mears garden: Mears Garden Picture Contest-Week 17- March 20, 2011- The finals

Welcome to week 17 of the Garden Picture contest.

So here we are enjoying springtime. It is official. You know it is springtime since it is so dark at 6:30 in the morning. Let's hear it for daylight savings time. This weekend I put on my winter coat and went out and raked some more. Actually everyday something else emerges, even if the temperatures struggle to get to 40 degrees.
Yesterday I discovered the first trillium of the spring. Crocuses are all over, even if it is just about too cold for them to open. If that happens you enjoy the crocus buds, like little narrow light bulbs, sticking up in clumps.

In last week’s voting you selected the last entry in the final week of the picture contest. After 16 weeks of voting we are down to the final four pictures.

The actual winner last week was the red and yellow primrose. The full voting was as follows:

Primrose 25
Iris 17
Fritillaria 14
Orchid cactus 14

So here we go with the final finals. You get to pick the best picture for 2010. Remember you picked these finalists. There is really quite a color spectrum

First up is the white leucojum. They really do look like snowdrops on stilts.

Second is the orchid cactus duo. These beauties are amazing, but do have to come inside for the winter.

Third is the remarkably blue Siberian iris. Blue is such a wonderful color. Soon the garden will turn blue, first with the squill or silla, and then with bluebells. The bluebells are actually emerging right now.

Finally is the entry from last week, the primrose. More-more-more. That’s what you have to say about primroses.

Have at it. Tell me which one you like as the picture of the year.

For your bonus pleasure this week there are pictures from this week in the garden. The last few pictures were from this weekend, when on Saturday the crocuses stayed shut even with sunshine. Today the temperature maybe got up to 45. That was enough for the crocuses to open. It is good.

The picture below is the somewhat fading aconite. A week ago they shared the stage only with the snowdrops. Today they have to compete with much more color.