The first day of Spring.

And it was an absolutely beautiful day to be out and about in the garden! Despite an ever-present breeze, the temperature pushed 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Sorbaria sorbifolia (False Spiraea) is beginning to show its crimson feathery leaves, while Prunus salicina 'Toka' (Toka Plum) and Prunus armeniaca 'Moorpark' (Moorpark Apricot) are, thankfully, only starting to show some slight bud-swelling. After all, Colorado is notorious for late-spring frosts cold enough to wipe out an entire blossoming. Since these two trees were only planted last year, I don't expect significant fruiting, but I still don't want a late freeze to knock their buds off. Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star' (Royal Star Magnolia) is still holding large green buds, and I look forward to seeing if it flowers this year. Since it is growing in a cooler microclimate, I expect it to flower at least a bit later than if it were planted on the north side of the garden.

Earlier I wrote that I was uncertain whether or not the Chilopsis linearis seedling had made it through the winter. Apparently it has, a fact that I discovered when I tried to remove some sort of hard cocoon-like concretion (similar to a Megalopyge moth cocoon) from its lower stem - a small bit of the topmost layer of outer bark came off with the concretion, and it was definitely green beneath the outer bark. Since it doesn't look like the wound reached the cambium layer, I doubt the Desert Willow was damaged much by this. I'll just have to keep an eye on it.

Silene regia.

Most of the ferns have yet to reveal themselves, but the evergreen Adiantum venustum (Himalayan Maidenhair Fern) and Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern) look to have come through our harsh winter with only a little foliage damage.

Another plant that seems to have pulled through this winter is Silene regia (Royal Catchfly). They had a hard growing season last year, and I'm hoping that their new location (more consistent moisture, partial sun) will suit them better than the full sun location they were in last summer. Native to the disappearing tallgrass prairie of the American Midwest, this is a species of concern in many parts of the country.

There's still a great deal of work to be done, particularly with hardscaping pathways, dry stream beds, and other structural elements, but the garden has come a long way in the past year.