Garden Bloggers NOT Bloom Day

Today is Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, a meme started by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.  But for the past few months I've been posting the same plants, all houseplants.  My begonias are still blooming, as are my cyclamen, my primroses and my mystery purple blooming plant I call George III.  Look at last month's post and you'll see them there.  So today I'm trying to look forward to spring (it must be coming, right? right?) and took the camera out into the yard to see if there are any signs of spring.  Here's what I found.

My Forsythia (Bigboxus cheapus) look like they gave up and quit.  Are there even any buds there?

My Lacecap Hydrangea (Lady in Red) looks like a clump of paint brushes dipped in black ink.

Here's a nice spot of color, Cornus hesseii Garden Glow.  I've been really pleased with these, they have pale green foliage all summer, brightening up a shady spot in the backyard.

These Azalea (Girard's Fuscia) look dry (the ground is frozen) and have so signs of bud swelling that would indicate spring is on its way.

I planted these pansies last year.  I wonder if they'll bloom again in the spring.

My Pieris previousownerii hold their flower buds all winter and bloom early.  They look real good all winter.  Unfortunately they have to move.  They were planted wayyyyy too close to the house and our house needs to get painted (and have some siding repaired) this year.  I hope they survive the move.

Lastly, a nice fat bud on a Rhododendron dontknowii.  I think this is a dwarf variety, it's very, very small.  I like the way this bud looks during the winter. 

Not shown:  no sign of spring blooming bulbs popping up.  No signs of green on any of the perennials.  No hint of leafing out on any of the trees.

Hopefully next month I'll have something to show in the garden.  Or maybe the month after.  Thank goodness for houseplants and garden catalogs!