The Irresistible Morning

My blogging is getting later everyday because I am spending more morning time in the garden, watching things grow and change, and flower. I got so excited when I spied this self seeded geranium. I couldn't believe last year's plants had dropped seeds behind my back, and yet here is the proof. Tinier than the clover, but still visible. It's only May, so I expect to see this flower before the hard frosts come in December. I'll keep you updated.

And then...I found another one this morning! This is more obvious, with its zonal coloring, but it is still way tiny. Let's hope the Dawg doesn't step on it with his big clodhopper feet. It is in amongst a zillion self-seeded phlox, which don't excite me much. I am pulling them out of the mulch all over the yard.

I have succumbed to two new hydrangeas. Endless Summer brand, and this one is Twist and Shout.

The outer flowers are lavender pink and the center buds open to a blue-purple. Even the leaves have color, both green and reds. Amazing. I haven't planted them yet, as the guys are working just where they need to go, so I must wait.

Here's the opening blooms in the center. I expect these to hold their heads up high, since the blooms aren't ever going to weigh much. Lace cap, I think they call these.
And then we have Blushing Bride  white with a hint of purple in the petals and centers. It already has heavy mophead flowers.
I have a no name reddish purple variety, an Annabelle mophead which will bloom for the first time this year, a wild native lace cap, a pink and two blue specimens.
These ought to satisfy me... until I can find another spot to plant more next

season.

The front gardens are filling out nicely. In the winter not much but the rose stems and hardy geraniums remain and one thinks that it is a barren wasteland. Then comes Spring and vaVOOM.
Here's what it looks like in March.

The hosta below start out all dark green and lighten as the season progress, as well as grow larger and larger leaves. I must divide them next Spring for sure. The peony in the center of those hosta bloomed for the first time this year.
I was delighted to find it was a single. When I bought all my peonies, they were labeled and I forgot to save them, so each opening bud is a surprise.

The other side of the front bed, full of huge hosta and now astilbe. I keep removing the hidden hosta varieties under the bigger leaves of the remaining ones. I never thought they would get so overwhelmingly big.













The Astilbe is becoming my new fave, as they are troupers in this spot. I have pink, white and reds.

I have finally learned to read the labels and put them in the shade.
Duh.

PS These photos were all taken with my little Canon Powershot SX210 IS