"another year over AND a new one just begun . . . " PART TWO-B (April 2012)

Under "normal" circumstances, regarding this blog, Tuesday's posts are "reserved" for "directing" readers to my posts on tumblr, in other words, usually, if it's Tuesday, it must be tumblr! However, if you have been reading my entries on Blogger these past few days, you will recall that today has been "reserved" for part two-B of my 2012-2013 year in review (re events that occurred in my garden) as I stated in describing my schedule re part one and part two-A of this series of "review" posts.

Today's series begins with the events in my garden for April of 2012, April, the month T.S. Eliot referred to as "the cruelest month," saying, "April is the cruelest month . . . winter kept us warm, Covering earth in forgetful snow, feeding a little life with dried tubers . . . ". 

Eliot's quote is one I referred to here on Blogger on April13th of 2011 and I did this because at that time Juan V and I were scheduling our de-winterzing for the 2010-2011 winter, a "task" which we ultimately did on April 16th of 2011. 

I realize the year this discussion is covering is 2012, but I did want to point out that 2012's April began with a large bud on my Paeonia suffruiticosa, as seen in the image posted above today's blog entry, which was taken on April the second of 2012 and it was by no means a lone as evidenced by other "activity" which took place in my garden on that same day, some of which is "documented" in the images below.

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) Buds with Whiskers!
(Read their "story" on tumblr!)

Snow Parrot Tulip
(Ultimately Featured Within a Virtual Story — Movie — on Vimeo) 

Curly Sue Tulip
(Ultimately Featured in a Tribute to Tiny Tim on Vimeo) 

Tulip Tardas 

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) Flowers
(Read their "story" on tumblr!)

The aforementioned cast of characters were joined by many others including the following:

'Tamukeyama' Leaves Doing a Dance!

Acer palamatum ('Shisitatsu' Sawa) Foliage
(ultimately Featured in a Movie on Vimeo)

H.F. Clematis Vines Have Whiskers on their Buds!

Physocarpus opulifolius (AKA 'Mindia' OR Coppertina) Brillant Foliage
(This tree's flowers were once featured in a virtual story – movie — now on Vimeo) 

Crocuses Show off their PIN-STRIPED Foliage!

Not to be out done, the Muscari family also made their appearance on April 2nd of 2012 as seen in the images below.

And the following day, the Muscaris continued to "prove" that they had adjusted well to the container Juan V planted them in when he was here on March 23rd of 2012 as discussed in part two-A of this review series.

Juan V returned on April 4th and we gave something else in my garden a new container! This time it was my Contorted Hazelnut who received a new home! I indicated this event would occur in my narrative in part one and part two-A of this series, and the contorted hazelnut's new "home" may be seen in the series of aerial images taken by Juan V.

The first two images feature a close-up of the contorted hazelnut's new home, whilst the third image shows it in relation (indicated by the word "two") to my entire garden. The word "one" in this image "supports" Juan V and my decision to leave my trellis-style urban-hedge bare for the growing season in 2012 — a decision I spoke of in part one of this review series. The word "three," has been superimposed over my Actinida kolomikta and Actimida (AKA Kiwi Vine), a vine that starred in my first garden-themed movie, The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen Minutes of Fame . . . almost, which is on Vimeo, and I still intend to produce a sequel! For as you can see it is thriving and the following image shows one of the unique details re its foliage on April 4th 2012, a detail that always occurs with this magnificent vine!

After our work, on April 4th 2012, Juan V and I scheduled to meet again on April 18th 2012 and the following images feature some of the "events" which occurred in between Juan's first two visits in April of 2012.

Fagus sylvatica (AKA Beech Tree)'s Foliage
 Inspired a Comic Strip by Yours Truly!
(which can be seen on tumblr)

Cotinus coggygria's Foliage Says What's Up?
(Ultimately featured in a movie on Vimeo) 

'Tamukeyama's April Foliage(Ultimately featured in a movie on  Vimeo) 

Sweet Foliage Belonging to my BELOVED Larch
(This was ultimately featured in a movie on  Vimeo) 

Actinida kolomikta and Actimida (AKA Kiwi Vine) Foliage
(As "usual" Turned Pink AND White  on a Few Leaves)

And many a number of flowers got into the "act" including some seen in the images posted below.

