That's beautiful @Mollie670.

Beautiful daffodil, Mollie

Taken this morning. Even though I had that blanket of snow last weekend, many of the flowers shrugged it off.

The California poppies have started.


Columbine, 3ft tall - probably offspring from McKana's Giants although all of mine nod down, only a few dwarfs face upwards. I have a tall blue and white on the back porch - the only one that grows there - that I can separate seed out for if someone is looking for blue. I'll take a shot of that when it blooms.This is also potted right now and at one end of the house in front.


At the other end of the house, I have a few shorter spurred Columbines in pots.




Nepeta racemosa, Catmint


Narcissus Hillstar (color NOT re-touched, it is this bright)


I've been growing Alyssum in the veggie boxes to attract the bees for years now, highly recommend. Generally, the older varieties will smell more. Some of the newer small clumpers lost their scent.


Viola Johnny Jump Up - Violas go in all the pots that have bulbs when I plant the bulbs. They tend to bloom a bit later but help the pots not look totally like hell while I let the bulbs die back. Also some Forget me nots.


I was able to capture this little bee on the Forget me nots - also had a bumblebee in there but those shots all came out blurry.


Again, NOT re-touched on the color. The Johnny Jump Ups I'd dumped in the veggie beds so they'd be something in addition to the Alyssum for the early spring beneficials.


Spring is the best time for flowers here. Summer is so hot and dry - without irrigation the hills are all dry and dormant. It's only us gardeners trying to fight nature and grow things in this locale in the summer.

And, the White Lady Banks is covered with buds and just a few early blooms.


And the rain deluge originally forecast for yesterday morning, then for yesterday afternoon, then 3am last night is on schedule for starting around 10am today. I want it and was disappointed it was delayed as have been weeding and I'd like the remaining areas softened up more. Supposed to be a good soak for one day of rain, but half of what was said only a few days ago.

Well, I'm not having success with getting photos up here, but if y'all can see it, Daylily Fiji x Woodstock Revival. Started this from seed last year, probably from bxncbx.

Ooh, I guess it worked.

Here's another, just started today. This is Marigold, Daisy Wheel Lemon. Since I had planted all the seeds of this one from the swap, I deleted it from my list and now don't know who I "purchased" it from, but I'm thinking maybe @poisondartfrog?

I'd mentioned I'd try to capture a shot of the purple/blue Columbine once it started blooming. It is the only one on the 2nd story back porch (and no plants or beds in the back) so I expect the seed to come true.

I have been looking at what folks are wish listing and making notes on my own list to gather extra of those.

The White Cypress Vine (Ipomea qualmcit) from @poinsondartfrog (I think) years back and the Convolvulus Royal Enchantment from @KelliW are sprouting. The Convolvulus really don't care for the heat when it hits. Some years they barely start blooming before they're done - but since I have the seed and they're so electric - I'll give them a spot.

@kywheeler I think you probably did get the daylily from me. I like it but would not have expected it from that cross . It looks nothing like the parents or even grandparents. But I also don't have any tetraploid daylilies that look like that & have bloomed so .

@bxncbx, when I plant something I mark it down in a journal, as I am averse to markers in the garden. That's what I wrote for that one in that place, and I don't have a lot of other daylilies. Last year I had Witch's Thimble (from trader seed) bloom - it was lighter than that if I remember correctly. But it has not bloomed again this year, this is the first one that has, so

I grew a seed swap cross of a near black and a white daylily and got a brown and golden yellow flowered offspring. There's no telling with Daylilies...

@kywheeler that's a beautiful daylily! Thanks for sharing.

A few things here.

@ishareflowers beautiful! What are the plants with the pink and purple flowers? The leaves look the same.

@Mollie670 , they are corydalis. They hunt available as plants locally around here except for the blue ones which die every year I have purchased them. My Netherlands friend sent me bulbs and they have done very well here.

Here's another daylily - my notes say this is also either Fiji x Woodstock Revival or Bridgeton Eyecatcher (from seed):

A couple more:





The top one is Celosia Dracula, from Lisa's original seeds, and the bottom one I think also came originally from Lisa, my favorite snap, Purple Twist. It's reseeded with the coloration slightly more toward the cherry than purple, but I love it.

All very pretty! Peachy daylilies are my favorites!

@kywheeler that second daylily definitely looks like Fiji! I'm inclined to think the cross is Woodstock Revival because of the throat and heavy edge. But either way it is a very pretty flower! If they both bloom this year I may have to do another cross!

Although I have pollinators everywhere, I never get seed pods on my Daylillies. I've heard some don't produce seed - it just seems so odd that I have so many that don't.

This is my Lady Banks White Rose that I grew from a cutting, blooming now. The CA Poppies close overnight and it's a morning shot so they're not open yet. Lady Banks is an old garden rose - handles drought well but is a once bloomer.