I was very happy to see the forsythia in bloom this past week. Last year, it hardly bloomed at all, and in 2008, it didn’t bloom until late April. This year isn’t the earliest the forsythia has bloomed, though; my first photographic blog post showed it in full bloom in late March 2007.
Both the large King Alfred and the tiny Tete-a-Tete daffodils have joined the Rijnveld’s Early Sensation in bloom. (The crocuses withered away in the first warm day.)
As usual, the marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) is putting on a spectacular show in the pond. The fish have gotten over their winter skittishness and are following all visitors to the pond, hoping for a treat.
On the Shores of Lake Chicago 
Posted by linda on April 5, 2010 at 9:48 pm
The cardinal flowers I planted in our swale last year are back. They were my first experiment with plants that like it wet. Marsh marigold will be next! They’re beautiful.
Posted by lakechicagoshores on April 6, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Marsh marigold is nice because it blooms in early spring *and* late fall. I haven’t tried cardinal flower yet, but it might be a nice addition to the rain garden!