Young House Love

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Spring Flowers Are Blooming

Spring is in the process of sprung-ing here in Richmond and we’re boiling over with excitement. Warm weather? Yes please. Green trees? Bring it. Flowers blooming? Duh, winning.

Sprung Tree Blossom

So to those of you who aren’t on the brink of spring yet, we thought we’d send a virtual dose of the season – courtesy of some photos of what’s starting to happen around here – like the little buds that are showing up on the hydrangeas that we’ve inherited.

Sprung Hydrangea Bulbs

Spring is especially exciting this year because we get to be surprised by whatever magically decides to pop up around the new house – and we finally get to see what our property looks like in all it’s bloomin’ glory. The daffodils are already on blast. Holla.

Sprung Daffodils

Oh and for those who don’t recognize the house above, it’s the back of ours. It’s definitely different than the original brick ranch facade in the front, right? We think it’s really funny that the addition was only built about 10 years later (in the 70’s instead of the 60’s) but it has such a different vibe. Someday we hope to unify things. Not sure how yet, but maybe it’ll come to me in a dream. Sidenote #1: I once had a dream about tiling our old shower surround with white subway tile about a year before actually deciding to embark on that adventure (and to use white subway tile).

But back to the weather. Even Burger is itching to get outside and kick off what will be many months of bug hunting in a new backyard. Here he is gazing longingly out the living room window. Sidenote #2: This shot of the bushes makes Sherry twitchy because she wants to trim them like crazy.

Sprung Burger In Window

As for the temp, the daily highs around here have been wavering between the mid-50s and the high-60s, even stretching into the 70’s a couple of weeks back. And that means yard work is quickly creeping to the top of our to-do list (especially since we got started a few weeks back). Which reminds us, we owe you a more official “tour” of the exterior of our house. So put that in your “stay tuned” folder.

The only bummer that spring has sprung on us has to do with the tree in the front of the house. It has grown (or was planted?) crazy close to the foundation…

Sprung Trunk On House

… and stretches up the side of the porch, sort of feathering out over the walkway to the front door. We’ve always known it probably has to go (aka we should take it out before it takes out any of the house). But it’s charming, darn it.

Sprung Tree Close To House

Especially covered in white blooms. See them below? Sidenote #3: I just typed “see them blow?” which was oddly entertaining to me (I dunno, kinda like “thar she blows”), so I stopped writing this post and told Sherry about it. She only found it marginally funny. Maybe it was a you-had-to-be-there thing.

Sprung White Tree

Anyway, don’t those white flowers in the picture above (not blow) make you love it? Maybe white flowers are the tree equivalent to sad puppy dog eyes. Seems like a shame to remove that sweet little tree now. Especially since we don’t think we can save him since he’s basically on top of the house (so we anticipate a crazy root situation when we start digging). Oh and while we’re on the subject of said tree, does anyone know what it is? We have no idea.

Despite our little tree drama, we’re ready to enjoy spring to the fullest (holy buckets, it’ll be Clara’s first birthday before we know it). I wonder how good she’d be at mulching. Hmm…

Is anyone else getting a good dose of spring fever yet? Are temperatures up and flowers out in you area? Who’s shoveling snow today?

Comments

  2. Heather says

    The stress of planning a memorial day barbecue wedding 2 1/2 months away hit pretty good tonight so I decide to step back and read the blog and I see this.

    Gorgeous gorgeous flowers, warm air and tranquility. By the time our home looks like this up here in Maine it will be summer and I will be relaxing with some cool tea or tending to our ever expanding garden Our house will be ripped apart on one side (two technically) as the husband is putting the addition on the house and finally – we will be married.

    This post just made me really happy to ignore the pending decisions and 2 feet of dirty snow outside which is slowly but surely melting.

    You guys are the best.

    Reply

  3. melissa says

    Im not going to lie, Im totally jealous! I think I may dislike you guys intensely now (hate is such a strong word, LOL). It was 46 and windy and rainy here today and there is still snow on my lawn here in NY. Jealousy can be so ugly sometimes ;)

    Reply

  5. Steph N says

    It looks like a camellia, but it might also be a stewartia pseudocamellia–I’m not enough of an expert to coach you on how to tell the difference, unfortunately.

    Reply

  7. Eileen says

    The tree you are wondering about is a japonica camellia. I live in Sacramento Ca and they grow very well around here. They can be transplanted, but like a little shade in the afternoon out here in zone 9. Do a little research on line before you give up on it. They really do make beautiful landscape accents.

    Reply

  9. Sarah says

    The hubs and I skied all afternoon. We live just north of Lake Tahoe. I love spring, but with a clear blue sky, temps. in the 40’s and endless snow from huge storms in Feb., it can wait. I’m still loving winter for now.

