spring is here

The weather is still quite cold, with the occasional arctic blast, but spring is definitely on its way.  The magnolias and cherry trees in the area are blooming, and my plum trees are just starting to burst.

I've actually taken out two of the ornamental plums this winter.  They get so crowded with the birches that everything goes a bit moldy by the end of the summer. But I've kept one ornamental and the two fruiting plums.  This is one of the fruiting plums that two summers ago almost died.  Last year after some TLC it set about a dozen small orange plums.  Turns out they're not very tasty.  This year, as you can see, the tree is even happier and covered with blossom.  I think I'll leave them for the possums this year, since covering it with net was a pain in the bum.

And finally, I saw these double hellebores in the garden shops this year.  No, I don't have these in my garden.  But they were so beautiful I had to take a snap. 

I did, however, plant a little tiny Brunnera "Jack Frost" this weekend.  I forgot to take a photo and it's quite small anyway, but this is what it looks like eventually.  Beautiful foliage plus flowers that look like forget-me-nots.  It likes shade and tolerates drought - perfect for the spot next to the Japanese maple.