Thanks for sharing, Jodi. Lovely as always. So many things I cannot grow here, I'll live vicariously through your photos.

How's the seed production coming in the basement??

Beautimus Jodi! Looks like all the snow is finally gone...whewww! Now on to all the awesome flowers! Yay!

Thanks for sharing!

-Frank

Thanks, you guys! I just came in to get some Gatorade... I've been cutting grass all day!

Ryan, you're more than welcome to live vicariously through my garden photos! There are plenty of things you can grow outside all year long that I can't even think of growing!

This past winter seemed like an extra long one, didn't it, Frank? It sure was an extra cold one! Several of our roses died back to the ground, and I see I've lost the Hibiscus that stood behind St. Francis in the bulb bed... I guess it's an excuse to get another one, so I shouldn't be too disappointed! Or maybe we can get something else for that spot... hmmm.

Anyway... I'm hoping for a nice sunny week so I can get more things planted and more grass cut! Have a good one!

Jodi, Thanks for all the garden tours. I love all your tulips and daffs, but my favorite hands down would be the irises and columbine. And whats with the clematis, how do you have one blooming already?

Jodi, nice tour of your garden. Love the Iris & Tulips.

Hi Jodi,

Lovely gardens! By looking at your gardens I can see what is coming up next for me, as I am a little behind you--My one black parrot tulip is still a tight bud, as are iris flowers. I was insanely jealous while we were having snow still and you were having tulips! By the way, watch out for those alliums. I don't know what they will do for you, but if you don't cut the flowers before they set seed, then you will have so many giant white alliums you won't have room for anything else! I bought two bulbs, and now I have two beds of them. And that is mostly from the bulbs dividing. I acquired purple ones for last year, so I'm not sure if they will spread like crazy as well, but their clumps are fuller than last year's. My mini roses also died back to the ground, Even the large old fashioned rose looks not too good, but we had some minus 28 degree F weather so I'm not too surprised. No phlox flowers yet, and the hostas are just tiny buds. I don't have any Clematis, but most other people's around here are still little bushes near the ground. We are still having (hopefully) light frosts at night. But clematis is maybe something I'd like to have in the future! Thanks for sharing!

Barb

Thanks, you guys! I'm not sure why this particular Clematis began blooming so early... a lot of things here seemed to start early this season. Normally, the east coast would be ahead of us by a little bit, I think... but this year, it seems like we're ahead of them! All I can say is... you just never know with Illinois weather!

This is the first year for the Giant White Alliums, and I actually do hope they spread! We've got a really big area to fill in, so volunteer or by offset would be fine by me! Anything to help choke out the weeds and the poison ivy!

There are several different types of Clematis... early, mid, and later bloomers... I think we've got all three represented on the dog fence... the only real difference is in time of bloom and how you prune them. I just let them go wild! The blooms are huge and spectacular on many varieties, and the shapes and colors are numerous, so the choices are great! They tend to take a couple of years to get settled in, but after that, they go nuts!

I prefer growing things that don't take a lot of maintenance, and Iris, Daylilies and Clematis are three perennials that can be left to their own devices for several years before needing any work. Columbine is wonderful for early color, and for attracting hummingbirds! No maintenance there, either!

I love an eclectic garden... one that keeps changing throughout the seasons, showing off different shapes and colors... and I love plants that continuously bloom from around May or June until frost claims them in the autumn... from the first bulbs to pop in early spring, to the last flowers to fade in fall, I try to plant things that keep the garden looking fresh and different all year!

Gardening here is like a dream come true... except that it isn't all really mine. But I'm not complaining a bit... I get all this free experience and beauty, and when we move, I get to take armloads of plants with! What's not to love?!