Unfurling

Every bud and shoot has a plan. . .

Between spring showers, this plant opens numerous umbrellas.

Inside this enormous bud are a few five-fingered leaves and a panicle of cream-colored flower buds that will eventually turn into chestnuts.

Each hosta shoot unfurls like a scroll of lush green paper.

Some plants are like loyal old friends. It doesn't have to do this (especially since I tend to neglect this one), but out comes the beautiful flower anyway.

After all my trials and tribulations with sunflowers in past seasons, this season I have the birds to thank for dropping the seeds around my garden. Successful so far. . .

Trout lilies emerging in the rain.

The Alder's leaves unfurl like a slow accordion.

The first leaves on the oak leaf hydrangea are fuzzy and not oak shaped at all.

The anthers on the flowers of this Beech tree are still green. These clusters will be Beech nuts by fall!

Famous gardener Penelope Hobhouse called new paeony shoots in spring the "snouts of the garden".