The snowdrift crabapple from our yearlong tree study is really showing us just exactly how late our spring is in arriving this year. The tree comes to life again by shooting forth tiny leaves which will soon be overtaken in growth and engulfed by the white blossoms. The image above was the tree a year ago to the day and below is one that I shot this afternoon. If our Royal Star Magnolia is any indicator, it bloomed three weeks later than last year.

This is valuable information to me since I've been waiting less patiently than I'd like to admit for planting to get underway. The seemingly endless rain has been impeding our progress and it's good to know that everything is waking up late this year rather than just me being behind!

I hope things are faring better in your neck of the woods!