More Sunny Daffodils and Garden Updates

Here are some more photos of daffodils from my dad's backyard garden. My miniature daffs (Tete-a-Tete) are still blooming happily in my front yard - that's one advantage to having a very cool spring, the bulbs last forever. Last week it snowed here, though it lasted less than an hour before disappearing. A fellow gardener noted yesterday that we have just a few weeks before the summer solstice and the days start getting shorter again. Everyone within hearing just groaned, since it so often feels like winter still.



Winter or not, I have planted a bunch of new perennials and bulbs recently. All of my mail-order plants have arrived in reasonably good shape, including the siberian irises from JPW Flowers; the LA lilies from Brent and Becky's Bulbs; the poppies and rhubarb from Burpee's; and the campanula, phlox, filipendula, and siberian iris from Bluestone Perennials. I finally got all six hellebores from the Northwest Garden Nursery out of their pots and into the ground - that took some rearranging to make space.



I've got my eye out for some new perennials to buy, especially 'Absolute Amethyst' candytuft (Iberis) from Proven Winners and 'Peachy Seduction' yarrow (Achillea) from Blooms of Bressingham. They've been added to the Wish List on my sidebar. Maybe I'll find them this season or maybe not until next year.



I have also been intrigued by the new Itoh peonies offered by Monrovia. I bought 'Kopper Kettle' last year and look forward to seeing it bloom for the first time in June. I'd also like to try 'Julia Rose', 'Takara' or 'Keiko'. Today I stopped by nearby Gibson's Nursery and didn't see any of those three, so I came home with an old-fashioned 'Pink Parfait' peony instead. I will keep checking back to see if any of the pink Itohs come into stock.



I keep drawing plans for where to plant more bulbs in the front yard this fall - crocus, colchicums, hyacinths, more mini-daffodils. It's been so nice to have these little bulbs blooming for the past couple of months, while the backyard perennials and shrubs have been sleeping still. Meanwhile the 'Salmon Parrot' (or was it 'Apricot Parrot' - will have to check my notes) and 'Salmon Impression' tulips are just about ready to start blooming out front.



Vivid colors are getting ready to pop in the west garden - rosy and rosy-peach tulips, golden Basket of Gold, and many shades of blue-violet in Aubrieta, hyacinths and dwarf iris. Plus the unusual 'Hair' alliums are getting ready to bloom. I've got my camera ready to shoot lots of pictures when the flower buds finally burst open.



Purple buds are showing on the lilac shrubs and new leaves are unfurling everywhere in the garden. I'm looking forward to seeing the first blooms ever from some of the perennials planted last year - siberian and japanese irises, peonies, astrantia, columbines, yarrow. There's plenty to get excited about in the garden - now we just need some warmer weather to enjoy it!