I haven’t been posting as much as I want to – too many other things keep getting in the way. I like to use the blog to remind me of plant-progress from year to year, and so I’m not only failing the people who might be interested; I’m letting down myself, too.
So let’s get back to the garden. It rained off and on all day here, with one memorable hail-shower. It seems to have finally cleared, at nearly 9pm, and I got this as a reward.
Yes, I maxed out the colour saturation. I don’t care.
Caught a bumblebee choosing between raspberry flowers. Had at least four bees in the patch at any one time (between showers) today. Yay!
My azalea has a ‘sport’. It is all white, except for that one branch. Odd. Anyone know why the leaves look so…yucky? I’ve only known azalea in Florida, and they were massive and healthy there. I do have proper feed for it, and I see no obvious pests.
Columbine aka agualegia is blooming, and the hail took out a lot of the blooms before I took these today. These came from seed of the purple and white plant, so it is curious that one is different than the other. No neighbors nearby are growing them.
Poor lilac. They are in bloom all over right now – not my baby. Might have to repot or put it in my dirt-strip out front.
Native primrose is doing well! Spotted it in bloom all over the coast of Mayo this week.
A present from my mother-in-law, isn’t it colourful?
New clematis…Mrs N. Thompson
More new clematis…Pink Fantasy
Pink Fantasy looks funky when not entirely unfurled! There is a third new one but it isn’t blooming yet. These are all waiting on our lazy arses to finish the trellises along the back wall so they can feel real soil, not just pot-dirt.
Nicotiana from last year is HUGE now. This one is at least 4 ft tall, and so many buds. Can’t wait.
Rosemary is blooming again. Don’t see how, when it is strangled in dog fur like that!
Whoooo bought some fun garden ornaments this year? Not me – hubby!
He also picked out these flowers, osteospermum, and dug the grass and rocks out to plant them here. Solar kitty is from last year – he glows green!
Isn’t that beautiful?
My favourite is the dragonfly. Hubby has good taste!
heretherebespiders 
You should send that rainbow to Linda at Colorado Farm Life (in case you don’t already know her, she follows Celi at The Kitchens Garden). Linda ‘collects’ rainbows and loads of people send them to her. Even boosted, yours is a fabulous double.
Have you tried giving the azaleas a dose of Epsom salts? A couple of tablespoons to a 10 litre watering can.
Yes, Linda is a friend! She mailed me pinto beans that I need to plant 🙂 Good idea!
My azaleas get sports too. I’ve got a white thats acquired red streaks! Go figure. On the other hand, I never saw rosemary bloom at all.
My rosemary must be happy – second year it has bloomed. Think it was earlier last year?
A bit like opening a bag of licorice allsorts – a wonderful choice of colours, shapes and sizes! And a double rainbow where that pot of gold lurks 🙂
Thank you! Mmm, now I want allsorts 🙂 Yum!
Lovely flowers. I must get some columbines – I see them in many gardens at this time of year and they look lovely:)
I have extras! Tiny ones that grew last year from seed that I potted up. They’ll bloom next year for sure, if I don’t drown them by accident. I’d be happy to rehome them?
Perhaps we could do a plant swap later in the season – I should have lupins then and comfrey (both great for bees)?
Ooo, okay! I did catch a bumblebee in the columbine today, that made me happy too.
The garden is looking well, I love the little bird box it’s really cool 🙂
I don’t think it is suited for birds, but maybe I can make an insect hotel out of it…
Birds are surprising little creatures, they will nest most places lol
I LOVE the little bee on your foot! It says just how sweet you are! And the RAINBOW is delicious! I have posted it today with a link back to your blog! I love your flowers! Your garden is ahead of mine, I won’t have lilies until late June and early July!
Linda
Thank you, dearest! I don’t have blooms on the lilies yet, but they are full of foliage!
Oh! That’s what I have here.
OH! Clematis! I mixed them up with Lilies!
Your garden is absolutely stunning! 😀
Thanks! Small bits of it is, for sure 🙂
Hubby does have good taste! Nothing like a bit of whimsy. Your flowers are an amazing stage show. I didnt know Nicotiana got that tall. You will post pix of the flowers?
It’s been so wet some of my plants are about to scream for umbrellas.
I’ve managed some lantana seeds – too late? I can still try to send – the one here is full of green leaves but few flowers….and the butterflies are arriving. The basil is trying, but keeps getting knocked by by the storm winds. What a weird spring
Eh, I share the good pictures! In reality, you couldn’t park an art car in our garden, too small!
I’m kinda surprised about the nicotania – it seems to be coming up pink! I thought they were always white. Maybe I got a wrong packet of seed?
Pink? Maybe it’s the soil – like with hydrangeas change with different soil?
Well they haven’t opened up yet but looking more like hollyhocks at the mo. They aren’t, but still! Odd.
Oh hell, they are foxgloves! Had it all wrong!
No matter – it’s the flowering contribution that counts, not pedigree! (My basil took a beating fromthat last storm…not to keep the dog nibbling off it.)