    Reply

  10. Care says

    We’ve had 70’s weather every just about every other week this whole winter. I kind of feel like we got short changed :( Here in California we don’t get severe winters…..think it might be fun to experience snow and cold! Oh well, one can only wish!
    Happy yard work-ing!

    Reply

  11. Sarah says

    Definitely a camellia. Like Renee, I think of the as a bush, and have never seen one that tall. They’re typically not that expensive at a nursery, so you could always try to move this one and replace it (further from the foundation) with one of a more normal height…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camellia

    Reply

  12. Kelly says

    What a tease! Google Green Bay, WI 3/11/11 and you’ll find pictures of snow and predictions of more snow. No flowers for us anytime soon.

    Reply

  13. Sush says

    I think it is a camellia sasanqua not japonica. …Beautiful shrubs…dig it up early try and keep soil around root ball and keep it wet. Don’t try and transplant in heat.
    Luck…

    Reply

  14. Margo says

    I think you have a camellia. They take forever to grow that big and they are so pretty! We have Yuletide ones that bloom red at Christmas.

    Reply

  16. Helli says

    Hi!

    We’re shoveling snow in Estonia. It’s getting sunnier day by day, though. I really hope to see spring really soon because it has been a darn long winter.

    Love your blog! Keep up the good work!

    Reply

  17. AJ says

    It looks like a camellia. Here in Australia it is a winter flowering shrub. I have a gorgeous pale pink one. They are acid loving plants. It’s hot and sunny here, beach weather so we cannot complain!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha it’s true. I always credit his awesome husbandness with the fact that he has three sisters. So he knows how to live with ladies. Although he just informed me that he’s also excited about spring for selfish “I get to run more” reasons. Haha.

      xo,
      s

  19. Tanya says

    We’re blooming down here in Birmingham, too — though this week we’ve had a little cold snap. It was 38 degrees yesterday when I left for work!

    Be thankful the front-porch-encroaching-tree isn’t that big. When we bought our fixer-upper three years ago it had four massive 12 foot holly bushes planted seemingly inches from the front foundation. Ouch! Had to have the foundation piered… what a mess!

    ~Tanya

    Reply

  20. Jessica Coates says

    It’s a camellia. I have a yard full of them down here in Charleston, SC. My flowers are already in full swing! YAY!

    Reply

  22. Lindsey O. says

    It appears to be a camellia which has grown more tree like than bush like! :) They can get HUGE so…yeah probably needs to go while it is still managably dig-up-able. I’d try to transplant it because they are really lovely bushes. Tons of blooms!

    Reply

  23. Paige says

    I’m excited for the OUTDOOR TOUR! I have yet to try my hand at gardening in any way, but mostly bc I’ve been apartment hopping. My parents favorite thing to do together though is yard work, so I grew up with seeing some nice yards! I’ll be excited one day when I can try out my “green thumb”…

    ANYWAY…I can’t wait to see what you guys do to your yard and exterior. AAAAAND, I’m super pumped about whatever you guys do with that space in between the master and the original house. I’m sure that’s an eternity away for you guys, BUT I’m here for the long haul, so still excited.

    Reply

  24. Dee in BC says

    My Camellia isn’t blooming here yet- it’s a different variety though- I have a whole yard full of purple Crocus in bloom though – not the whole yard – clumps throughout the yard – you get the picture. These are a couple of the things I’ll miss if (no- I’ll think positive here) when we sell this house. The temp is in the mid 50’s most days – lots of rain, clouds, wind – Normal early spring in coastal BC. -Dee

    Reply

  26. Kristie says

    I have season envy! Snow has FINALLY melted in Northern NJ and now begins the annual tradition of harvesting all of the crazy debris that was lurking beneath. Milk jug caps, anyone? Thanks for sharing your blooms!

    Reply

  27. carrie wohlt says

    oh…i am so itching for Spring, here in Wisconsin we are at 34 degrees. i love all the pics of the spring blooms. look forward to seeing more pics. and yes,save the camellia bush you can do it! for now you should you should clip off a couple branches and bring them inside for a arrangement, I could so see an nice arrangement in one of your beautiful glass containers.

    Reply

  28. Amanda says

    Save that camillia! you would pay big bucks for it at a garden center. Do please trim it back and relocate it. research where they like to be first, because they have some preferences. It would really be a shame to totally get rid of it!

    Reply

  30. Laurie says

    Here in central California spring is arriving with wind, rain, sunshine and large swings in temperature…all the things that encourage the yard to get out of control quickly! So will be rounding up the kids and equipment to tackle the weeds before the rain comes back tomorrow!

    Reply

  32. dominique says

    this is too much….when can I move in with you guys?? First the 5 dolla art, now this!
    You inspire me so much, thanks for something I look forward to so much every day!

