Flowers always invite me to smile, and smiling sends all kinds of positive neural messages through my body that enhance my well-being and improve my disposition. Especially in the short days of winter when I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Having flowers blooming in my gardens like the naturalized clump of Trillium surrounded by periwinkle (Vinca minor) below, brightens my life.
Another winter bloomer that cheers me is Helleborus orientalis, more commonly known as Lenten rose. They are a hardy ground cover with evergreen foliage that blooms profusely on through spring. Adaptable to shade and drought they also self-propagate, making them a winner in my book!
Rounding out my favorite late-winter/early-spring bloomers is Camellia japonica. With its glossy evergreen leaves and a profusion of blossoms on through spring, Camellia is a joy to behold. As the tight buds burst out in full, they fill my heart with sunshine!
Rhododendron is native in the Pacific Northwest and their evergreen foliage provides shade and shelter for birds year round. These I planted thirty-five years ago and they have grown into a mature base planting at our home. Though their bright blossoms fade sooner than I want, they are always a show stopper!
Lilac has been in my life since I was a kid. Its lovely range of purple hues and fragrant perfume wafting on spring breezes weaves a spell on me to this day!
Then comes summer with a parade of beauties to charm my soul! Mop head Hydrangea are among the happiest blossoms at this time, all crowding to catch the sunlight and emit their radiant blue hues.
My choice of plants to nurture in my gardens is driven by a variety of conditions: shade/sun, perennial/annual, native/compatible, thrives/struggles, low-maintenance/invasive and most importantly, plants that enhance the habitat for birds.
All summer and into late fall, Echinacea better known as Coneflower, and Rudbeckia or Black-eyed Susan flowers fill the sun-drenched border of my front yard. Resident bunnies hop and hide underneath them, and when the petals die back in fall, the seed-heads provide sustenance for migrating finches and other seed eating birds.
Lindy Low LeCoq 
A wonderful gallery that made me smile too, Lindy! And strangely enough I don’t think we have had a challenge with flowers before!
SAD is something many of us suffer from here as well. I love it that you can moderate its effects with flowers. I think that is the way I work too. You have shown all those flowers that I love and could not feature – thank you! Camellia is a true beauty that I now can enjoy in my glasshouse, and lilacs are favourites too from childhood. In later years I have planted Rudbeckias, and your photo of them make me want even more of those – yellow is such a happy colour.
Your final words I will have to remember and think about during this winter: “… it will only be a little while before I see the bright faces of garden friends that make me smile.”
I’m so glad you enjoyed my photos, and that you have a glass house to keep your special garden friends in over the winter!
♥ It is a joy to see the WP account filled with flowers!
Thank you, Leya. I’m so glad my photos brought you joy, and I’m glad you have a glass house where you can keep special flowers alive through the cold winter!
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Lindy, I really enjoyed your flower photos for this challenge. So much beauty 😀 😀
Thank you, Cee! So many flowers – all so lovely makes it hard to choose!
All beautiful choices Lindy, several of which are also my favorites. For me the image of those coneheads with the bird is an amazing choice. What a wonderful moment you captured there!
Thank you, Tina. It is such a delight to sit in my living room and see all the birds swinging on the seed-heads as they migrate through!