We are in the midst of a change of seasons in the garden.

The tulips of spring are still hanging on…

But they are slowly giving way to the flowers of early summer.

The bearded irises are in their full glory…

We’ve probably got another week or so with them, and the my native, and Siberian irises should start to bloom.

My Bloomerang Lilac is almost in her full glory. I’m very pleased with the number of flowers on her, considering this is only her second year. Hopefully Madame Lemoine (white) and Tinkerbelle (pink) will catch up with her next spring. For now, I’m content with this beauty.

The lupins are just getting started! I definitely need more lupins in the garden.

The first poppy is bloomed and it’s a stunner. It’s a very traditional red/orange (I bought another that is a more true red, but it probably won’t bloom this year). It’s so big and vibrant, it shines out like a beacon from the catio. I have another of this colour in the front yard, but it doesn’t get quite as much sun so it’s a little slower. I expect it to pop any day now though.

I got a little surprise with these next two blooms…

They are anemones. I didn’t plant any anemones this year. I think I planted them last spring. I know they were part of a pile of bulbs I’d gotten from the dollar store, but I thought I’d tossed them all because they were all dried out. But apparently I didn’t. I must have tossed a few into the ground. But they didn’t grow at all last summer, I know that for sure! They must have just hung out underground and decided this year was a good year to make an appearance! I especially love that blue one!

And just as showy

The first Clematis has bloomed! I have three, and this is the only one that didn’t bloom last year. I’d forgotten what colour it was supposed to be. I’m absolutely delighted with this beautiful pink. The white one should bloom soon too (it’s covered in buds) and the purple one will bloom a little later this summer.

The Lily-of-the-Valley has bloomed as well. I only brought one little clump from the townhouse, but it’s doing quite well. Eventually, it will get moved under the maple and hopefully will spread about more. I also planted some pink Lily-of-the-Valley this year, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed it grows. I tried it at the townhouse with no luck, but I’m hoping the magic soil here makes a difference.

I showed you the other Columbine I got, but I forgot this one. It may look familiar, it’s a smaller dwarf version and I had it at the townhouse. It was always an early bloomer and it re-seeded like mad. But it didn’t make the move well (none of my Columbine did). I put this one in the driveway garden, and I’m hoping it spreads just like it did at the townhouse.

And before I go, things are going slowly in Edible Alley, though the beans, peas and cucumbers are all starting to sprout. But the thing that excites me the most…

I have eenie-weenie asparagus sprouts!!! They say to wait a couple years to harvest so your plants have time to establish and re-generate every year (and obviously, these are too small and to few for a harvest). But this is still super exciting!!!