It's spring!

I know...I keep saying that!  Well, even though it came early-ish, there was a kind of retro thing going on when the first wave of snowdrops and crocuses came and went.  Then things kind of stalled and the rain and cold came back.

But now it feels warmer.  It's more comfortable to be out in the garden.  The heavier winter raincoat is put away until fall.  Yes!

And the rhododendrons are blooming.  These are not the earliest but they are my favorites.  We find that our rhody blooms come in waves...we have 13 of these trees on our lot.

The lovely pale yellow blooms are my number one favorite.  I love the bit of pink on the edges of the petals.  It doesn't show much after the flower opens.

The pale pink is pretty, too.  It fascinates me how there can be so many shades of the same color.  Our two earliest rhodies are pale pink but not like this.  They're more like a candy pink.  These seem shell-like to me.

The next waves of bloom will be much brighter:  dark pinks, purples and magentas.  There's even a gorgeous darker pink with the most heavenly scent.  Some have black spots deep inside their blooms that add to the drama.  And these are not tiny bushes.  They tower over our heads.  Some have huge flowers that look like prom corsages.  Others are dainty and understated like the ones pictured.

I'm so grateful to the former owners for planting all these lovely trees - many years ago - to help bring in my colorful spring.