promises

The weather has been colder than normal and the flowers I am used to blooming by May 1 are not yet open. The flowers that were open have faded or are fading rapidly.

That’s what my camellia looks like, only a lot messier and a lot browner. The flowers are slippery on the grass and ugly.

The rhododendron (the pink one to the north) is fading rapidly, too.

My yard is between flowers.

But it is full of promises. Not only are the peony buds swelling (they should have opened already), but many other flowers are hovering on the verge of bloom, hopeful the weather will finally warm up. We are past the average last frost date (April 15) for here (although it could still frost). It’s just it has been so unseasonably cold!

The apple trees are blossoming: at least there is that.

I’m excited about the promise of flowers even if I have nothing to cut for a fresh bouquet to take to work. Among the perennial favorites that are begging for warmer days are the lilacs, the irises, the peonies, the spirea, penstemmon, and the fuschias that are beginning to poke up through the dirt. The fringe cups are unraveling under the rhododendrons.

But excitement is over the flowers that promise me blooms that have never flowered in my yard before! The bear grass is putting up a spike! My dogwood has buds! And the wee flowering currant we transplanted last summer has buds!

Yes, I have no flowers to pick right now, but give it a week or two, and my yard will be full of color!