Has Spring Sprung?

After snowing enough on Tuesday for the University of Georgia to close, the weather here has been gradually improving. The high has increased by about five degrees a day. I'm thinking maybe spring has finally arrived in Athens.

The garden is really starting to come to life. Just over two weeks ago I wrote about snow crocus, Lenten rose, and some blooming house plants. I mentioned dwarf iris, but only a few were in bloom at the time. They are really coming in to their own now all over the yard as seen in the photo above.

Lenten rose blooms have increased dramatically. Above is an upward-looking photo of these downward-facing blossoms. They readily self-seed throughout the garden making me wonder why they are so expensive at garden centers. Below you can see the sprouts. If you're local and want some, let me know. I have millions.

The snow crocus continue to bloom and have now been joined by giant crocus. Below are some that managed to escape discovery by squirrels and chipmunks over the winter. This is the first year since I've been in Athens that they've bloomed before the daffodils--a regular occurrence when I gardened in Kentucky.

No wonder everything is so late. According to the newspaper, daytime temperatures are warmer in 19 of every 20 winters than what we've seen this year. I expect we'll see a lot of catching up over the next few weeks given the balmy/rainy forecast. I hope so. Cold weather turns me into...

The Crotchety Old Man