Really nice! I am waiting for my clematis Claire de Lune (formerly Blue Moon) to bloom any day now. It is the clematis which has proven itself reliable for early bloom here - all others are still climbing the trellises.
Your pics make me look forward to mine!

Beautiful Syd. Be thankful that you did have rain. It passed over us, as if we had lamb's blood on the door. Not a drop.

Since meeting you this spring, your postings are much more personal than before. I can almost see you dashing about in your garden. Thanks for sharing.

Rain?? What's Rain?? Wonderful photos Syd .. thanks so much for sharing.

Laura

Lovely pics.Wish my clematis would start blooming.
Yours are beautiful.

Eliza Ann

Gorgeous pics Karen! Your garden looks fabulous between the clematis and the lilies. Have you started pruning your Group 2 or group B clematis yet? Still a few flowers lingering on Niobe and Multi Blue.

Cheers
Mary Anne

Thanks folks! I can't believe how much the rain the last couple of days has helped everything along in the garden.

Jroot - I'm having fun piddling around trying to layer and root a bunch of new things for a fall swap...hope you're up for another. I like being able to put faces to names that pop up in the various forums from our spring swaps. By the way, something - (maybe earwigs?) ate the tops off my daliah's - tops looked like black nibs so I cut back abit and see some branching - will they flower on these branching shoots (I'm a rookie at growing these and didn't appreciate the nibbling that took place by whatever critter - because the tops were fairly tall, it's not likely to be rabbits or voles because they would need to be pretty big to reach the top and there are tasty tidbit plants closer to the ground for any bottom rodent to feed on that's why I was thinking earwig) - I am impressed at the size these daliah's have gotten to. Just praying I end up with flowers dispite the early nibbling of tops that happened.

Muttsfan - I was actually cutting back the Nelly's tonight - must have picked off 100 flowers from the two stately ones that grow up the circular pillars at the ends of the porch, but still plenty more blooms with lots of life left in them. The two Niobe's are done flowering on the bottom portions but the tops are still full of ready to open buds. I'm treating a few of my group 2's as half & half's (pruning one side as a group 3 - hard pruned in spring, while leaving the other side as a light group 2 prune) - John Paul is my experiment - time will tell if this ends up totally confusing the plant or me.

I'm busy layering everything in sight, including the clematis - like I need any more, but I figure by the time last years layerings are transplanted into bigger pots, I'll be itching for some more 1st year liners to baby for the remainder of this summer.

Eliza Ann & Tiffy - please get your camera's ready and post your clematis photo's - I would love to see yours.

Peatpod - ever since DH surprised me with jewellery for our anniversary, my shopping expeditions have been limited - that darn alarm signal from my new Martha Stewart Ankle bracelet keeps attracting way too attention if I venture too close to any plant nursery. But apparently you are still on a loose rope and from what I've read in the threads at GW, you've been on the loose shopping and buying up central ontarios stock of new plants. Have you found enough space in your neighbourhood to get everything planted? I have finally started unloading a bunch of plants that I had to plop onto a pile of top soil in the back yard because I couldn't figure out where the heck to put them all...I'm going to limit myself to one fall swap because going to 3 GTA & area ones ends up with me bringing home way too much stuff. Composter you supplied was full within days of arrival from leaves and grass clippings - should be ready to be turned by now as it was good and hot the last time I checked. Cheers all!

BEAUTIFUL photos Syd!
I hope to have a garden full of clematis some day and I am well on my way thanks to you! The Hagley Hybrid and Ville de Lyon you gave me last fall are growing well. Hagley has just finished blooming and was impressive. So far no buds on Ville de Lyon, but I'm still hopeful.

As for the surprise clematis you gave me at the spring swap, it seems happy in it's new home, although hasn't flowered yet. It gets approximately 5 hours of sun (11am-4pm) and has 2 large rocks shading its roots. This is the first clematis I've planted directly in the ground (the other 2 are still in their pots and in the ground). I was expecting it to sulk after having its roots disturbed, but it didn't. It appears to be just as happy as it was in the pot. Is there special clematis food I should be feeding it to make it bloom?? Please tell me your secret, your plants are gorgeous!

RosieBee