As of five p.m. yesterday, I was officially on vacation for a week!!!! With the workload at the day job lately, I really need some time off! And what better way to start the vacation with a tour of the garden…

There are still quite a few tulips blooming – but I planted a lot last fall! Still, they’ve done way better here than they ever did at the townhouse.

Now is the time of the iries. I have several cultivars. This white one came from neighbour Krista (who is coming for a visit this weekend!!!!). It doesn’t show in the pictures, but they have the palest touch of blue.

This beautiful yellow and white one is called Blessed Again. I bought it in 2018, and it has magical properties… if you’re lucky (and we don’t get an early frost) it blooms again in fall!

The Spanish Thrift (Armeria) is starting to bloom. It will bloom on and off right to fall. It’s such a pretty little plant.

All of the ground covers plants in the driveway garden are doing great – spreading and filling the area just like I hoped. But my favourite is this little Veronica – called Waterperry Blue. It’s a sweet little mounded plant just covered in the most delicate little blue flowers that practically glow in the sunlight. Like the Spanish Thrift, it will bloom on and off until the frost. And it has reseeded it’s self – I had just two little clumps of it last year, but now I have four or five!

In the catio, it’s snowing! This is summer snowflake… its similar to snow drops, but has a slightly different flower, grows taller, and blooms later. There are several of them sprinkled throughout the catio yard, though a few have had a hard time thanks to Lemmy and his disregard for anything in his way.

And we are moving into Columbine season! I’ve got several throughout the gardens (and planted a few new ones this year). My favorites are the double colours like this one.

And last…

All around us, the lilacs are in full bloom. My little Bloomerang is covered in buds, but they are only just starting to open. Next week I should have a better show for you!