My apricot bloomed first week of April. So the peach and nectarine. I looked today the petal fell and I can see a little fruit but I think my zone 7 is warmer than your zone 5. I protected the flowers from flower rut now I have to protect the fruit. Last year the fungi was unusual I hope we will fair better this year.

Hope you're ready for tonight, Pam. Batten down the hatches for another wild ride! What kind of rose is that? Love the dainty leaves and how it covers the ground. The storm beat many of the petals off my Ispahan roses, darn it. Since it only blooms for me once a year, it is such a disappointment. It usually blooms for about 4 weeks and the fragrance is like none other. Fills the whole back yard with a strong, myrrh-like scent. If you like large pink roses, I will root you a cutting of my Belinda's Dream shrub rose. It loves full sun - thrives in it. (I got mine from an anonymous giver, a sweet little Sally from Texas, who BTW I haven't seen posting on here yet this spring. Hope she is okay.). It roots easily. I now have two roses and in just the first year! Both bloomed the first year. This year the blooms are even bigger. Blooms are huge, many petaled, and tight and they last and last and keep making more. It has the most delicious fragrance. It really is a DREAM rose. I like pink and orange flowers together, so I think it would look beautiful with all your oranges. Let me know via email. ~Annie

I have heard there is a prediction of a big snowstorm in a couple of weeks (how they think they know this I have no clue, the weather people can't even get it right for the next 24 hours) so I am keeping my fingers crossed. Most of my garden is starting to come up, a few bushes with early leaves, but we are still way behind where we were this time last year. Not cleaning up flower beds for at least another 2 weeks, except those which I know can take it (irises, rock garden). I'm only cleaning paths and edges for now, cutting back and pruning roses, grasses, etc. Hellebores are in full bloom, tulips are coming up, early crocus have come and gone, late ones just now blooming. Some wildflowers are up, harbinger of spring, false rue anemone and toothwort are beginning to bloom. Early daffodils are in full radiant flower, later ones not far behind. Virginia bluebells are up but not blooming for another couple of weeks, probably. The tulip magnolia was in full, open bud last week just before we got hit with 25F two nights in a row. It doesn't appear to be hurt but I'm still waiting. The buds are still pink and firm but they could still drop. We only get to see them bloom about once every three years or so....it was glorious last year.

How precious!! I just spent the day with my 16 month old grandson putting our tree together...tomorrow he's gonna come back and help me hang ornaments...to see the world thru their eyes is such a beautiful thing...