    Reply

  33. Dawn says

    I always love your blog! Thanks for all the time and effort you put into it. The tree that is planted too close to your house looks like a flowering quince. They come in white, and the newer varieties have double blooms, just like yours.

    Reply

  34. Char says

    So I pick up the latest BH&G Kitchen and Bath makeover mag in the grocery store today, and I’m looking at a bathroom done in it and thinking…hmmmm that vanity looks awfully familiar!
    ;-) If I hadn’t already tiled my bathroom I totally would have copied you guys. Right down to buying from overstock.com lol!
    Nice article! Thanks for sharing your decorating/reno step by step. It helps us design challenged folks immensely.

    Reply

  35. Gina says

    We used to live in Midlothian, your blog really makes me miss it – especially spring since we are now in Chicagoland!

    Reply

  36. Elizabeth Bambara says

    John and Sherry,

    That’s definitely a camelia that you have there. You can find lots of info on the web as to variety and care.

    Good luck.

    Elizabeth Claire

    Reply

  37. Katie in Cali says

    Spring has definately sprung here in Northern California. Just today we started routine maintenance on our pool in the backyard and tackled removing tree stumps from our flower beds up front. Nothing says spring quite like a digging bar!

    Reply

  38. Mary says

    Still covered in the white stuff here in WI. I’ve been checking for some spring flowers, but haven’t seen any peeking through the ground yet. So jealous.

    Reply

  40. Chelsey Elliott says

    Wow! I am jealous. I live in Northern Alberta and it was -30 today. You’re flowers almost made me weep. I can’t wait for spring!!!

    Reply

  41. Megan W. says

    That’s a beautiful camelia! we have 2 in our backyard=) Ours are pink though. We live in East Texas and just about everyone has at least one camelia. We actually transplanted a small, sad one from a random place in our front bed and put it in what I am now affectionately referring to as our “cottage garden” (a somewhat random but beautiful combination of roses, hollyhocks, hydrangeas, camelias, daisies, and peonies). Do y’all have azaleas? Those are also gorgeous and are an evergreen shrub like camelias (would totally recommend them if you don’t have any yet!) Keep it up=)

    Reply

  42. Jill says

    I have a hunch that it’s a flowering quince. We have one which is bright pink when it blooms… it can also go crazy and overgrown quite quickly, too — ours requires very aggressive pruning.

    Sigh. It’s snowing here ;)

    Reply

  43. Susan says

    I’m a Master Gardener here in Williamsburg, VA. Your white-flowered “tree” is a Japanese Camellia (Camellia japonica). The time to prune this one is after blooming, but dead wood can be pruned back at any time. You’re not going to want to move the plant until late-fall/early winter when it’s dormant. The Virginia Camellia Society has helpful info http://members.cox.net/vacs/education.htm BTW, I highly recommend a book called “The Pruner’s Bible” by Steve Bradley. It’s my go-to pruning book.

    Reply

  44. micaela says

    hi! first time i wrote and very bad english.
    i’m reading your amazing blog since last year and i feel you as friends (cause you are very very very nice people!!!).
    now, the urgency! the tree isn’t a tree, it’s a camellia for sure. that bush can grow as a little tree. root don’t go very deep on soil, it has lot of superficial ones.
    I’m a garden-addict and all i can tell about it is: don’t transplante it, cut only under the porch and a little around to take it in shape. it’s a slow grower and blooms on the before-year growth. needs acid soil.
    i think that bush isn’t younger than 20 years and lot of people try hard to grow that until that height. please please please: keep it! (and take care of….)
    love! micaela (italian fan!!!)

    Reply

  45. Thais says

    Hey guys! I didn’t know where else to post this so this was my best guess! :) I was wondering if you guys could help me with an idea if I send you a picture? I am a Brazilian living in Minnesota and bought my house in 2007, it was built in 2005. In my family room downstairs, above the fireplace, the builders made a huge ‘hole’ meant for mounting a regular tube TV above the fireplace. The problem is, who has a tube TV anymore? :) So now I am left with this hole above the fireplace and have no idea what to do with it. I contemplated hanging a huge painting in front but I am not sure if it will work? Please let me know if you’re able to brainstorm with me. :)
    Cheers!
    Thais

    Reply

  47. Angela says

    Your bush (tree) is definitely a camelia. I have a pink one blooming in my backyard right not. It think you could give it a major trim so that it would be more of a bush than a tree. Pretty blooms so it would be a shame to just cut it down!

    Reply

  48. Peps says

    Hi, I don’t mean to comment on your post, I have something to share. I’ve been reading your blog for a while and after seeing pictures of Sherry I instantly thought of a polish celebrity. Just type in your google images ” Natasza Urbanska”. I just had to let you guys know in case you ever visit Poland:-) Best wishes.

    Reply

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