Garden Awakening

I realize it's been a long time since I posted photos of my garden.  And part of me feels guilty for boasting about my spring blossoms, a good part of the continent is still under snow.  But it has been such wonderful blue-sky weather lately, I had to break away from my computer and homework (work has followed me home this weekend) to walk around the back yard and take a few snapshots.

There are all the usual signs of Spring out there...

... mini daffs, galanthus (snowdrops), and a Japanese plum in bloom.

My Mom always asks me about my young Hellebores plants.  I have a few scattered around the yard, and at least 3 different colors/varieties...

It's funny that the plant with most blooms (top right) is the one in my underutilized kitchen/herb garden.  It has thrived since it has lots of space there, and sun.  Many of my other plants are squeezed among other plants (that is my gardening style), so don't produce as many flowers.

But speaking of Hellebores with lots of blooms, I was walking about Century Gardens (Shadbolt Center) in Burnaby BC today, and they have some mature Hellebores plants with LOADS of blooms.  Look at this one :

And a look down a path lined in Hellebores :

Here's another look at the Century Gardens, looking back at the Burnaby Art Gallery :

I can't remember if this rhododendron has bloomed before (it's tucked away in my "secret garden" near my exotic Korean lilac), but it is pretty :

And funny enough, there always seems to be a single yellow crocus which emerges near the base of the sleeping monster Gunnera (see similar photo from back in 2009) :

And speaking of sleeping monsters, I'm pleased but surprised to see that some of our rock creations from almost 10 years ago are still holding up fairly well (I must have really sprayed them well with acrylic coating, since I haven't even touched up the paint since, and these rocks stay in the garden year-round) :