A lot of hybrid tulips just don't return no matter where you live, but can be treated in such a way as to duplicate their native conditions. Most species are native to mountainous areas with lean, gravelly, sharply drained soil, where the primary source of moisture is melting snow in spring, but are otherwise dry in summer.

I knew an elderly man when I was growing up who had a stone raised bed in his front yard, where every spring he had a display of red tulips. After the tulips were done he filled it with annuals every year. He always stored the bulbs in onion bags hanging in his garage through summer, and replanted them in fall when he cleared out the frost killed annuals.

Bet that bed was pretty.

This is that in between time when I see a lull in the color, as the spring bulbs are finishing and the perennials are just getting started. While I crave blooms, it is a lull I don't mind because at least everything is green and lush. Various phlox varieties are keeping me happy, and the parade of irises has begun!

Those are lovely images, Neal. I particularly like the ones that include your house.

Thanks Deb! For the longest time I wouldn't post the majority of the pics I took. There has always been some project going on since I've lived here, some eyesore almost everywhere, especially near the house- fire wood mess, piles of debris (that are constantly being replenished), construction materials from various indoor projects, etc. and on and on. And that's not even including the constant garden stuff laying here and there, tools, hoses, pots, and such. I finally just got over it, there is just too much pretty stuff going on for me not to share it because of some clutter.

That's the way to think Neal!!!! I have to say though that i think everything looks gorgeous now & I just don't see anything imperfect but like you were, I am in that stage with my own garden. I know the feelings you described. We're only 2 years in here now & it's going to take years yet.

I love the color choices in that 1st photo in the last photo post.

I finally realized my garden and home are always going to be a work in progress, waiting till its all magazine cover ready means I'll never get any photos, LOL.

And, Neal? If it were all perfect there wouldn't be anything left to do. Think how boring that would be...

Exactly! The only way the garden is "done" is when I'm incapacitated or dead, LOL

Stuff everywhere is a real garden!

True. All of you speak true.

Your Columbine and Bleeding Heart are beautiful. Poor you to have to suffer through such a lovely "lull" in growing!

LOL, yes, play the violins! I have been on a mission to fill this gap with color- its starting to show.

Great pictures Neal,..very nice Columbine you have there,..its lovely to see the progress and all the gaps filling in.

I have often deleted a picture which showed a work in progress or chicken wire protecting young seedlings right in the middle of blooms on either side so i can well understand holding back,..my hose is always in view as its a permanent fixture winding between paths otherwise i would knock down plants as i watered,..i still hate seeing it in a picture.

Thanks Phillip! I love that columbine, such a compact habit and the earliest to bloom. I've been spreading the seeds around and have them showing all over this year. I'll be saving seeds from them, can send you some if you'd like. Some other great columbines will start blooming soon.

Hi Neal,
We could swap seeds,..i have some Columbine,'Nora Barlow' seeds,..they grow quite tall,..however being Columbine they may have crossed,..where i had them bloom in the garden and seeds dropped the following year they appeared a different color.

Nora Barlow.

That's a pretty one Philip.