Gifts of the late April garden (Part 2)

Among the best gifts that my late April garden has to offer are, of course, the flowers. After the browns and grays of the winter landscape, the colors of the spring blossoms are a tonic for the spirit, and April is the time when many of the plants, with their fresh new growth, are at their very best before they are weighed down by the heat and humidity and drought of summer, not to mention by serving as a buffet for insects. April offers us that first flush of bloom when hope is still in the air and the perfect garden of our dreams is still possible.

April is the month when the water lilies in the goldfish pond start to bloom.

 And, of course, amaryllises are among the first bloomers in the garden. Some, like this one, are still blooming here at the end of the month.

 St. Joseph's lilies still bloom.

And the 'Red Lion' amaryllis still roars.

 This little tricycle planter was a gift from my son-in-law a few years ago, and I enjoy planting it up in the spring. This year it has lobelia, coreopsis (not in bloom yet), red kalanchoe, and a lime-colored pothos.

The yarrow is blooming.

And so is the 'Silky Gold' asclepias.

The old-fashioned petunia that reseeded itself continues to be full of fragrant blossoms.

 Many of the roses, like this 'Dortmund' are in bloom now.

 'Monkey Business.'

The climber 'Peggy Martin' lives on the side of my garden shed.

'Molineux,' a David Austin rose.

This is my antique polyantha 'Caldwell Pink,' just beginning its bloom.

Near a small sitting area close to the front door, a 'Double Radazz' Knockout is in full bloom.

 Nearby, pots of wax begonia and gazania daisies welcome visitors.

More of the dark blue lobelia helps fill a wicker planter in the sitting area. Notice the small anole on the wall above the lobelia.

 The yellow variety of the plant sometimes called the "hummingbird yucca" is beginning its bloom. It also comes in red, which is the favorite of the hummingbirds, but they will visit this one, too.

 The 'Little John' dwarf bottlebrush is beginning its bloom.

 And so is the old heirloom buddleia, a passalong gift from a friend whose grandmother once grew it. Butterflies love it.

 The gerberas in the pots by the patio are blooming.

'Hot lips' salvia.

 This is tickseed which will soon be covered in these pretty little blossoms.

 The southern magnolia gives us masses of these creamy white blossoms in late April and throughout May. Their beauty almost makes up for the mess made by the dropping leaves.

We couldn't have April without daylilies. The earliest of the early varieties have begun their bloom. This one will rebloom again later in the year.

Walking in the garden in April or simply sitting and looking can make me forget all about weeds and drought and bad insects and aching backs and knees. In these halcyon days, I can only remember the pleasure of being a gardener. Whenever I have a bad day in the future, I'll remember April and know that it will come again and that its gifts are worth waiting for.