Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - April 2018/Poetry Sunday: A Prayer in Spring by Robert Frost

A Prayer in Spring

by Robert Frost

OH, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil.

~~~

Robert Frost certainly appreciated the pleasures of spring - the flowers, the happy bees, perfect trees, and the darting bird. Including the hummingbird, that "meteor that thrusts in with needle bill, and off a blossom in mid air stands still."

The pleasures of spring are many, but few are greater than the return to the garden of flowers with their bright colors.

The parade of April flowers in my garden is led by the amaryllis and the rose.


My first amaryllis to bloom this year.



Closely followed by this beauty.




And soon to be followed by this one.


And, of course, the roses. This is another view of 'Peggy Martin' which I had featured in my last Wednesday's post. 


'Julia Child.' She looks almost good enough to eat!



'Belinda's Dream,' a longtime favorite of mine.



'Lady of Shalott,' a David Austin rose that I planted last year. I've been very pleased with her.



This is an unknown rose. It came up as a volunteer in the garden and I assume it may have come from the root stock of one of the grafted roses. I quite like its small, loose petaled red blossoms. 


This is 'Christopher Marlowe,' another Austin rose planted last year. It has been in almost constant bloom except for a brief rest during the coldest part of winter.


At one time I had several Knockout roses in the garden, but a couple of years ago, they were struck by a disease that laid waste to them. This was the only survivor. It seemed to have a natural immunity and it is still healthy and blooms profusely.



'Darcy Bussell,' another favorite of mine.



The loquat tree bloomed during winter and now it still sports a few fruits.



This is a weed called oxalis which infests my garden, but it is such a pretty weed that I can't bring myself to try to eradicate it. Anyway, it disappears once the weather heats up. I do grow the purple cultivar on purpose, but it isn't in bloom at the moment.



And then there is this weed, hanging over the fence from my neighbor's yard. I wage war against it every spring. It is Japanese honeysuckle. It smells and looks lovely, but it is highly invasive and will crowd out native plants if given half a chance. No matter how pretty it is, DO NOT PLANT THIS PLANT!


Plant this one instead. This is native coral honeysuckle.



The pomegranate tree has never been so full of blooms as it is this year.



Marguerite daisies.


The poppies are mostly gone now, but this one continues to send out some blooms.



Pentas, a butterfly favorite.



Salvia greggii, red variety.


Salvia greggii, raspberry variety.



Next to the goldfish pond, the white yarrow is blooming.



Aquilegia canadensis, red columbine.



The oakleaf hydrangea will be in full bloom in a few days.



The old magnolia tree is beginning its bloom. In the past, it reliably bloomed in May, but now it seems to start earlier every year.

My garden continues to awaken from its winter sleep. Almost every day, I find another plant that I thought I might have lost to the cold is making its appearance once again, even some of the dahlias that I planted last year! Each new day is an adventure.

Thank you for visiting and thank you Carol of May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

And how is the adventure going in your garden this April? 

Comments

  1. Lovely poem. Mr. Frost certainly knew what he was talking about!
    Great roses! I have buds now, so maybe I will have roses for our next bloom day.
    Your columbine is beautiful! I have no luck at all with them.
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is the first columbine that I've had luck with. I'm growing it in the shade under the magnolia tree and hoping that it will be happy there.

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  2. Oh Dorothy, it looks like summer in your garden, while my garden is somewhere in mid-March. How wonderful to see the honeysuckle and roses! I do love that Salvia. Wishing you the happiest of GBBDs!

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    Replies
    1. When spring comes, it seems to pop up overnight. I'm sure it will be arriving in your garden soon, and by next Bloom Day, it probably will be summer for real here.

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  3. I'm glad you said "April" and not "spring". They are getting freezing rain not far from me. Grateful we aren't. All I have right now are a few crocuses (crocuii?) and a couple of Lenten Roses. Even my blootroot isn't showing any signs of growing yet. It will be a while. Your blooms are lovely, especially the pictures taken in golden hour light. Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Although spring has been continually delayed in your part of the world, it is inexorably marching northward and soon those crocuses and Lenten roses will have company in the garden bouquet.

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  4. Your garden is way ahead of mine with so many beautiful blooms. Roses won't start blooming here for another month or two. What a delightful taste of what's to come. Happy GBBD!

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  5. I thought I knew most of Robert Frost's poems, but this is a new one to me--perfect for spring! All your roses are so beautiful; it's making me re-think my reluctance to plant any other than easy-care ones. And the magnolia bloom is gorgeous! My garden is slowing waking up; I still need to finish my Bloom Day post, though. I'm waiting to take a few more photos in between the rain and the possible snow(!) later today. Enjoy these beautiful blooms of spring!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love this Frost poem. You're right, it is perfect for spring. All of my roses (except for the 'Julia Child') are easy care - either antique roses, David Austin roses, or certified Earth-Kind roses. I can't handle fussy plants!

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  6. The Japanese honeysuckle is so aggressive around here that people put goats in their fields just to get rid of it. You can tell by passing a field if goats have been in it because the fence rows will be clear. Goats act like honeysuckle vines are candy.

    I agree with your opinion, "don't plant it!"

    Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Goats are very useful for controlling unwanted, invasive plants. I know in many parts of the South they are used to control kudzu. I can see why they would like honeysuckle.

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  7. Thanks for the great view of your flowers. I am in Minnesota in the middle of a blizzard so it was wonderful to very spring time some place else. Thanks again - love the roses!!!

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    1. I saw how cold it was in Minnesota when my Astros were playing the Twins last week! Not good weather for baseball or for gardening. But hold on - spring is headed your way.

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  8. Beautiful colors you got there! I am trying to collect some amaryllis, but i am trying to limit the hybrids because most of them have virus. I hope yours are clean as they multiply with the lot. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't had a problem with virus in my amaryllis. Typically, I get one or more during the Christmas season and later plant them in the garden, and, for the most part, they have survived and done well and continue to bloom year after year.

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  9. Lovely to see so many blooms, Dorothy, especially as there are few in my Pocono garden. The poem is so appropriate. P. x

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    Replies
    1. I was lucky to come upon that poem. It called out to me.

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  10. Perfect pairing here! A feast of beauty. Though it has not been too warm here yet, a couple hot days last week have already brought a browning of early spring grasses. But this is for sure the most beautiful and lush time of year. I love it.

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    Replies
    1. "Lush" pretty much describes our spring. We've had plenty of rain so far so everything in the garden is happy.

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  11. I don't know where you are, but you have some wonderful colors!!

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    Replies
    1. Southeast Texas, zone 9a in the USA. Spring is well sprung here.

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  12. What a beautiful poem, and fitting too! I love all those blooms; they are lovely! Great pics. :-)

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    Replies
    1. The poem did seem to fit. Mr. Frost sure could write 'em!

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  13. There is so much similar blooms to my spring which was till last month ...now its scorching summer here..you have lovely collection of roses

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    Replies
    1. Soon it will be hot and humid summer here, too. We have to enjoy our lush spring fast!

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