The Mayflower (Korean spicebush/Viburnum carlesii) is in bloom along with the tulips – which makes me think it must be May … but there’s snow in the forecast (a very slight chance) for Sunday … That can only signify that we’re still solidly in April. Whatever month it is, it’s a beauty.

It’s not often that we get to see everything blooming at once. And now that the temperatures have lowered, we should get a sustained show. Even the daffodils are still stupendous – aside from the ‘Ice Follies’ which, like me, are starting to show their age.

Here is a little preview of flowers in honor of Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens. I have to say that if I hadn’t visited Mr. McGregor’s Daughter‘s bloom day post, I never would have known to look for the bloom on the ginger (Asarum canadensis) in the Rock Garden. Is there anything here – or in another blogger’s bloom day post – that you would have otherwise missed seeing in your garden?

According to my calendar we’re running a little ahead of schedule in the gardens. We’ve divided and moved a few perennials; we’ve cut almost everything back that needed to be (except a climbing rose or two); and we’ve even hooped the biggest peonies, which have already set ant-covered buds. (If you see ants on your peonies, don’t worry. The ants don’t do any damage to the buds and may even help protect the plants from other critters. Contrary to popular belief though, peonies do not need the ants’ help to open the buds.)

Just because we’re ahead of schedule doesn’t mean that we’re catching up with what needs to be done – I figure we’ll be about caught up by this time next year. And just because some signs have been pointing to May lately, that doesn’t mean that any of us should put our tender houseplants outside or plant tomatoes just yet. But next week, after checking the long term forecast, we might put the sweet peas out to harden off…

And just because there’s a little rain (and snow) in the weekend forecast doesn’t mean it’s a bad time to visit Blithewold. You can always escape the weather in the greenhouse…

Spring blooms are not queuing up in any kind of orderly succession – they’re storming the gates, pushing and shoving and all shouting at once. The tulips are not waiting their turn for the daffodils or even the scilla to go by. Not only are the color clashes truly alarming but we’re left to wonder what will happen in May. Will The May Gap be deeper than ever or will May really be June instead? And then what happens to July? At this point it’s all conjecture with a few hopes and fears thrown in, and there’s absolutely nothing we gardeners can do but enjoy the abundance – and take way too many pictures. If the lilacs bloom out before Mother’s Day, so be it. Maybe Mom will have roses instead… As for the daffodils, they are still gorgeous. The ‘Ice Follies’ are fading but late bloomers like ‘Thalia’ and ‘Mrs. Backhouse’ are set to open right up.

This could be a bloom day post 3 days early but I think much more will be revealed in the next few days. As a matter of fact, here’s a foreshadowing:

Anyone care to place bets on when the Mayflower viburnum a.k.a. Korean spice bush a.k.a. Viburnum carlesii will bloom? How about the crabapple? Are your May flowers looking like they might bloom in April too?

The ‘Ice Follies’ – the first of our daffodils to show their faces have already started to fade. They’re not fading away just yet but the bright yellow trumpet they were born with is a creamy white now, signifying their end. We wouldn’t want them to stick around. Just imagine if we had daffodils lasting the summer – it would be so very wrong. Their colors only belong to spring, never summer – at least not in quite the same way. We might wish in theory for plants that bloom for months on end but when we have them we generally stop noticing them after the first few weeks. We move on because the season moves on and so the world turns.

By and by, the daffodils will go by and we’ll be ready for them to go because something else will come into bloom and capture our hearts and all our attention. (That said, in case you’re planning a visit, the daffs will still be outstanding for our opening weekend and if the weather cooperates, they’ll be a stunning sight well into the next week or so.)

The rain and then the heat of the last few days has more things blooming at once than the steady succession we’re used to. We do have to look quickly lest we miss any of the show. Every day something is opening up and another something is fading away. The confectionery pink petals of the Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ might start to fall apart now but the Water Garden cherries (Prunus x yedoensis ‘Akebono’) are just starting to open. Some things, like bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) in the Rock Garden are short lived anyway – I feel so lucky whenever I get to see them in bloom. But maybe everything will slow down a little now that temperatures are dropping back into the normal range. Regardless of the speed of spring, my advice is to seize the day with both eyes.

What spring changes are you focused on?