The dreaded pine pollen has dusted every surface with a fine yellow coating for the last week. I hope the heavy, early morning downpour washed much of it away but it will probably be around a few more weeks. For now the garden looks cleansed by the rain, though the spiraea branches (left) are heavy from the weight of the water.
Garden View On Rainy Mid-April Morning
Fall-planted white, purple and blue pansies currently adorn the meditation circle. Other plantings in the labyrinth, selected for their evergreen nature, are Husker Red Penstemon, dianthus and several types of thyme.
Last night the white pansies shone brilliantly in the early evening light. Their glowing effect makes me think I would enjoy a monochrome planting, all white, lining the meditation path.
Meditation Circle
Drifts of irises seem to have doubled in height over the past several days. Slowly I am working my way around the garden pulling out the pesky, persistent weeds.
Temperatures last weekend climbed to 80°F. but spring is fickle. There is a freeze warning in effect for tomorrow morning.
pbmGarden 
This is why we garden to see the renewal!
Happy Spring!
Happy Spring to you too. Renewal is a great gardening benefit.
I like the idea of all white flowers in your meditation circle; it would be very restful during the day and highlight the path at night.
Maybe I’ll try the all-white path sometime. I’ve had to replace so many of the original plants I’ve ended up with a choppy design. Need to rework it.
Your garden looks so neat and bright green, just like spring!
Thanks Carolyn. This week the garden really started filling in. And this is the one time of year when the grass really is green and lush.
Beautiful! You’ve had a nice, long bloom period with the spiraea. Hope it’s not too bad tonight; prediction here is for temps just below 30.
Thanks Marian. Hope you don’t have problems with the cold temps either. Tomorrow night may be even colder. I am always so sad when the spiraea starts fading. It has been a good run this year though.
How lovely it looks. White is wonderful, especially in the twilight. I can’t think of anything nicer for a summer evening.
Thanks Chloris. It would be fun to play upon that effect of light. I often find myself choosing white even over other beautiful colors–it seems peaceful.
We have the same problem with Willow pollen at the end of May. I like the idea of white flowers too and I really hope Spring settles down soon.
I didn’t know Willow was another problem tree for pollen. All part of the cycle I know but it can be a challenge.
Everything looks so fresh and green. I love the smell of earth after a spring rain.
It is amazing how green things have become in the last week. I know that smell you mean–it is nice.
A freeze? Yuck. We have snow coming down as I write this, but spring is only just getting started so not so big a deal. I agree things always look better after a good rain, and the white pansies do stand out best.
The grass likes the rain but the ground is really saturated, the meditation circle had standing water all day yesterday. I need to do something about the drainage there but am at a loss.
oh wow, your garden is beautiful, everything is so green, blooming, the grass has not a weed!! Looks like you have also had to cut grass already, beautiful 🙂
Thanks Michael. The fescue lawn is at its peak and growing like crazy. Will get a third mowing sometime this week if it dries out enough. We don’t irrigate so by mid-summer it looks horrible though.
Your garden is lovely. Sorry to hear you suffer from allergies. That’s a bad rap for a gardener.
Thanks. I’m not terribly allergic but the yellow pollen covers everything, making such a mess for a few weeks.
The pansies really do stand out – love the effect with the white Spiraea and what is the other white shrub at the back? Looks lush and full of life!
Hi Cathy. That’s our dogwood in the back. It should be much taller but doesn’t really like its location I don’t think.
I love how a good rain will make the garden just sit up straight.
Hi Cindy, the rain can do wonders. We have had almost too much lately, but a few years ago everything suffered from severe drought so I prefer the excess. susie
Your garden is looking very fresh after it’s shower of rain. The white flowers certainly show up and look very pretty in your Meditation Circle, white all the way round would certainly show up in the evening just like the White Garden at Sissinghurst!
Hi Pauline. A white garden would be great. Especially with a full moon as we had last night the white plants stand out when I look down on the garden from the upstairs rooms. Someday I’d love to visit Sissinghurst. susie
Your garden looks so lovely, fresh and green.
Thanks, all this rain we’ve been having along with the first really warm days seemed to kickstart the growth recently.
Beautifully balance. Peaceful from above. No doubt, peaceful on the ground, too.
Thank you. Several years ago I began trying to make the garden feel more private and peaceful at ground level. It is getting there.
First I can’t get over the lush green lawn…and what a gorgeous garden you have created…seeing it in early spring is a stunning sight…I look forward to the evolution through the seasons.