A few pictures from today.
Iris 'Hula Hands' My pink phase from years ago.
shade garden

Spring, pretty! I'm laughing though because those violas look like you've painted faces on them! How cute!!

I love those because they look happy. They make me smile in winter.

I bet!! Especially its funny to me because someone "designed" them to look like that! Modern living!

Looking good, spring!

Here are pics from this morning. I got all of my drip systems up and running yesterday, so there were no catastrophic losses.

A new columbine I picked up at the store the other day: Aquilegia 'Winky Double Dark Blue-White'


Aquilegia McKana Giants


Geum flore plena 'Queen of Orange'


I have around 20 or so viburnum in bloom in the yard right now, hedge and close up


A young tree peony that I installed last year. I definitely need to get more tree peonies.


Lupines have already started. (russell hybrids, seed started 2010)


Rhododendron yakushimanum 'Yaku Princess'. I have 7 of these. Color is actually a darker pink than shown in photo.


Pansy 'Flamenco', seed started 2012


Armeria 'Armada Rose'


Icelandic poppies, back for a third year. Seed started 2011:

Great!!

Wow Stephanie your place sounds wonderful.

blueberry flowers

Mark, Blueberry plants are great. 3 seasons of beauty, spring flowers, summer fruit and fall color. Who could ask for more.

Cool!! That's going to be a lot of berries!

Kosk, how long did it take your tree peonies to bloom? I got a seedling from my neighbor a few years back and am hoping perhaps this will be the year I see a bloom. It was initially about 6" tall and is now about 3' tall filling out nicely, and developing a framework. What time of year does it bloom for you? I'll be curious to see what color I got, neighbor was unsure, but thought perhaps yellow.

BH-I bought this tree peony last year---it was about 12 - 18 inches tall and in a 1 quart container. (It was a generic pink one, so fairly inexpensive for a tree peony). It started forming buds about 2 months ago. (Buds were huge, about 10x size of an herbaceous peony bud).

Someone on ATP or DG rec'd giving peonies lime, so I gave all of my peonies including this tree one a handful of the soil so sweet brand lime in Feb or March. They seem to have liked it. I have at least double the number of buds on the herbaceous peonies compared to last year.

I also have many of them some superphosphate to help with bloom power.

Lilacs finally popped open, I know I'm way behind a lot of you guys. These always bring a smile, got them all as suckers from my Mom. She called the dark one a French lilac, and it is noticeably more compact than the white and lighter one, but those two are much more fragrant.

Pretty, love lilacs and their wonderful scent.

>> I have 21 irrigation zones plus an additional 10 faucets with timers and drip systems.

Impressive! Do you walk around flipping valves several times per watering cycle, to hit each zone, or do the zone valves have timers also?

I'm just starting out, learning, and don't really trust the 9-Volt-battery-powered timer I bought in some big box store. I'm somewhat fearful that some coupler will let go while I'm at work, and blow city water at 30 or 45 psi through a 3/4" hose. The jet from one little 1/4" tube (0.17" ID) was impressive enough.

I read about a water-powered Y valve ("Galcon Alternator Valve", $20) that flip-flops from Zone A to Zone B each time the water flow re-starts. Or the 6-outlet automatic distribution valve (a "stepping valve" version) for $70. It steps to the "next outlet" each time the water flow stops for more than 60 seconds, and then re-starts.

Rick---I have 2 electronic control boxes. One in the garage does 8 zones in the front yard. The other in my shed controls 13 zones in the backyard. Most of the zones are large drip zones or emitters. Some are lawn sprinklers. The 10 faucets all have battery operated timers. I use a combo of drip emitters for things like baskets and pots, and 1/2 circle sprayers for perennial beds. Some are straight drip also. It's all very complicated, but I've got it down to an art form. I do zero hand watering on 2 acres of lawn/gardens. I detest hand watering. Most is drip, so I use minimal water. I'm on a well. I, too, worry about a PVC pipe breaking or a timer malfunctioning. But I keep a pretty close eye on things, and we use a house sitter when we are on vacation. She knows how to shut off the water manually if that were ever necessary. I usually only need to operate these watering systems mid July to mid September. It's slightly unusual that I'm using them already, but we haven't had any rain for 2 weeks, and my soil dries out quickly . However, next week's forecast is for more typical spring weather with rain, so I can shut everything down again.

Two pics from this evening.

Irises in my island bed.


Clematis 'Multi Blue'

>> 2 electronic control boxes.
>> ... 8 zones in the front yard.
>> ... 13 zones in the backyard.
>> The 10 faucets all have battery operated timers.

Totally awesome!

Steph that is an impressive H2O system.
Things are just beginning to bloom in my backyard. It is nice seeing the scatterings of flowers

almost missed the trilliums, but one held on for me to get a peek at.

if the starlings don't raid the yard we will have blueberries

Wish I hadn't missed these... . But am sure I will get to see many more

Great pictures. Seems like we wait for the blooming season to arrive then it's gone in no time. Wish winter went so fast.
Beautiful color on that snap.