May Colors

Most of the flowering trees are done blooming by mid-May in our latitude. Colors become more muted; less pronounced. This year we had weeks of above average rain. So, everything is a lush green, like a rain forest. But around the edges, there are other colors in Bittersweet Woods. Here are some of them.


Catmint


New Holly tree growth


Tri-colored beech


Blue-eyed grass


Smoke tree leaves


Kousa dogwood in bloom


Multiflora rose


Early morning on the beach at Hilton Head Island SC

Winter in May

Blackberries in bloom.

Seems like every May we have a week of cool, rainy, annoying weather. It happens just after a few 80 degree days, the winter coats are stashed for the summer, fireplace is cleaned out, and we are used to wearing shorts and flip flops. I remarked about this once to a client. He looked at me and announced matter-of-factly that this weather phenomenon is called Blackberry Winter.

It has that name because it occurs in May when the blackberry bushes are in bloom. Variations of this are referred to as dogwood winter, redbud winter, depending on when and at what latitude you live. Here is more about it: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2410/.

We had such a period this year after a few recent years without a noticeable episode. It was rainly, cool, and gloomy - day after day for about 5 days. It is impossible do mow the lawn or do outdoor activities. The trail footing was mushy; dogs feet required constant cleaning. It is frustrating to outdoor addicts like us.

But, oddly, there was a beauty to it. The woods were lush, leaves glistening in the perpetual moisture. The rush of the waterfall was audible throughout the valley. Wildflowers persisted, yet the birds were more hushed. There was a quietness and peace about it. We saw blackberry blooms. Even the invasive multiflora rose thickets flowered and threw off a pleasant scent wafting along the trail.




Now it's gone. We're ready to move on, thankful for the rhythm of the weather and life in Bittersweet Woods.

March is here, thankfully

It has been typical March weather here in the Ohio Valley - snow one day, 65 the next. Rain, wind, river flooding are part of the picture. We spent a week in Orlando, then Hilton Head Island in SC, for some late-winter malaise relief. It was March in Florida,too - 85 one day, 65 the next. But sunny most of the time - that makes a big difference. I was surprised that some trees were not leafed out yet. I suppose Florida would become boring if we lived there, but to visit it is always a pleasant surprise to see palm trees, egrets, and herons.



In Hilton Head, the bermuda grass was still brown, and lots of trees were still without leaves. But we were able to enjoy the ocean, tennis, and occasional sun bathing. There it was windy, also.



We're home now, in Bittersweet Woods. The dogs romp, get their feet muddy, and chase the deer as usual. We have some downed trees to clear up. But there are signs of life. Crocus and daffodils are just starting to bloom.



The creek is full and the waterfall overflowing. Spring is almost here in Bittersweet Woods.

Spring on steroids

April has been incredible so far. After a harsh winter, spring has exploded into a wonderland of color and new life. I call it spring on steroids. I look out any window and see flowers and blooming trees in every direction. The amazing thing is that many of these flowering plants almost never are out at the same time. Now they are all out in a frenzied blaze of color.

Usually, there is a predictable sequence. First daffodils in late February, then forsythia, then red bud trees, then flowering crabapple trees. Then in late April and May, we start to see dogwood trees and then in early may Azalea blooms. This year, the first week April greeted us with an uninterrupted string of 80 degree days. That gave the new growth a boost. We are seeing azaleas in bloom, along with the last of daffodils and forsythia.

Here are a few shots showing the unlikely combinations of bloomers. It's beautiful; enjoy your version of spring in Bittersweet Woods while you can.