Blooms At Last

Imagine my surprise when backing out of the driveway I see some purple on the front bank. Yes, we have a bloom on the property - FINALLY! In fact I have two flowers blooming and a couple showing colored buds. First my Periwinkle or Vinca Minor is blooming.

Then I did a real double take when I saw my Brunnera Jack Frost. There were little tiny sprouts of blue showing that I almost missed

And my Armeria has some pink buds just waiting to open up into pink balls on long stems.

Last is the flower I've had a love/hate relationship with for years. Actually that isn't true - I didn't love or hate it - I ignored it. I'm sure this Helleborus Niger Lenten Rose was pretty once or it wouldn't have come home with me. But later it seemed so blah and washed out and of course the stems and leaves just lay on the ground. Then a couple of years ago I heard about nothing but Helleborus and how beautiful they were. I just kept my thoughts to myself and bit my lip rather than asking if everyone was nuts. Since then I have started seeing some really pretty ones online at peoples posts. So the other day I went out and looked at it and ya know what? It's getting prettier with age. In fact this picture looks beautiful. Of course it's leaves are still all over the ground and it doesn't hold it's head up so we can see it but when I propped it up for a picture it was really pretty

I suppose if I quit ignoring it and gave it a haircut and some food it might do better. So I guess it's a keeper after all it is blooming at a time when nothing else does.