Photo Essay: A Little Spring Green for St. Patrick’s Day
Spring has come early to New Mexico this year. We’re been breaking records for high temperatures. That’s been so nice and has really improved my mood. I’ll even consider it lucky, since we have lots to accomplish before summer.
Of course, our average last frost is around May 10, and April 15 in Albuquerque. So I fear all of the pretty flowers on the fruit trees will freeze at the worst possible time. Or that my impatience with cleaning up and lightly pruning xeric perennials will backfire. I choose to remain optimistic.
Enjoy these green (and a few other colors) early spring finds. Just click on any thumbnail to start the slide show.
Apple tree blossoms!
And blossoms on a volunteer fruit tree along the river (Rio Ruidoso).
Mahonia (Oregon Grape Holly) is flowering. Bees love it!
Evergreen thyme and new allium bulbs coming up.
Bitterweed and Persian Rockcress
Rosemary trimmed and blooming, santolina in background
Wild rose leaf
Spanish broom flowers
And the wider view — the Spanish broom is loaded!
Foreground: Blue Mist Spirea budding out. In the background is alyssum, a spring prairie flower that bees flock to.
Grass greening near the RIo Ruidoso
A smart plant cropping up inside this agave.
As-yet unidentifed bush nestles between the river and old trees.
Tree canopies along the Rio Ruidoso.
More volunteer blossoms with the river as a backdrop
Elm tree budding out.
More alyssum in the foreground and a California poppy that survived winter.