Glad to see your DLs started to give you some blooms Rick. Even though I have many, many DLs, I do not have BES. Yours looks very pretty. I think my DLs seem really slow this Spring producing scapes. I don't know about where you are located in PA, but here we have not had as much rain as usual which might be a factor. My first to bloom in the established garden are Bitsy and Stella D. Thanks for sharing, and keep those photos coming. Jane

I can't decide where to put her just yet... So I placed her by U. Albomarginata for now. She'll get the most direct morning and early afternoon sun there right now. But once Albomarginata unfurls, she'll overwhelm her, so I will have to move her before then. I'll decide on a good place later. Probably in front by Whee and Minuteman and Orange Marmalade, I am thinking.

Here's a fairly large Double Knock Out in the front yard--in the divider between my property and the neighbor's. Haven't had time to anything with it yet this year, so its looking a bit wild and woolley--and maybe lop-sided. I'll try to get some pruning done before the season is over. : ) Light blue irises came with the property when I bought my house thirty something years ago--don't know their name, but they bloom forever (for an iris). Another iris--name unknown. Sure is lovely. Here's a terrific fully packed white peony called Festiva Maxima--love that blood-red like marking in the middle of the blooms. I read somewhere once that this old classic is a good choice for more southerly gardeners, but I don't remember why. I have 4 of them. BIG blooms. Its getting so exciting now that things are nearly ready to bloom--can't believe the buds all over the yard--have never seen so many. Oddly, however, my hybrid teas are not taking over the show like they usually do. I thought with the mild winter we had, they would do terrifically well, but it seems the shrubs and floribundas are the ones doing best. But maybe that will all change in the next few weeks. This is about 3 weeks early for my roses--any of them--to be blooming. Kate

Thank you all for kindly commenting! Sherry, no I don't have any issues with rabbits. I have rarely seen any around here since it is mostly wooded and no fields...but.....I have had a deer problem in years past. They don't bother my gardens anymore. Apparently deer have a good memory and don't ever want to be sprayed by the motion activated sprinklers again! I haven't used the devices the past couple years and have had zero issues. Maryl, I was born in south Georgia and I remember my Granny's camellia bushes and how I loved them. I have lived up here in NH since 1974 and I love it here but I still long for and wish I could grow camellias! So you are right about zone envy.