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)
(Ultimately featured in a movie on Vimeo) 

Muscari
(Ultimately featured in a movie on Vimeo) 

AJUGA 

H.F. Clematis

Tulip Tarda
(Ultimately featured in a movie on Vimeo) 

Parrot Blumex Tulips
(Ultimately featured in a movie on Vimeo) 

Snow Parrot Tulip
(Ultimately Featured in A Tribute to Tiny Tim on Vimeo)

Curly Sue Tulips
(Ultimately Featured in A Tribute to Tiny Tim on Vimeo)

While tulips continued to bloom as evidenced by the last four images posted directly above this paragraph, many of them "completed" a phase of their lives and some of this "activity" can be seen in the images posted below.

And, just as I stated in part two-A, I found the tulips to be as inspiring at the end of their life as they were in the beginning of their life! To reiterate, "this is a fact which should come as no surprise to those who follow my venues as it's hardly a secret when it comes to my appreciation for my beloved maternal grandfather, maternal grandmother and for the wonderful folks I've "served" for over nine years in an assisted living center. The Kauffmannias' provided me with a way to express my philosophy which mirrors the playwright Herb Gardener's quote, The very old, they are miracles like the just born; close to the end is precious like close to the beginning;" a quote that ended up becomimg a slogan for an endeavor I attempted on indiegogo this past year.

Moreover, as was the case in March of 2012, it seemed odd that Juan V missed the more "rounds" of some of certain tulips' lives for they took place after he left here once we completed our  work on April 4th, 2012; and ended before his return date of April 18th 2012, when for the first time of his 2012 visits our  "task" did not include repotting things into larger containers (however that would happen in the months to come).

However, this was the day a bouncer chair from Regenbogen's Mulberry Street (an addition mentioned in part one of this series) was added to my garden and it can be seen in the aerial view taken by Juan V and posted below.

The orange arrow which is superimposed on to the image indicates the chair, while the square has been added to "support" a point I made in parts one and part two-A of this series re leaving my trellis-style urban hedge bare!

Usually Juan V and I work together every week or every two weeks, but after this particular day we made an appointment for him to return in three days to replace an urban hedge which had been in my garden for a few years. This "move" is something I discussed in part one of this review series. In the image below, (also taken by Juan V), the urban hedge I'm referring to is a bit hard to distinguish as it is nearly off camera, but be that as it may, this particular hedge would ultimately be replaced and I'm including the following photo-op to give you a perspective. The hedge I'm referring to is indicated by a black square which is superimposed over it.

During the three days before Juan V returned, as you might surmise, everything continued to thrive in what T.S. Eliot had deemed to be "the cruelest month." 

However, because this posting already contains so many photo-ops, I'll only include the "antics" of the Kauffmannia Family (as seen below).

I also "documented" the Kauffmannia's antics in a time lapse Virtual Story (movie), which you may view by clicking here.

Meanwhile, Juan V did return on the twenty-first of April and he took down my hedge and installed one which he and his colleague Lucas had made. Aerial images of it, taken by Juan V, are also posted below.

You will notice in both images, my Paeonia suffruticosa (AKA Tree Peony) is in full bloom. In bygone years it did not bloom until late in April, and while it was fun to see them back so early in the 2012 growing season; they ultimately had a very short season in 2012, for in the late afternoon, it began to rain — pour — as in the worst case of April showers which ultimately took away May's flowers (at least when it came to my Tree Peony)! But a wily insect made sure it visited the peony's flower, as seen in an image below, taken by you truly on the very same day Juan captured the tree peony's then thriving flowers!

And as for the rest of the month of April 2012 and the fate of my peony, I guess pictures do say a thousand words as evidenced below.

When it came to April 2012's heavy rain's, many of my flowers (that had bloomed too early) had a similar fate, including my Muscari, as seen in the images below:

But even though some of my flowers passed on before their time, mostly because they bloomed too early, another variety, some newcomers to my garden, my Heirloom Original Poet's Daffodils, did quite well, and they even provided the inspiration for an animated photo-strip "published" on tumblr! Perhaps, because they bloomed later, they thrived. Sort of like the tortoise and the hare — the one who got a late start finished the race! In any event, a few photo-ops of my late bloomers can be seen below.

The latter of the three images was featured in one of my Virtual Stories, Fifty + Shades Of Green (because of its foliage) and you may view it in my Vimeo Library by clicking here.

And with this, I'll conclude my review for April 2012, but not without leaving you with the following image of one of my Paeonia suffruitcosa's spent flowers.

After all, my April 2012, began with the promise brought forth by a Paeonia suffruitcosa's buds, and to think "they" say that March is the month that goes out like a lion if it comes in like a lamb, which leads me to a question I have for you, dear reader, and that is this, do you think T.S. Eliot was correct in his "observation," that "April is the cruelest month . . . "