Oh my goodness, when the sun shines brightly, the shrubs and trees burst into bloom. The ‘Blireiana’ flowering plum tree, one of my favorites, is almost over. It is the first tree to bloom here in Bellingham. It heralds the beginning of spring with its pretty double-petalled fragrant flowers on bare stems. It is a utility-friendly tree with an irregular canopy, easily maintained to 25 feet. Bronze-purple leaves cover the tree after the flowers fall. The spent cherry blossoms fall like snow on my neighbor’s lawn. My peonies must have grown at least a foot in the last week. My pots are all unwrapped for the summer. I do love the bright colors in my garden.
The warmth of the sun brings a heady fragrance to the garden. On the East side of the house, there are the tight clusters of pinky-white flowers of the Daphne Odora. The hyacinths around my friend’s apple tree are almost overpowering. The peach tree blossoms are delicate, soft, and cheerful. I find myself daydreaming of the summer when I can come by to visit and pick a warm peach straight off the tree and sink my teeth into the ripe flesh.
