April Flowers

April is such a beautiful time of the year.  It seems that everywhere I look there are pretty little flowers blooming.  I just had to try to capture some of their beauty with my camera. 

Here in North Florida in April the days begin with nice cool breezes and soft sunshine.  The little birds are singing everywhere ...  Isn't it so amazing all of the beauty around us!

Some of the Old Garden Roses have been blooming nicely in our area for about two weeks now.  In the below photo is a rose that is growing out on our front entrance fence.  We call it, "The Goodwood Rose,"  because we found it at a plant sale at an old plantation in town called Goodwood Plantation and Gardens.  Back when we purchased the rose they did tell us the name, but since it is 5 or 6 years old now, I have long forgotten the name.   Goodwood Museum and Gardens is such an interesting place,  I must take some time to tell you about it later on.

The Goodwood Rose 

 As you can see the Goodwood Rose is a rambling rose or a climbing rose.

The blossoms do not have the beautiful perfection of the exquisite tea-rose, but  to me that old country look is still very pretty.

For several years I tried to grow a Yellow Lady Banks Rose out back by the light post.  The plant itself grew nicely, but for some reason it never did bloom.  I told a master gardening friend about the problem and she said, "If you want a blooming Lady Banks you are just going to have to plant another one."  I took her advice and planted another one.

I planted the new Lady Banks Rose back in the exact spot the previous rose was planted.  As you can see the new Lady Banks is blooming and doing nicely.

So I can't really explain what was wrong with the first plant, but am so glad this one is blooming.  I love the pretty little yellow flowers of the Lady Banks Rose.

In the below photo you will probably recognize the very vibrant pink Impatiens. This pretty little pot of flowers is decorating the back patio and is so pretty to look at while sitting on the back porch.  A local nursery tells us Impatiens have become very disease prone, but so far so good!

Below is the pretty little Katrina Rose I told you about in a previous post.

When I recently went out back to see if the Katrina Rose was still blooming nicely,  I saw all of these pretty little White Clover Wildflowers growing all over the back yard.  They were not there just a couple of days ago.  I know they are considered just weeds ... but, aren't they such pretty weeds!

My husband planted these irises many years ago.  

Each year they faithfully bloom with many beautiful blossoms.

The iris bed is right in front of a large Pine Tree, which was struck by lightening and had to be removed.  The tree cutting folks left some of the tree stump at our request for the Woodpeckers to have something to munch on.  Turns out the entire stump is solid lighter-wood, which can be used for fireplace lighter-wood.

The beautiful huge white "Snowballs" in the below photo are blooming now also.
The blossoms are usually 6 to 8 inches wide and are so pretty and long-lasting in a flower arrangement.

A few Day-lilies have begun to bloom in the yard.

The below photo shows a pretty potted plant my husband brought home one day in early Spring.  Yes! He truly is a sweetheart!

I later planted this plant out in the front rose bed, and it has not stopped blooming ever since.

The pretty pink plant in the below photo blooms constantly during Spring and Summer and has climbing runners that travel up the trellis and bloom so beautifully.  Wish I could remember the name of this pretty plant.

I'm sure you have heard of the "Knock Out" rose.  They are just starting to bloom now out on our back patio.  I checked the hardiness zone and they survive nicely in zones 4-9.

Another pretty rose beginning to bloom just beyond the back patio.

Below is the pretty little Sweet William flower from the Dianthus family.

I planted these little Sweet Williams several years ago.  

They faithfully sprout up each Spring and are so pretty in a flower arrangement.

Below are some pretty little rose buds just beginning to open up out in the rose garden.

Below  is the "New Dawn" rosebud just beginning to open.

A view of the back porch.  

We recently noticed some little birds busily coming and going out on the back porch.  We knew there had to be a bird-nest somewhere in the making, due to all the activity.  When we carefully looked around the porch,  we finally found the new little home site.

Can you see that little bird-nest snuggled down in the wreath behind the yellow bow!  We did not try to get close enough to look inside.

What a pretty little home for the new family members-to-be.

We have come to the close of another beautiful April day.

 I love trying to capture the beauty of Mother Nature with my camera.  

Thank you for joining me for a stroll around the yard to enjoy all the beautiful Springtime flowers that are popping up everywhere.  I do hope there are lots of pretty flowers blooming in your area also.

Wishing you a beautiful flower-filled weekend wherever you may be!