'Dog tooth violets'trout lilies) were blooming today. Sorry no picture. they are the yellow ones & quite cute.

They are nice as well, only seen them at Kew though!
Regards.
Neil.

My spring color has started.





Neil any idea what this is? I did NOT put it there is all I know about it.

I'm thinking a mallow of some sort. From where it came I have no clue.

Wow my European Palm Chamaerops humilis has even joined in the partying mood!
Regards.
Neil.

Neil did you look at that last picture for me? I don't know it I should pull it up or leave it. Not sure what it is I just know I didn't put it there. Guess the birds did.

Does it sting when you touch that plant?
Neil.

no

I thought it looked a bit like a stinging nettle or a dead nettle. Although dead nettles have coulred stripes sometimes on their leaves! It also look like a strawberry!
I really do not know what that is!
Sorry!
Neil.

I have lots of Lamium, that is what you meant about dead nettle right? I'm thinking its a malva I found some last year and took it to a horticulturist but that was way out front. This is pretty far away from where the others I found were at. I don't know. Guess I'll wait to see how it blooms. or Maybe just leave it till I can get ahold of Melinda again. She should be back in out area in a week or so. Thanks any how. I'm thinking a bird planted it for me, but , it would have been nice if it had been giver permission.

It kind of reminds me of our Lamium Cherie. But I live a long way from you and we do have lots of species of it. Lamium and our stinging nettles are easily confused, until you touch them!
I may be wrong and if I am please tell me!
Hugs.
Neil.

Our 'creeping' phlox 'Peppermint Twist' is in bloom. Happy to say that it did a good job of increase over the winter.

After the coldest winter ever recorded, then the warm couple of weeks, followed by more cold I was most concerned about my tree ferns. Now April has been the hottest and driest on record, with only 10 % of the average rainfall in the south! April is usually a showery month here and everything grows. The tree ferns in this dry season are not that happy, and it means watering them a lot. Plus watching the weather as having clear skies, the night time temperatures have been cold to frost on some nights! However they have come back and on one of the little tree ferns has three small new fronds just starting to come out!
Here are some close ups of some on the big one.
Regards.
Neil.

Standard dwarf irises are starting to bloom. Also a nice yellow & red pumila of John's. I hope more of it blooms as rain today which ruins the pollen for use.

Dear Cherie, this is a stinging nettle or Urtica Dioica. It can be easily confused with Lamium until you touch it, then you will know the difference.
It has long been used in the UK for things like arthritis, dying clothes, to making beer. There is also the world stinging nettle eating championship held here every year. The person who can eat the most raw nettles is the winner. Evidently there is an art to eating them without getting too many stings. I think I will give that one a miss.
It grows anywhere here and can be a problem. This one is growing up through some concrete.
Regards.
Neil.

My bedding plants I grew from seed are finally doing well.
Petunias & Geraniums.

Ocean blue petunias and Picotee red ones.

Two different colours of Lobelia.

Regards.
Neil.

Lots to do today and they claim it might rain. We desperately need it, but not when I am busy with things.
Regards.
Neil.
p.s. Enlarge photo as it taken with a wide angle lens.

Thus thread was too long so here is a new one http://cubits.org/Neil/thread/...
Regards.
Neil.