photo friday: what's growing at my house

I'm so not a green thumb. I've never been able to keep a house plant alive, and whatever grew outside just sort of did it's own thing aside from Ben occasionally pruning. I appreciate plants, I love flowers and am especially fond of flowering trees. I used to have a dark pink dogwood outside of my bedroom window in college and ever since I've wanted one of my own. For now I just envy the one in full bloom across the street.

When we bought our house (5 weeks ago!) one of the first things I noticed was that there seemed to be a lot of plants and a lot of different kinds. I had no idea what would bloom when spring arrived. Now that spring is here, I'm still not sure what is growing out there aside from the obvious pansies and wisteria.

There were also red tulips lining the front path that bloomed with the early spring fake-out, but froze and died fairly quickly. 

In the front and back are a bunch of purple bell shaped flowers. We had these at our previous house as well. One of the many things that I know nothing about but whenever I see them I think they look like the type of flowers that little fairies would wear for hats or skirts.

Underneath our bedroom window are a couple random things. This shrub with green, red, and purplish leaves.

And this tiny one that I first thought was a flower, but when I looked closer it was leaves with strange little pods inside. This one has me the most confused...

Oh yeah, and there is a rhododendron on the corner. I eagerly anticipated the arrival of it's blossoms to see what color it would be. It's a beautiful dark pink (which happens to be one of our wedding colors). I love rhodies because they remind me of my great-grandma who had dozens of them towering over the driveway. 

I took this photo before my brother and sister so kindly cleaned up all the maple tree seeds. If you look real close you can see that some of them were trying to sprout leaves...

Aaaand in the backyard another mystery shrub (among many others not pictured)

And a tree that we suspect may yield pears or perhaps green plumbs.

And the flowering trees that I mentioned in a previous post. That once looked like this-

Now the teensy purple buds have given way to lavender flowers and green leaves

Pretty, but I don't know what it is!

So, any seasoned gardeners out there that can enlighten me on what's growing all around us?

What's growing in YOUR garden this spring?