So I'm Thinking It's Gotta Be Some Kinda Tree

I freely admit that I am no horticulturist. Houseplants generally don't survive a week with me, and I have absolutely no idea of the names of different flowers. That being said, I was able to ascertain that the plants in the top two photos are some types of trees...and then I was stumped. Anyway, I thought the buds were interesting and wondered what the trees were called--anyone a little better versed in all things botanical than I am? (And thanks to Keera, I know that all the pretty little purple flowers in the bottom photo are called blåveiss. The flowers are all over in our yard right now. And guess what's finally not in our yard. That would be snow--yay, spring!)