Spring Has Finally Sprung!

It seems like this Spring has been a long time in coming. Old Man Winter got a grip on us early last fall here in the western prairies and then hung on relentlessly for far too long. Truthfully, I do remember experiencing longer winters when we lived in northern Manitoba, but even now the weather is unseasonable cool…

Tulips are up in the flower bed next to the house.

My perennials are slowing inching their way above the ground. The tulips in the bed next to the house are about 6 inches tall now (15 cm) which is wonderful to see! That bed has been free of snow for several weeks and the shelter from the house encourages the first sprouts to appear. 

Hollyhocks are sprouting in the same bed as the tulips

Happily we had a warm sunny Easter weekend which melted most of the snow off the rest of my garden beds.

Snow is mostly gone off my flower beds now.

The daffodils have started sprouting in my stack stone  bed as well. Time to get out the Bobbex spray to discourage the deer and rodents from munching on them.  The rose bushes are still wrapped up in burlap and will stay that way for a couple more weeks till  the temperature stops going below 0 C at night.

Grape hyacinth, tiny but wonderful to see!

The hardy white Ox Eye daisies are growing already as well. They almost seem to start turning green beneath the snow.

The perennial beds in the middle of the yard need to be cleaned up once they get a chance to dry. The Karl Forrester grass that I left standing in the fall has all fallen over flat. The nesting birds like to use it when building their nests, but so far we haven't seen any tree swallows or wrens,  just some house sparrows and Black Capped chickadees (my favourite little birds) which were here all winter. 

The robins have graced us with their presence again, though. Heard one cheerful fellow singing his heart out a few mornings ago. He seems to be camera shy, though. As soon as I tried to take his photo he disappeared and hasn't been back :(

In need of a clean up

The black Juncos  and the Red Winged Blackbirds are back now as well.  The Canada Geese have been back for over a month already and many of the ponds around here have ducks on them again in the last few days. Saw Mallard ducks, blue-winged teal, and buffleheads all paired up. Also a black duck with a white beak which I can't seem to find in my bird book. 

I love this time of year!!!