SPRING HAS SPRUNG

This little Mourning Dove perched atop her nest in our Jacaranda tree was saved in the nick of time.  I was out fertilizing flowers yesterday morning and our tree trimmers had just arrived to give this tree a good clipping when just as they were approaching the tree I happened to look up and notice a bird tail sticking out between the branches.  Oops!  Sorry, guys--there will be no tree trimming today.  My sister took this picture when the mama turned around to keep an eye on all of us.  Don't know how many babies she has ready to burst out of their eggshells but I'll keep you posted.

Just came back from a working week in DC and everything was in bloom.  It was the prettiest Spring week I can remember there and tragically I did not have my camera (pics above taken with iPhone).  But, I came home Friday and on the way home stopped by my favorite plant nursery, Baker, and picked up an "Improved Meyer Lemon Dwarf" tree and yesterday morning went back for a "Mexican Lime Thornless" which is now planted in our backyard.

I remember reading once that shrubs aren't meant to last forever.  To update a landscape, every ten years or so pull out some of those woody, spent plantings and pick something new to brighten things up. So, we removed a few plants (two that were more thorny than I wanted) and moved in the new citrus trees.  See that pick ax above?  Yes, that is required when digging holes in Arizona.  Not kidding.

Last month I fertilized with this organic mixture and now the blooms are just popping up everywhere.  Love this stuff. I put it on all the Iceberg roses, peach tree, apple trees, and flower beds.

We planted these flowers last October and they just keep on blooming.  Typically, the stocks would have died off during the winter but I'm telling you that fertilizer is a miracle drug.

                             Heaps of Geraniums mixed in with Asparagus Fern and English Thyme.

                                      Iceberg roses planted in last month are already blooming.

My sister's cutting garden has been keeping the house filled with Sweet Peas, Irises, Daffodils, Tulips, and Freesias.

These orange blossoms are helping to fill the entire Valley of the Sun with the loveliest of fragrances.

This peach tree bloomed last month and this month a gazillion little peaches are loading up the tree.

                                        Can you see all those teeny, tiny, green peaches? Squint.


And, we've had a ton of spinach.  Loved every bite and will be sorry to see it go when the weather turns wicked.

                         Our Ana Apple trees are lush and ready to produce some yummy apples.

I love spring except for one thing--it means summer is just around the corner.....