Magnolia

Last weekend I was in Breukelen to visit my parents. I always visit my parents at the end of March because my father is having his birthday. So every year I see the beautiful Magnolia tree in my mother's garden and I love it. I always loved it. It is a small one because they have a small garden but the shape is so nice and I love to sit under it. When you look up at this time of the year you'll see this:

It reminds me of a painting I loved as a child:


It's the "Bloeiende Amandelboom" (Almond Blossom, 1890) by Vincent van Gogh. I haven't seen the real thing for some years now. I'm not sure it still is one of my favorites.

Maybe I liked it because it reminded me of my mother's Magnolia :)

in my garden

This week finally it started to look and feel a bit like spring. The wind is still cold but it was sunny. Today is was raining and snowing again though.... Anyway, the photos I made were taken last week and not today. At last I have some real signs of spring. My first Crocuses are blooming, the snowdrops of course, a lot of plants are making their first leaves and.... my first flowers on the Pulmonarias are here (although it looks like they are shivering in the cold wind).

Crocus tommasinianus 'Ruby Giant'

Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'

Akebia quinata bud

Of course I need to clean up the garden. All the dead plants and leaves from last year are still covering the ground. But before I remove it I'll admire the beauty of last years garden.

The seeds of Anemone 'Hadspen Abudance' are now turning into cotton balls.

The seed heads of the Wild Teasel from last year are still standing in the afternoon sun....