A very good Friday

Walking through the garden today, I had to admit that it actually looked pretty good in spite of its neglectful caretaker. April is the beginning of our major bloom season and lots of my plants are getting a head start.

Just in time for Easter, the crossvine is beginning its bloom, but why does the color of the blossoms seem so faded this year? For comparison, here are some of last year's blooms.

So, what's up with that??? I haven't a clue.

The firecracker fern (Russelia equisetiformis) spent the "winter" in a pot on the patio and never died back. Now, it's about to be in full bloom once again.

These violas that bloomed throughout the winter are still blooming even as the gerbera daisies with which they share a pot start coming back and beginning their own bloom. It'll be the battle of the daisies and the violas for the next couple of weeks. 

'Darcy Bussell' is full of these roses.

Next to 'Darcy' the almond verbena is beginning its bloom. Its individual blossoms are not too conspicuous but when the shrub is in full bloom, it is quite magnificent. And even with the few blooms that it now has, it is already perfuming my backyard with its heavenly scent. 

The Meyer lemon is flowering.

As is the Mandarin orange next to it.

Purple oxalis is full of its dainty blossoms.

And the Indian hawthornes ('Clara') are just about to be covered in blooms.

Finally, here is my first amaryllis bloom of the year. I usually get one or more amaryllises for the end of the year holidays and after they finish blooming, I plant them in my garden, where, typically, they will thrive and bloom for many years. This one is a plant I got for Christmas 2013 and I planted it in the garden just about a year ago. Now, here it is with my very first amaryllis bloom of 2015. Isn't it a beauty?

I hope you are enjoying a good Friday in your garden and that you will have a good and peaceful weekend.