I have done many posts on this garden and some of the scenes I share will probably be familiar if you have known me for a while. It was such a lovely day, not too hot, not too cold and just right for walking. We leave going down to the pond for warmer weather and typically, lately at least, we stay on the flat level of the garden. At other times of the year, we will make our way to the pond and then find the steeper, up-hill path that leads to where we were heading to today. 
I am starting off with Witch hazel, which I have mentioned quite a few times also. It is a fascinating plant. There is an interesting article I read here and another at this link. It reads “Witch-hazels or witch hazels (Hamamelis) are a genus of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae, with three species in North America (H. ovalis, H. virginiana, and H. vernalis), and one each in Japan (H. japonica) and China (H. mollis). The North American species are occasionally called winterbloom.
These are what I found in front of the old house. The Daffodils were putting on a very pretty showing, and the Johnny jump-ups were a nice contrast. The sign is for the Anemone which we will see later on. There is a very nice post at this link on Anemones. I am adding a lot of links today as I found this one from The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, which gives a guide to the wildflowers that grow in our zone each month. Another splendid blog called Amanda's Native Garden you can find here. This last one is in Sparta, New York.
The following is a path that goes in a half arc around a small flower-bed area. I often walk this mini detour and like to explore in full blooming season.
I have to watch these as there have been times those little spiky balls get so hard that they can twist an ankle.
They are from the Sweet gum tree, and those in the know will recognize them.
The same Netted iris I shared in this post. Gregg is in the background.
An area that has the swallow condo (on the left). I enjoy seeing the birds take up residence. It's not only swallows that check this place out. On the right is the rusty old iron windmill.
Here's a closer look.
The produce garden's planting program was in full swing, and there was a lot showing above ground. Someone had lost a glove but a kind person had threaded it into the chain link fence, hopefully to be retrieved by its owner before they left the garden.
More Johnny jump-ups. They were very bright and cheery.
As always, I have more photos to share, but I will leave them for another day.
The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum!!! We live right by there! This is the one in Harrisonburg, right? We just passed there twice recently. I don't know how people get down there! The witch hazel always looks so creepy and mysterious! Growing up, we always had a bottle, but I don't think people use it anymore. We have those spiky balls everywhere around here! I never knew what their tree was, so now I DO! I gathered some one year and cut them open to see if anything was inside. Just more spikiness.
ReplyDeleteNow that's very interesting, have you ever gone in there? I seem to remember buying a bottle of witch hazel years ago but not since. As for those pods, you have peaked my curiosity now. Thanks Ginny :)
DeleteIt looks very springy and nice. Love those Johnny jump-ups...a fun name too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Angie, I like the name too. It is just one of many :)
DeleteInteresting. Ornamental cabbage looks lovely in a bed on it's own..it's something different.
ReplyDeleteI agree Margaret :)
DeleteThe blooms in the garden look so lovely
ReplyDeleteHappy you think so, thanks roentare :)
DeleteSuch a beautiful place. I can see why you like it so much. Loving all those flowers.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ann, we enjoy it in any season but it's lovely to see it coming back to life with new flowers and the trees are budding too :)
Deleteyour beautiful garden you visit for us is springing up fast. bright sun, gorgeous plants, not to cold, not to hot, what could be better? all your photos are beautiful. yay for getting to walk and share..
ReplyDeleteVery true Sandra and thank you so much :) Loving your walks, it is fun to share.
DeleteHello Denise,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful nature photos and scenes from your garden visit. The flowers are beautiful.
Take care, have a great day!
Thank you Eileen, we were happy to see the new spring blooms :) You take care and have a great day also.
DeleteThank you for my "flower fix" of the day, so bright and cheerful. Looking forward to seeing more photo's from your walks.
ReplyDeleteIt will be a little while yet before we see flowers of any kind in the gardens here.
You are so very welcome. I hope you will see them blooming soon :)
DeleteA lot more blooms in your part of the country than here right now, Denise. I have yet to see a single daffodil except in the frovery store floral department!
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely to see I have to admit and I must not take them for granted as I realize others are still waiting for them to appear. Thanks Dorothy :)
DeleteEverything sure is looking nice and that is such a pretty area. Oh, those spikey things sure stick to everything, and they hurt too!
ReplyDeleteThanks Brian :) Good to know about the spikey things, I haven't had that problem yet.
DeleteLove the Johnny Jump UPs and the daffodils. Our daffodils are just now poking up their green shoots. So exciting. We are looking forward to resuming our walks on the Rotary trail. Happy Tuesday to you!
ReplyDeleteAlways happy to hear others enjoying their first signs of spring :) Thank you Ellen and enjoy your walks when the weather gets warmer, and your new spring blooms. Happy Tuesday to you too!
DeleteIt's all so lovely and the first real spring post I've seen this year! The daffodils with the blue flowers (johnny jump-ups?) really made my heart sing. As I've said too many times, I really do miss the normal spring flowers here in Florida.
ReplyDeleteThat's lovely Sallie, always happy to bring a 'heart sing' to my dear blogging buddies :) I will be sharing as many spring flowers as I can for you as they pop up.
DeleteWelcome spring
ReplyDeleteWelcome indeed :)
DeleteLovely garden, lovely flowers. They herald spring. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome Katerina and thank you :)
DeleteHow nice that these gardens are close enough you can see them regularly!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeanie, we have several places and I never take any of them for granted :)
DeleteLovely flowers. As Sallie wrote above, I miss the spring flowers out here in desert California. Liquid Amber/sweet gum trees were donated to schools back 30 years ago, and those spike balls are a bane. Excellent weapons.
ReplyDeleteThank you Susan :) and thank you for the interesting story about those school days. I can see how they could be very problematic.
DeleteThank you for taking us along to the garden, Denise. The flowers look so happy there. The sweet gum balls can be so worrisome. We have them on our daily walks as well and must be careful like you said. We used to have two huge sweet gum trees in our yard. Through the years we would "pay" our children to pick them up by the bags full. As much as we love trees we had to have them removed.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome Martha Ellen :) I can see why you would have to have them removed. What a great chore for your children!
DeleteAbsolutely delighted with that, thanks Linda :)
ReplyDeleteI find those "spikey balls" interesting. We do not have anything like that around here. Pine cones, yes, but not spikey balls.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, there is something very special about the pine cone :)
DeleteThis was so restorative and lovely and just what I needed. Thank you Denise. Aloha
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful, thank you Coudia and aloha :)
DeleteI wouldn't want to sit on the spiky balls from the gum tree. However, you give a nice early spring tour.
ReplyDeleteNope, definitely wouldn't want to do that Red :) glad you enjoyed the tour.
DeleteAhh, those sweet gum balls! My mom used to pay us kids for collecting a bag full. We had a lot of them in our yard, and she just wanted them picked up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that memory Linda :) your mom must have been very grateful to you kids.
DeleteThe witch hazel looks lovely with it's spider like blooms and the blue iris really stands out in the photo. Thank you for sharing these.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed these Beverley and you are very welcome :)
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