What's in bloom - April 22, 2012

We're expecting snow showers in the next couple of days, which is a bit of a downer, but overall, the weekend has had it's excitements.   Most notably, arriving at a party last night to find out that it was the wedding reception of two dear friends who decided to tie the knot in a low key ceremony attended by only themselves, two witnesses and the officiant, earlier in the day.  I was amongst the first of the guests to arrive, so it was lovely to see everyone's reactions as they discovered the good news!  Please join me in wishing the Dollhouse Girls many happy years of wedded bliss ahead!
Here's what's going on in the garden this weekend:

I bought this Pink Frost hellebore just a couple of weeks ago, and really love it.  Haven't grown hellebores before, so I'm hoping it settles in and establishes itself.

Although I lost some of the buds on my Japanese quinces at the end of the year, they are still blooming fairly reasonably.

lovely red peony shoots

These pink hyacinths were planted in the fall.  They're quite pretty, but have too lax a habit for my liking.

Pink rock cress if very cheery.

Pincushion spurge has started to colour up.

I've been house-sitting this foxtail rosemary over the winter for a friend.....it looks spectacular with all it's spring flowers, so I may have to take a trip to Richters herbs to get one for myself this year.

Pansies distracting the eye from the fact that I need a new front door, or at minimum, a fresh paint job.

My Arabian Night dahlias are coming up with vigour in the mudroom.

I overwintered these geraniums from last year's window boxes in a dormant state in the basement (i.e. I just pulled the window boxes down, set them in the basement and forgot about them!).    I potted them up a few weeks back, and they've come along beautifully, and have even started to flower already.