We have achieved roses!

Since I didn't plant any spring-blooming bulbs, I've been timing the arrival of spring by the first flush of roses. This week-- finally-- the roses started blooming. And judging from the number and state of buds on nearly every rosebush, next week should be spectacular!

My current favorite of the Knockout family, Rainbow Knockout:

The bourbon climber, Zephirine Drouhin. This is the first bloom I've gotten from her, and the second spring she's been in my garden. Although this rose has a reputation for blooming in the shade, I think it's too shady against the fence where I put her. Nevertheless, I am pleased to report that the fragrance of this rose is every bit as decadent as I was promised. Moreover, even though this is the only bud on Z. Drouhin as far as I can see, I still love this plant for the purplish foliage. I use it as backdrop for the grey-green leaves of the salvia leucantha.

In the battle of the bourbons, Souvenir de la Malmaison here is taking a beating. Although covered in buds, none of them open more than this. Why? It's a mystery:

The area with the most sun in my garden, and hence, the most roses. Against the fence is the found rose "Maggie" being trained as a climber. In front of her and to the left of the blue pot is the Earthkind rose "Belinda's Dream." And in front of Belinda's Dream is our sad bourbon, Souvenir de la Malmaison:

Mexican Buckeye in bloom. It's not a traffic-stopping spectacle like the redbud, but the flowers are interesting close-up:

Madame Alfred Carriere, doing its white-hat best to de-uglify the mesquite:

Eupatorium "Blue Mist" from the Antique Rose Emporium. I had no idea that they grew anything but roses!

Perennial dusty miller and its shadow. I prefer the so-called "perennial" (We'll see about that!) dusty miller to the more common fuzzy variety. This looks grey and dramatic instead of moldy:

The long-awaited flowering of the Double Knockout! Sadly, the first flower is a scary shade of bright tomato-tinged red that clashes with everything in my garden. Eek! (I think it hurt the camera's eyes too, since this picture does not make me wince nearly enough.) This bad color surprise happened when I bought the hybrid tea "Alec's Red" as well. Roses vary quite a bit in color based on the temperature, but reds seem to be the most dramatic about it, alternating between warm and cool, much to my dismay:

Archduke Charles seems to have recovered from hosting an entomological bow-chicka-wow-wow just fine. I guess that makes sense, since roses are the flowers of loooooooovvvve!

And I apologize now for the lame thing I'm about to say, but it's contractually obligated:

It's snail thyme!

Pink-flowering oxalis. I thought I'd killed it all with all of the moving around of plants I did this winter while most things were dormant, but it's coming up in places I barely remember putting it. The purple-leafed version is coming up around stuff I accidently planted on top of it. I ought to check whether any of that brave oxalis is four-leafed!

Meyer lemon blossoms. Smells like the air freshener I use in the car, only better! (Citrus Magic rocks!)

Anacacho orchid tree (Bauhinia congesta):

English rose "Abraham Darby" trying out a lavender-and-peach look:

And this poor, innocent bystander exclaims, "That's it! I've had it up to HERE with flowers!"