It's Easy to Play Hide and Seek These Days

As you can see, the cool spring combined with earlier rain has made it very easy for my stone saint to hide in the garden. Here he is peaking above Paul's Glory. I did a quick check on the net to see if I had the name right and was amazed at how different this hosta looks with a good dose of sunshine - the centre positively glows.

I think I'll take out a couple of leaves at the bottom of the Hosta so he doesn't disappear altogether. The smaller Hosta is "White Ray".
Lot of little Clematis are starting to bloom.

I've had a real challenge these days trying to get early morning shots. The light goes from flat to blast in seconds. Look at the contrast in this shot of Corydalis lutea - it's not even 8:00 a.m. This is a happy little plant for me. It spreads like crazy, but is easy to yank where I don't want it.

Now that it's summer, should I feel the need of thinking about snow, all I have to do is look at the blossoms of the Aruncus dioicus.

I'm not fussy about the blooms when they're finished - sort of a nasty shade of brown, but if I cut back the flower stocks the leaves continue to look great throughout the entire summer.

Tricyrtis 'Lightning Strike'. Year five and it has doubled in size from last year.

Saw this hole in the garden and remembered the poor banana plant in the basement that I started from seed several years ago. I yank him up every year, stick him in a brown paper bag over the winter and replant him in the spring. With the late frost, and my mind in other places I completely forgot about him. Fingers crossed that he'll forgive me and take hold once again. Certainly isn't the most attractive feature at the moment.

The gold finches are back right on time to eat the Doronicum seed. Just think how much better this picture would be if it actually had the gold finches in it!

You've just got to be impressed with a bug that can do this.

Of the six Inula I've decided that this is the one that will stay and the rest will be sent to compost. It took four years for me to come to this decision and fortunately it was easy - this plant looks terrific and the others are bug eaten, leaf mottled and nasty. This plant is in the bed by the street - it was hit with salt and dirty snow and probably the odd dog and still is growing strong. The others had such a good life - new bed, new soil, lots of manure - perhaps this is one plant that likes life to be a little rougher.

Hosta montana macrophilla is blooming.

You have to really look for the blooms - they barely make it over the leaves.

Allium christophii has gone to seed. I'm thinking I need another colour here. Hurry up Monarda and give me some red.

Lots will happen over the next few days - the weather has gone from sweater to bikini in a day - with more warm to come. Got my second battery all fired up and ready for action.