See that dark green plant under the cherry tree? That is ONE Seboldiana Elegans. It has been divided and divided and divided. I have given divisions to friends in the hopes that it would control its growth. Wrong. It’s crowding out a Dreamweaver. The purple in the foreground is Walker’s Low Catmint. I love it and so do my 3 cats who go a little bit crazy when I bring them leaves and flowers.

I love the tall allium and truly wish they would bloom a little longer. But the seed heads provide an interesting “architectural” element.

This is the entrance to the Secret Garden, and, again, there isn’t a lot of blooming going on, but there will be. The lavender in the foreground hasn’t quite opened up.

Such a lovely little hellebore.

These lovely chains of flowers are so lovely. Each spring they greet me.

Hello, Redbud. Welcome to my garden.

Columbine at the back door.

One of the new allium that was planted last fall. It’s a work in progress.

I planted a number of gazania in the Secret Garden and I’m enjoying the grey foliage and lovely pink and white blooms.

This is Red Pinnacle and isn’t she gorgeous. This is another daylily I planted late last summer.

I’m not sure what variety the purple coneflowers in the foreground are, but the white ones behind it are Fragrant Angel. That is Grosso lavender next to the purple.

Bridget, my Standard Poodle, looking proud amongst the daylilies in the Secret Garden. That is Crystal Pinot near her nose and Barbara Mitchell to the left. Behind her is a purple coneflower that I thought did not survive. But, there it is.

The crocosmia is starting to bloom. I seriously thinned this patch late last summer to give the day lilies breathing room.

In the little nook outside the dining room and sun porch this finicky variated lace cap hydrangea is enjoying a bumper crop of blooms. This is evidence that hydrangeas love cool, wet springs.

Love this riot of daylily blooms. Zagreb and Moonbeam coreopsis are in the bottom right, followed by Rosey Returns daylily. That is supposed to be Crystal Pinot in the lower left, but it either reverted to a parent or self seeded into something else. Next to it is Sea Urchin. The yellow is First Knight. The peachy flower mid-right is Siloam, one of last summer’s additions.

Despite my liberal and multiple applications of acid, my Endless Summer hydrangea in the lower garden is only partially and lukewarm-edly blue.

Meet Strutters’ Ball, a daylily I planted late last summer.

This Nikko Blue in the foreground is sending up the first bloom this plant has had in years. I’m not sure why it only produces foliage. Next to it are several favorite hostas: High Oh Silver seedlings a friend gave me, My Friend Nancy, and Deep Blue Sea.

The day lilies have finished blooming and the last of the canes will come out this week. I’m in the process of taming this Tardiva hydrangea because it looks a bit lopsided. As soon as the flowers fade, I’m going to give it a hard prune in the hopes of getting it a bit more symmetrical.

This gorgeous hosta went in late last summer. It is On Stage and the foliage is particularly lovely.

In the lower garden behind the house are more hostas and catmint. I love that the bees love the catmint. And its long bloom season provides a constant supply of nourishment for both native bees and honey bees. The rose of sharon is still blooming.

Looking east from the lower garden to the entrance of the Secret Garden you’ll find the Annabelle hydrangea blooms turning green. In a month I will pick them for winter bouquets.  This week the Zagreb Coreopsis will get deadheaded.

Looking west and into the entrance to the Secret Garden is another border with Walker’s Low catmint. The white asiatic lilies are spent, but they were so wonderfully fragrant when they were in bloom.

I trimmed Walker’s Low catmint in the entrance garden a couple of weeks ago in the hopes that it would sent up new blooms. It is starting to do that. In the meantime, I am enjoying the Rudbekia and the blackberry lily.

Sweet William, marigolds, and Walker’s Low Catmint in the little nook between the  sun room and dining room.

This is my new “lewd” hosta bed. At the moment the euphorbia and rose campion can stay, but as soon as the new hostas mature those two plants are going to need a new spot in the garden. What do I mean by “lewd?” This bed includes Seducer, Obscene Gesture, Naked Lady, Stiletto, Midnight at the Oasis, Boys Toy, She’s Got the Moves…You get the idea

This Wild Spice Hansa rose is on its second bloom cycle. This shrub rose give off such a wonderful fragrance.

Knock Out rose in the rose medallion.

Just inside the Secret Garden is Kim’s Knee High Echinacea next to Annabelle.

First Knight, the yellow day lily to the right, is one of my favorites. To the left is Sea Urchin. And, the crocosmia is doing its wonderful scarlet thing.

Echinacea from a garden buddy with Fragrant Angel Echinacea.

Rosie Returns

This is one of my favorite spots in the garden. Great Expectations has finished blooming, but Stained Glass has new scapes and will bloom in a week or so. To the left are Cherry Berry and Allegan Fog.

Crocosmia.

Grosso lavender and pink echinacea. I’m looking forward to seeing and smelling the asiatic lilies that are in bud.

Halcyon in the back door garden. That is Rhino Hide in the little pot to its right. This is it’s third year in that pot and it’s doing better and better. Rhino Hide gets much bigger so I will need to move it to a better spot when it decides to grow up.