It has been cooler and rainier up here in the north for the past week and it seems to continue like that.
The good thing is that it keeps the soil moist and gives a better chance for sown seeds to germinate.
Monal (Narcissus ’Monal’) which I planted last year made it through the winter and is now blooming by the lake. It has been a good year for the daffodils and have not lost a single variety.
The Tuolumne Dog’s Tooth Violet (Erythronium tuolumnense) is one of the spring flowers I have.
It seems to like the place which it has been planted to even though the soil is poor and it needs to compete with the grass.
The plant is originally brought to Europe from California but seems to do well up here in the north.
It is a rainy day up here in the north and time to relax a bit. Past few days have been hectic but most of the spring tasks are now done.
Kiss Me (Narcissus ‘Kiss Me’) has also started to bloom.
I like the gentle yellow color it has and it seems to be a reliable bloomer each year.
The Grass Snakes (Natrix natrix) have woken up and seem to be everywhere. The population has grown stronger over the years and luckily they are harmless.
The Dutch Master (Narcissus ‘Dutch Master’) is now blooming at my moms garden. Planted it to a good spot some years back.
It is such bold and big daffodil. Just love to have it blooming when there is not much else in the garden yet.
The birdhouses are now getting occupied by the summer residents. Only few of them are available anymore for the new comers.
Eurasian Great Tits (Parus major) and Eurasian Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) have spent the winter up here in the north and are the ones that can choose the best houses.
The European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) just arrived but managed to get its usual home for the summer.
The warm days have gotten the Ice Follies (Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’) to open up their flowers and bloom by the lake.
Summer has finally arrived to the north! We are now expected to have a warm period that will last several days.
The trees do not yet have leaves but that will change within few days. For the time being the night frosts are gone and everything will start to grow with a staggering speed.
Tete-a-Tete Daffodils (Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’) are now blooming and the other daffodils will follow any day now.
The days are already long, about 17 hour and getting longer. Hope that the summer is going to be a good one.
We have been promised sunny days for the next week.
The daffodils I have bought this year are starting to bloom in the balcony. Double Gold Medal (Narcissus ‘Double Gold Medal’) was something I simply could not resist.
It will find its way to the summer cottage once it has bloomed and hopefully it will bloom again next year, if it makes through the winter.
It will still take few more weeks before the daffodils start to bloom up here in the north.
Tete-a-Tete Daffodil (Narcissus Tete-a-Tete) is always the first one to open its flowers.
Bought one for the balcony and once it has bloomed will take it to the summer cottage and replant it. It will bloom nicely next year as well.
Gardening in the North 