I used to be able to work out in the yard all day. Then it became a half-day, and later down to two or three hours. So now, well, just a word to you young gardeners: aim for maintenance-free as much as possible. I never planned on getting old or my body rebelling. However, I do enjoy the fruit of my labor from over the decades.

Our crabapple tree was gorgeous for a while this month. The pure white blossoms against the blue March sky were a sight to behold. Then a couple of storms sent those delicate petals swirling down, looking like a winter snowfall. Most of the blooms have given way to new leaf growth, but it was lovely while it lasted.

Azaleas are still blooming. The succession of different types always makes for a nice long season of flowers, but each shrub seems to have its own sequence of blooms this year. Some years a bush will flower all at once, giving a spectacular showing. However, each shrub is taking its time this year, with a few blooms opening each day as others fade away. The inconsistency is not as pretty, in my humble opinion.

Most of the white azaleas in my yard are Mrs. G.G. Gerbing. They’re the giant Indica variety that is meant to grow large. The white one in the azalea collage is an example of letting it grow with little pruning. The next photo above shows how they look when they have to be trimmed into little boxes when they’re used as foundation plantings in front of the house. Unfortunately, keeping a fairly neat hedge during summer’s growth period means shearing some of the buds developing for spring. This is a builder’s mistake. We should have pulled them out years ago and replaced them with something more suitable.

The flowers of tradescantia virginiana, or spiderwort, come in various blue/purple hues. They’re relentless plants, determined to grow and bloom every year.

You see in the picture above how big the clumps can get. These will soon disappear in the heat, and tropical gingers will rise from the same spot to take their place.

Last, I’m showing the spring flower heads from my ajuga, or carpet bugleweed. They’re a couple of weeks early since they’re usually April bloomers. This groundcover does well in most places in my yard if the area drains well.

Song of Solomon 2:11-12 For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

I’m glad The Propagator started this Six on Saturday blog idea. You can check out his garden and those of other gardeners around the world by using the hashtag #SixOnSaturday.

Happy gardening, and enjoy this lovely spring.

Shalom, Dottie