It’s mid March already.  We have had a little more rain which we desperately need.   We’re still praying for some more substantial April showers.

In the meantime the flowering trees and shrubs have been giving a spectacular show!  It started off with the pink plum blossoms and it seems just as the plum leaves began to emerge the rest of the trees just exploded out of nowhere.  I do not know if the extreme cold weather we had or the longevity of it has anything to do with it but this has been an incredible introduction to spring 2014.  The Ornamental Pear‘s with their intense white blossoms and all the ornamental cherries trees with their dainty whitish/pink blossoms have been fantastic!

Driving along Highway 1 if you have a chance, please check out the blue blooming ceanothus shrubs on the hillsides.  There is a white blooming variety as well but scant so you will have to really keep an eye open to see them.  The echium are starting to set bloom as well.  The hybridized echium in the gardens looks beautiful with their elongated blue to purplish hues.

The spring bulbs are really starting to “pop” as well.  The crocus and daffodils have been showing color for a month or so but we now have the fragrant hyacinth and early tulips starting to bloom.  If you do not have any in your garden this year I would highly recommend you try a few next year.  The show is worth the minimum bloom time.

A quick note: To extend the Tulip blooming period, try planting early, mid and then late tulip bulbs.  You can get close to three months of blooming.

Please enjoy the photos we have taken throughout the gardens of our beautiful SF Bay Area.

Here, here to a beautiful start to spring and a color filled summer as the temperatures begin to rise.