Late January blooms

Late January and the weeds are flourishing in my garden. It seems that they do best in winter when there's hardly any competition from the plants that the gardener actually wants to grow. I've been spending a lot of time lately digging them out, but so far I'm losing the battle. They grow faster than I can dig.

Even so, it's not all weeds in the garden as we head into February. The garden is beginning to stir from its short winter nap and some plants are even blooming. 


My little Tazetta narcissus plants (I think this one is called 'Texas star') are just beginning to bloom. They seem to get earlier every year.


Not many actually have open blooms yet, but it's a start and enough to lift my spirits.


Seeing the flowers of the gerbera daisies always lifts my spirits.


And the little violas continue to bloom from pots around the patio.


The loropetalum is not in full bloom yet but it will be soon. Its fringy flowers reveal its relationship to witch-hazels.


I do like the sweet little flowers of the feverfew blooming by my back porch.


Out by the garden shed, the 'Peggy Martin' rose is getting an early start on its bloom year.


'Peggy's' cluster of blooms form a natural nosegay.


The Carolina jessamine is just beginning to wake up. Its flower buds are swelling.


This one is just about ready to open.


No flowers in the little goldfish pond. The water lilies are all resting now. All that greenery is just a reflection of vegetation around the pond, among some floating fish food pellets and a reflection of the bright blue winter sky. The goldfish provide the complementary orange as they bask in the sun.

Spring arrives early and usually in a rush here. By this time next month, we likely will be seeing its clear signs. For the moment, the signs are beginning to show - we just have to look a little harder for them.  

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