So far this year we’ve had a colorful show of flowers in our garden, with a couple of nice surprises and only one or two disappointments. The early spring bulbs in the rock garden did very well and the daffodils made a fine display.
The tulips, however, were a different story. I don’t know if it was because of the cold winter weather or if the bulbs are just getting past their best but most of the plants were stunted or just didn’t flower at all. I noticed in a couple of public gardens that they hadn’t seemed to do so well this year, so I didn’t feel too bad. The ones that did manage to flower made up for the ones that didn’t.
Meanwhile, the lilac was a very pleasant surprise. The shrub itself was starting to get very tall and ragged so at the end of last year I cut it right down to the ground, leaving just a couple of offshoots that I hoped might survive. I hadn’t expected it to bloom again for at least another year or two but it put out some beautiful, fragrant blossoms.
Back in the rock garden, things continued to flower, the cushion spurge, dwarf iris Lil’ Red Devil and Japanese anemones providing a nice show.
I tried eradicating the chives from the garden last year as they were coming up everywhere, but I have to admit I was rather pleased that this bunch by the back doorstep managed to survive. I think I would have missed seeing these colorful flowers and the butterflies that they attract.
As I discovered the other day, this seemingly innocuous clump of pinks hides a massive ant hill. I must take care not to disturb it when I’m weeding this particular flower bed. I had enough trouble getting stung by the hornets last year, without getting bitten by ants!
We had a spell of very wet weather last week which produced a bumper crop of mushrooms – or whatever they are – in the lawn.
Things are drying out now and the sun, accompanied by warmer temperatures, has prompted the first iris (Lacy Snowflake) and the first poppy to bloom, while the queen of the garden, the pink Japanese tree peony continues to dazzle passersby with her beauty and fragrance.
The Nature of Things 
a very beautiful gallery of flowers, looks like a little paradise
Thank you! Hard work but well worth it!
A gorgeous assortment of blooms!
Thanks, Sandy!
My pleasure.
Wow…your garden is so enchanting, Sue!
Thanks, Indira!
Our tulips were completely shriveled and eaten by the deer and never did show a flower. I think that last late snowfall made their little green shoots too tempting. There was nothing else to eat for another 3 weeks.
As much as I love to see tulips in the garden, they’re a bit of a hit or miss thing. I think I may just have to dig all mine up and replace them with new ones this autumn.
A garden of pure delights! Lovely!
Thanks, Pete!
What a feast of colour. You seem to have done very well in spite of the poor spring weather.
Thanks, Tom! Yes, I’m very pleased with the way things are going so far.
Looks like you have a gorgeously colourful garden. Great gallery.
Many thanks, Leya!
Absolutely beautiful! I know you are enjoying the flowers so much! Great job and thanks for sharing these with us!
Thank you for stopping by! Sharing is all part of the enjoyment of gardening.
A beautiful garden of many delights, colours and shapes..such a variety of different flowers they’d are all stunning. You must be a truly green fingered gardener!
Thank you! It’s mostly trial and error and a lot of luck.
Beautiful flowers
Thank you for stopping by, Alice!
Beautiful Sue. Really puts my limited efforts to shame!
It really takes care of itself, more or less. All the plants are perennials now except for a few flower seeds that I throw in every spring. The landscapers come around every week to do the lawn so all I have to do is try to keep the weeds under control.
Seems to be a very successful system.:-)
Haha! Only because I’m selective with the photos. I don’t show all the bad bits.
My tulips did not bloom this year either. Maybe 4 out of the dozens I have. I just assumed it was because we had such a prolonged wet winter that they stunted. Your garden is beautiful!!
Thank you! I need to read up on tulips before I buy any more for the garden. I love them but they seem to be a hit or miss thing and it takes up room that I could be using for something else.
Lovely colours.
Thank you! I have to admit, my garden isn’t very color coordinated and some of the things do clash but it seems to work well nevertheless.
Gardens are not nurseries 🙂