Mid-April Means Flowers are Blooming and Bees are Swarming

On April 15, 2016 we had a bee swarm visit our bald cypress tree.  I noticed it AFTER I had mowed underneath it - that realization definitely gave me a start and made me be aware to be more observant!  Experience from a previous year makes us believe the bees will hang around for a couple of days and then move on.  Hopefully that happen this time as well.

The following morning it is still there.  If it hangs around for several days we'll call a beekeeper to come collect it.

One evening when I was watering the flowers on the front porch I spied this little green tree frog hanging out waiting to catch a meal.  I found a link to its evening croak.  I have definitely heard it!

http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/texas_nature_trackers/amphibian_watch/media/green_treefrog_call.mp3

The red hot pokers in the front yard have started to bloom.  The hummingbirds have been hanging out regularly.

 

Our vegetable garden is coming along.  All of the seeds and starts have been planted.

 

Peppers and tomatoes. 

 Bush beans.

Cantaloupe and watermelon are just starting to peek out of the ground.

On to the April flowers.  An antique rose, this is  souvenir de la malmaison - this bush was severely damaged in last year's torrential rains - I had to severely cut it back.  At least it is blooming.

 This is my mammoth antique climbing rose.

 Another climbing antique rose.

 Mutabilis (butterfly rose) is also an antique climber.  This bush was also severely damaged last year and I had my son cut half of it away.  The rose petals turn different colors giving the impression of butterflies covering the bush.

The blackberry bushes are also in bloom.  We lost about one third of our bushes last year as well to the rains.

We should still be able to get enough blackberries for several pies this year.

The star jasmine vine is in full bloom and it smells wonderful each time you pass it.  It is an evergreen vine.

The purple wandering jew (or purple heart) is an excellent groundcover and it is in bloom now.

 The ladies always get up early.  We usually let them out in the late evening to wander about and look for bugs.

The front yard irises and roses are blooming well now.  

Red knock out rose that we planted a couple of years ago is finally blooming well.  The irises in this bed are ready to pop.

The red yuccas in the front bed are starting to send up red stalks.

The groundcover, Ajuga is blooming now.  I have it in full sun and it does well now, but I believe it is best planted in dappled sunlight.

I noticed the clematis is blooming when I was out mowing yesterday.  This vine is a perennial and comes back each year looking better and better.

And finally, a couple of sunrise pictures taken from our front porch.