April showers? Please.

April

The perennials in the garden are blooming. Berries, thyme and sage have blossoms and the bees are happily working.  The berries are blackberries, an aggressive thorn infested vine that appears intent on taking over any prepared bed in the vicinity of it's designated location.  But, I planted them and continue to tolerate them because the berries are sweet additions to my morning yogurt and make wonderful cobblers.

Blackberry blooms and berries                                       Thyme blooms and bees                                          Sage blooms.                   

Around the house, more flowers.  The Mt. Laurel and Yellow Columbine are blooming and attracting  butterflies.  Mt. Laurel is a slow growing but beautiful small tree that produces fragrant, stunning blooms each spring.   The Yellow Columbine has thrived in a location that receives full morning sun and shade in the late afternoon.  They reseed prolifically but can be managed back into place by pulling / removing young plants.  Beautiful lush green plants with abundant yellow flowers in the spring, they wilt or even die back in the extreme heat of Texas summers, then green back up as the temperatures cool and remain green through most winters.

Mid April
Back to the garden, everything is growing.  Tomatoes are blooming and setting fruit nicely.  Put straw down around the plants to aid in moisture retention.  I will admit to some fear that I am only providing safe haven for harmful pests as well.

Tomatoes on right, 
Green Beans in foreground.

Young tomatoes

Young beans

More Tomatoes, Peppers, Red Cabbage

Late April

Still no rain but with watering the garden continues to progress.  Spinach has grown this spring, so we have lots of fresh salad greens including arugula and the last of the winter lettuce.
Peppers and cucumbers are setting fruit.  Eggplant is blooming.  Onions are growing and I have even pulled a few small ones for cooking.
I pulled a few of the remaining leeks from last year for potato and leek soup.
The asparagus is still producing but slowing.
Because of the lack of moisture, the black berries are small.  This will not be a good year for berries in Central Texas.

Jalapeno

Spinach bed

Cucumber, Orient Express II

And finally, a pretty little wildflower that graces the rack for the garden hose every year.   It is a wild morning glory.