It begins.
Shumard Oak, Quercus shumardii
Golden Groundsel, Packera obovata
Goldenball Leadtree, Leucaena retusa
Possumhaw Holly, Ilex decidua
Mountain Laurel, Sophora secundiflora
Texas Smoke Tree, Cotinus obovatus
Turks Cap, Malvaviscus arboreus 
Columbine, Aquilegia chrysantha
Mexican Orchid Tree, Bauhinia mexicana
Goldeneye, Viguiera dentata
The budding.
My Gardener Says... 
Gorgeous shots. I’d been thinking about wandering with my camera and doing this same sort of documentation. Great minds… : )
Now, if we can squeak through the next 48 hours or so without anything incurring freeze damage… The loquats (which bloom and fruit early) lost about 90 percent of their fruit to the freezing weather earlier this month. And the soil here is D R Y. Me and the plants are in no way ready to have the drought pick up right where the cold leaves off this year. I guess we’ll see what survives THIS particular round of insults and go from there.
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I was practicing with the camera–so that’s how this came about.
Yes indeed, the next 24-48 hours. These temp spikes (which you recently wrote about) are annoying, though to some degree were always in place here. I’m not overly concerned, I’ll cover a few things and let botanical fate resolve itself. You’re though, all the rain “they” promised us hasn’t materialize, so boo on that.
Personally, I’d like a cool, wet March, but no more freezes. Got that? My request is in!
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I find buds very exciting! Your photos are a tribute to the march towards spring!
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Exciting–yes they are! So hopeful and interesting and fleeting, which makes them all the more special.
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Great pictures! I have seen some Mountain Laurels in full bloom around Austin. I’m currently obsessed with getting a Possumhaw
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Thanks, Melissa. There are some Mt. Laurels in bloom in my area, though mine are just beginning. I’m hoping for not much of a freeze as my blooms have been dinged the last year or so. Fingers crossed.
Oh, get a Possumhaw. Do it!! You’ll love it so!
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This is such a welcome hopeful sight, great title for your post too.
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Thanks, Julie–spring is hot on our heels here, I just hope our late freezes don’t do too much damages, but there’s not much I can do anyway except fret. Which I’m pretty good at. 🙂
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Lucky, lucky you! Our Shumards have not yet budded out. I somehow expected them to start due to the warm weather last week, but they didn’t. I guess they knew something was up and that winter would return! With this weather due to hang around at least until Monday I doubt that we’ll be seeing their buds for a bit. My Bridal Wreath (Spiraea prunifolia), though, turned green without my noticing it over the past few days. One day it was bare, now it has a profusion of leaf buds and tiny leaves. I do worry about the buds freezing but there’s not much I can do about it! AND you have Turks Cap budding already. Such wonderful rebirth!
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It is wonderful, the rebirth that spring brings. I know what you mean about your Spiraea being bare one day, full of new leaves the next–that’s exactly what happened to my Possumhaw–it leafed out over a weekend and I didn’t notice until early the following week. You’re also right about not being able to do much about the freezes this late–just, you know, fingers crossed.
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My native plants are usually pretty conservative about knowing when it is safe to bud so I don’t -usually- worry about them. My mountain laurel though has had a few tough years. Last year just as it was about to bloom we had a cold and strong windstorm that left no flower untouched. They shriveled into a fine purple dust. I was so disappointed. Love all the pics here but a special thank you for the closeup of the groundsel. Believe it or not though I have been looking for ages for a clear image I was never able to find one. Now I think I will be able to identify it if I see it growing.
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The natives are good about knowing what to do. The poor Mt. Laurels though have been hit hard these past few years. What happened to yours is similar to what happened to mine last year–so disappointing. I have the very beginning of blooms on mine and I haven’t checked them to gauge how they fared with the earlier freeze this week. And, who knows about tonight.
You’re welcome on the Groundsel. It’s an early, bright yellow bloomer–one of my favorites and so welcome in early spring.
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Yay! This is a good thing. Thanks for sharing signs that spring will happen soon throughout the Northern Hemisphere!
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Your turn is coming Beth–sprig for the two legged, four legged, feathery and others.
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