The first dogwood flowers are opening today, April 18, 2008. I am
located in Ozark County, Missouri, in a hollow. Google Earth puts me
at 36*43'54.01"N and 92*19"12.53"W. (That's me peeing on that flat
rock to see how high it'll splash.) The elevation of my inhabited area
ranges up from about 720 feet at the stream to perhaps 750 at the edge
of the woods north of the house. Flowering plants up on the ridges
such as forsythia and lilac as well as serviceberry, redbud and
dogwood are usually about a week ahead of me.
One of my favorite juxtapositions is white dogwood flowers in front of
purple redbud flowers. Most superb eye candy is when the two are
backed up by a big cedar tree. Exquisite.