camera and snapped away. But, I am going to bring the camera with me into the bathroom for now on, too many things that can be missed outside the window.
Flora – glad to hear spring is creeping in ever so slowly. Sedum is growing on me (pun intended) more and more each year.
Liz – love this time of year too, thanks for stopping by.
T&B – the funny thing is, I wrote another post on seeing finches when in the bathroom as well. A definite TMI but couldn’t resist.
Phillip – I get poison ivy all the time but i’m lucky that it never gets too bad. I guess it’s all worth it though, right?
Gatsby – the rabbits are a nightmare in the spring eating all the new growth but I never had them eat any flowers, that stinks!
Lois – this is the most anticipated spring EVER!
Lisa – the rabbbits come from every corner of the yard and I can’t get my dog off her butt to chase them away. Was awesome watching the flicker take care of business.
Aliceson – I still get so pumped up and amazed at the onslaught of perennial growth in such a short period of time. Such an awesome time of year.
Leslie – another winter survived and time to buy plants I have no room for or that I know the deer will c how down on.
Giga – thank you for visiting and enjoyed catching up on your blog as well
Katy – love that line, “The Earth waking up”. Now if only she could put the deer and rabbits back to sleep
Mrs Bok – I am so energized by the spring. Thank you for the kind words.
Cindy – I am in zone 6B and I am right there with you in the bloom jealousy department.
Beautiful images, John.
Clearly, you have more than just a garden experience in your rural back yard. Some of us urban gardeners are very envious.
A true gardener….defying the poison ivy to reveal the beauty smothered by it;)
Love that 2nd shot. Such a beautiful branch springing out!!!!
Dial soap…the best thing for poison ivy. I Know!!
I am loving all of your emerging shoots and buds. We have many of the same plants but you really have me sold on the sedum. It is very cool looking. And now is the time to divide those peonies and send me some!!
Thanks so much for stopping by. You have a new follower!
XO,
Jane
I’m a little behind you seasonally but was finally able to get outside this past weekend and it was brilliant. Definitely got my hands very dirty and loved every minute.
Your pictures are just beautiful. Thanks for sharing them. Looks like Spring has arrived!!! Antique Rose
Nice blog. I write The Passionate Gardener. Gardeners are great!