April In The Garden, Birds and Flowers
In northern Kentucky this year, April in the garden, is very colorful! The lavender azaleas are blooming in the front yard. They mimic the lavender ribbon on the wreath at the front door. The azalea bushes flank the water fountain and add a subtle pop of color for a short time.
The columbine is blooming. These were beginning to be overtaken by the daylilies and the transplant last summer seems to have been good for these plants. Once again, they have never bloomed this early in April.
The old fashioned pink rose plant that Dave's mom gave us is budded out and ready to bloom. Not sure how old the plant we got the start from is, but it seems to be pretty prolific. The blossoms have a beautiful rose scent, unlike any others in the gardens here.
A pair of wrens has taken up residence in one of the wall planters on the patio, at least for awhile. We could see the little eggs in the nest. Dave said they wouldn't hatch. (You know what a pessimist he is.)
He stood on the wall by the pond to peer into the nest and the little wren came flying out! He almost fell in! Of course, I laughed.
The eggs hatched and now there are babies in the nest. Momma and Papa are always coming and going. I captured this shot, and yes, that is a big old spider!
Soon, the planters will have to be lined and planted again. In the meantime, I wait for their departure, enjoy their songs, and try to capture some more shots of their little family.
Lemon balm is a great plant for repelling mosquitoes! Knowing that, I figured planting this in a pot for the deck would be a no-brainer. Lemon balm is a member of the mint family and is a perennial herb. It is very easy to grow, and it can also be pretty invasive. Ask my husband. We are removing it from the flower garden and restricting it to a pot. The pot sounds like a good idea, right?
It resists drought and even grows quite well in shade. Honeybees like this plant because of its strong lemon scent. Most bugs don't like the smell or taste of mint, so it has an added advantage of keeping them away! If you are bitten by a bug, the leaves rubbed onto your skin are said to relieve itching.
The dried leaves of the lemon balm can be used to make a delicious herbal tea! The fresh leaves can be used as a green garnish for food and beverages.
This 'Lanai Upright Purple Mosaic Verbena' is Sophia's plant. These blossoms are from the same plant, and yet one has the solid purple petals and the other doesn't. It makes it pretty interesting.
These plants bloom all summer long and grow 12 - 14-inches tall upright in a mound. These come in so many different color variations. To see more variations from last week's post click here ►(more verbena)
This week, Sophia wants to paint a pot and then we will plant the verbena for her.
She also has strawberry plants, which we are planting in a strawberry pot. This girl is developing a love of flowers and plants, too.
She and I, apparently, had the same idea. Seeing a post on painted terracotta pots on "Oh My Heartsie Girl", the idea to work on some of the clay pots in the backyard has been uppermost in my mind. April in the garden, birds and flowers, I love this time of year!
