The Garden in April

I know it's May; but here's a little of the garden in April. One thing I love about my rose bush is being able to bring them inside for arrangements. I've already cut and enjoyed about three dozen flowers from the one bush.

I discovered two miniature rose plants near the hose. They shriveled up last year in their pots and apparently were ready to be on display again. I repotted them and enjoyed the single mini rose that had bloomed.

Oh, the passionflower vines! The cold finished off the second vine that made it through the summer, so only one still remains from the original three planted last spring. It's a bit of a mess, strangling itself and all; but still blooming! The caterpillars are back and I'm not sure how that happens. What comes first, the butterfly or the egg? I'm assuming the butterfly since I didn't spot any eggs left over the winter; but where have the butterflies been hiding? Perhaps there are some that hibernate in their chrysalises and are in charge of repopulating in the spring. But I'm not willing to fork over too many leaves to the caterpillars so, again, I'm plucking eggs as I see them. My lemon "tree" has been the star of the garden so far this year. It was so full of sweet-smelling blossoms that it buzzed with bees and moths day and night. Ian enjoyed sitting on the nearby bench watching them work while enjoying his popcicles. "The bees are eating," he'd tell me. Then the flowers fell off and the "lemons" were left. Oh, the potential! Now I'm fighting every other critter in the garden who wants a piece of my lemons, too!