Friday, April 02, 2010

Whoa, it was a hot spring day!

Today I think it hit 90 degrees here, boy was it hot! The dragonflies finally appeared! I was driving out the drive and I saw about 12-15 of them chasing a hatching of small bugs. I got out and IDed Stream Cruiser, Blue Corporal and Common Basketail. When I got back later all were gone. Below the pond I saw a forth species of dragonfly but did not get the full ID it was one of the two sundragons.

For the past three nights American Toads have been calling all night. I want to go and look for them soon, when I get the time.

Anyway here are some of our latest bloomers in the garden.
 Clematis Armandii  'Snowdrift' I picked this up last year at the Durham Garden Center, it has grown at least 3 foot this year. Stone Brothers has a bunch of them today, all bloomed out. I've not picked up the strong fragrance this year.
Our Bleeding Hearts.
Been drooling over Catherine's Bleeding Hearts. 

Here above and below is Mount Hood daffodil. This one started out with the yellow cone as above and it  fades to a pure white. The two earliest ones have turned all white but look bad from the rain we had the other night.

Miniature daffodil Tazetta Canaliculatus
These are 4-5 inches tall! I have been seeing swallowtail butterflies attracted to them too.

Here is another Tazetta daffodil Golden Dawn
These are 12-14 inches tall and I wish I'd planted more of these!
Here is a daffodil 'Golden Echo'


Baby Moon with an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail enjoying it!

Another Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on our creeping phlox.

Something I been waiting to see for the first time Muscari 'Golden Fragrance"
Not sure if it will get more yellow or not.
Could not resist this shot of crocus 'Pickwick'

26 comments:

Sunita Mohan said...

That Eastern Tiger Swallowtail seems made for this season. Lovely photos!
We have Tigers of another type here in Mumbai right now... Blue tigers and Striped Tigers.

Cyndy said...

Nice captures of some beautiful plants - who could resist the purply veining of Pickwick?! Send those swallowtails up this way :)

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Beautiful photos. Sure wish I could grow daffies down here. Your selection is wonderful, as are the rest of your bloomers!

FlowerLady

Dave said...

Nice photos! Grumpy was talking about that clematis the other day - it looks like I'll have to add it to my list. The only butterflies I've seen are the cabbage moth kind, it must be nice to see the Tigers!

sweetbay said...

Beautiful pictures Randy. I especially like the one of the Swallowtail on the yellow daff. I envy you your Armand Clematis and Bleeding Heart. I have the native BH but have been meaning to add the other one too.

Is the Muscari very fragrant?

I saw a Zebra Swallowtail here the other day.

Southern Lady said...

Love the flowers, especially the ones with butterflies. We have been hearing a lot of frogs on the pond lately. I have even heard my first whippoorwill at night. The old wives tale says that it is now time to plant corn. I love the sounds of the night during warm weather. Have a wonderful Easter.
Carla

D said...

Randy, beautiful spring blossoms, butterflies and photos! We got to near 70 last week and this morning have a light dusting of snow on the ground... but that is spring in the Pacific northwest.

Happy Easter to you and Meg.

Floridagirl said...

You have a beautiful variety of flowers in bloom! I love the angles of all the photos. The bleeding heart is one I long to grow myself...such an amazing flower!

Tatyana said...

so nice to see all these beautiful blooms after spending several days in a desert. But it's only 75 degrees here! You stole their heat!

heather @ what's blooming this week said...

Beautiful pictures - you really captured the loveliness of the swallowtail butterfly.

Jean Campbell said...

I can see that more daffodils will be necessary this fall.

No Tigers here yet, but the azaleas are popping open as I type. Tigers usually show up as soon as they're fully open.

Town Mouse said...

Wow, 90 degrees? We probably won't make 60 today. But I don't mind, it will be hot soon enough.

Just Jenn said...

Hey Randy I don't know if you've seen these but they're pretty amazing pictures. I thought you might appreciate them with all the pictures you take of butterflies...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1260946/The-stunning-pictures-sleeping-insects-covered-early-morning-dew.html

Also I adore the swallowtail pictures in this post. Just lovely!! Happy spring!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

It has been so cold and wintery here. I think we are making up for the winter we never had.
You have so many pretty blooms. I'm glad you get to see your Bleeding Hearts now, they look great! I love your variety of Daffodils, now I know what I need more of for next Spring.

Les said...

I love the first Tazetta as well as the butterfly and Baby Moon, a great yellow combo.

F Cameron said...

Did we skip spring and go directly to summer? I think we'd better watch out for plummeting temps in another week or so!

Lovely photos. I do want to follow your impression on that clematis. Your daff photos make me wonder if Mount Hood is what I planted (since I didn't save the info).

Happy Easter,
Cameron

PS I think my husband will be playing in the bluegrass group at the North Hills Farmers Market in the near future. The current bass player (the one on the band web page) has moved, but he is still coming back here and doing some of the gigs. Look for the Boys from Carolina. My husband is replacing Lester.

Unknown said...

Lovely photos! I can see that it is indeed golden... but is the muscari also actually fragrant?

Lisa said...

I was glad to see several Tiger Swallowtails yesterday (along with a number of Cabbage Whites!), but haven't seen a dragonfly yet. The heat has been a bit of a shock, but it sure speeds up emergence, hatching, and growth...

Lisa

Curbstone Valley Farm said...

I don't think we've even hit 80 degrees yet, never mind 90! Our daffodils are just about done for this year, but yours seem to be in full swing! Your muscari is very unique looking. I've never seen one that color before!

Sarah Knight said...

stunning photos!
spring is always a wondrous time
: )

Kerri Farley said...

These are GORGEOUS! Those bleeding hearts and AMAZING!
And thank you so much for the ID on the dragonfly!!

Victoria Williams said...

90 degrees???? I think I'd have a stroke! We're lucky to be reaching 60.
Love that clematis. I seem to be on a clematis streak lately. May have to add that one.

tina said...

It has been too hot lately. So soon. One year I'd really love to see a spring in the south. I like that Armandii. I've tried it here but I believe it is not hardy. Silly me thought whatever I would plant would live and grow when I first moved here into this house. Many years later I realize it is not to be but sadly many nice plants perished. So glad to see it growing well there.

tina said...

My comments are not showing this morning so I'll try again. Love your Armandii. It is so awesome!

Q said...

Oh my, these are fantastic photographs of the Tigers!
I just love the Tiger and the Daffodil and the Tiger in the Phlox is beautiful...photographs I wish I had taken.....WOW!
I am enjoying catching up with you and dreaming of Eastern Tiger Swallowtails in my gardens.
Sherry

Gail said...

Sighing from the sheer beauty of your photos...What a treat every time I stop by! Thank you! gail