We went riding last Sunday at Bar K, which is located south east of Springfield, MO. The dogwoods and redbuds were both blooming. Some years the redbuds are about done blooming before the dogwoods bloom, but this year, we hit it just right and they were both blooming. We have had a very mild winter and early spring, so all of the spring flowers are blooming about 2-3 weeks early this year. Taken along the trail :
Dogwoods
Redbuds
From our yard:
Chinese lilac (?? or Japanese, I am not sure) This large shrub is full of blooms, but really doesn't smell all that good.
Old fashioned lilac. This large shrub doesn't have as many flowers as the above shrub, but smells 10 times as good.
I love, love, love the smell of lilacs. My favorite flower! The house that we live in was built by my great-great grandparents, so they are probably the ones who planted this. I am guessing that it was planted in the late 1890's or early 1900's.
Daffodils.
The yellow "Easter Lillies" bloomed earlier and are done. I planted tulips last fall, but they didn't come up. I don't know if the bulbs were not any good or maybe the squirrels dug them up. That was aggrevating!
Hyacinths