Rain overnight and through the morning - a gray day but around 60 degrees. Peonies are so beautiful and such wonderful cut flowers. I have a bouquet that is still fresh after 6 days.  I picked some today for my mother-in-law for her 92nd birthday! They are as big as small plates and so fragrant.

Honey bees on the climbing hydrangea

The word for the day is BEEs! The yard is alive with bees - their favorite plants included climbing hydrangea, spanish lavender, rhododenrons and raspberries.  I noticed mainly 3 types of bees - honey, small black and yellow bumble bee, and a large version of a honeybee.  There are also a few mason bees around.  I am very glad to see the all the bees on the raspberry vines which have lots of blossoms and small berries. Looks like it will be a good year for berries!

May 28, 2012

Climbing Hydrangea

Rhody from a start from Grandma Charlie's garden

Rhody transplanted from Grandpa Agren's garden in 1973

Bearded iris from Emmy

Spanish lavender

Lavender and campanulas

I decided to start a blog to my garden throughout the seasons. It is now late spring and many things are blooming. Already past are the crocuses, daffodils, tulips and lilacs. But out now are pink peonies, azaleas, rhododendrons, daisies, poppies, campanulas, coral bells, climbing hydrangea, white dogwood,salvia, red hot pokers and columbines to name a few. I will attempt to take some photos and add them to the blog. Wow - after a brief walk around the garden I also found blooming Siberian iris, bearded iris, Hebe, Spanish lavender, calla lilies, spirea magic carpet. A hummingbird was visiting the red hot pokers - a favorite flower for hummers. Getting started and getting the photos uploaded has been more of a frustration than I had expected - but onward and upward - I will add more later...