I wouldn’t say it’s been an exceptionally rainy April, but we have had plenty of moisture. And the flowers are a-blooming! We are coming into the time of the Tulip!

Since we moved in (summer 2021), I’ve planted probably close to (or even more than) 500 tulip bulbs!

And you may or may not know… that not all tulips are perennials. Some of the fancier tulips (like the frilly parrot tulips) don’t tend to come back. And if they do, it’s usually only for one more year, and they are much smaller than the first year. It’s the simpler Darwin and Triumph tulips that tend to make a longer show.

I’ve got a mix of both. In fact, some are here from the previous owner’s mother, and she passed away in 2013.

They all come up where the old side fence used to be (now the border of the woodland garden) and are all a mix of red, yellow, orange and combinations thereof. They are my favourite ones for picking, and bring bringing in the house. When picked early enough, they can last for a couple weeks a vase.

But of course, it’s not just tulips here. I have daffodils that will last until well into May (with some not even in bloom yet).

This one is called Mount Hood and it’s a new one I planted in the fall. It’s a big, solid white (though that trumpet is a little more yellow when it first opens). It’s not quite as big as the catalogue made it out to be, but as you can see by my hand there, it’s still a good-sized daffy.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have “Minnow”

I think this is my favourite of all the daffs! It’s just so tiny and cute!!! I planted it two years ago, in a couple spots, and all the clumps have multiplied. I’m debating on splitting them up this year, or waiting until next year.

Both my bleeding hears are blooming beautifully. They don’t seem to be as big as last year, but it does actually feel a little early for them to be blooming. I’m pretty sure they didn’t bloom until mid-May last year.

In fact, everything is a week or two early compared to last year.

But I’m not going to complain – it cheers me to no end to go out and see new blooms every day!