For the past few Springs the flower garden at the Port Hope Public Library managed to outdo for floral splendor most of its competitors for best Spring Library Garden in the Northumberland Hills of Eastern Ontario. But there may be a new title holder, with the Spring extravaganza of beautiful blooms at the Campbellford Public Library.
Looking at a picture of the library in the Fall, one would hardly think it to be a flower bloom contender with no obvious garden in sight.
But the flower gardens have already been turned over in the Fall, both front and back. However, this picture could easily apply to Spring 2013 – blooms were late across the area due to the lingering Winter chill and the Ice Blizzard that hit Campbellford and the Trent Hills area very hard mid April, just as Spring blooms start to emerge. So with ice everywhere barely 3 weeks earlier, the flower garden at the Campbellford Library had some catching up to do.
Early Spring Showing
To some degree of surprise, the daffodils and tulips braved the chill nights and some cool rainy days as the usual first to the Spring showings. Nonetheless, a bit of floral narcissism was most welcome this chilly spring:
Daffodils were first to appear
And the tulips blossomed right after. However, the tulips had to endure the cold nights or cool rains that marked Spring through to the end of April. Perhaps that is the cause of the bohemian look many of the tulips showed during their bloomings. Some exotic, almost gaudy colors but also some amusant shapes too.
Bohemian Tulips
As the nights became cooler and the rains more persistent, if not downright torrential, the tulips managed to keep a sense of beauty.
But clearly Campbellford’s library flower gardeners had a challenge. The second planting of flowers had to go-in within almost DDay conditions.
Second Spring Blooms – Columbine, Iris, Lilies
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Campbellfordians were treated to wet and exotic blooms for May into June as heavy downpours persisted 2-3 times per week. The lilies were plentifull, columbine dense but the fine, sassy look of the iris were areal delight. And therew as no need for a third set of flower pl;anting in the back because the peonies were already in and thriving.
Third Set of Spring Bloom
Gradually as the temperature warmed, the flowers and blooms returned to form –
Abundant Peonies like the Iris before were laden-full
The warmer weather allowed the Peony blooms to last a few days longer. Meanwhile the Spirea and Geraniums perked up colorful.
And abundant in blooms
So abundant in fact that they almost crowded out the the smaller flowers like the continuing Columbine and the emerging tiny morning glories.
A delight to watch in a small breeze or light drizzle
In short, despite the vagaries of global warming, with an ice storm in mid April and continuing days and nights of torrential downpours and continuing cool weather, the horticulture pros at the Campbellford library managed to coax out a splendid floral showing week after volatile Spring week.