Wow, its all looking so good. And so clean and weed free. Nice tulips and I can't wait to see that TB iris bed in bloom. I still remember the iris pictures from last year. They were stunning.

Thanks Rita,
I have been weeding and Preening and mulching and painting ad nauseum. So what's new? I have a new iris bed this year, so there should be two bloom fests there. We'll see. They are looking good after the fungicide.

Thanks to you, I did spray the day lilys with fish emulsion, and it has made a big difference in the lushness of the foilage.

kay

I'm always fascinated by wisteria. It looks like a Chinese one? What is it growing on, or is it kept to a tree form but wide-spreading?

It is kept in the tree form by cutting the runners so it can't spread. It's own "trunk" supports it nicely. It smells as good as it looks. Like many other things the season is short but glorious!
kay

Kay,
What do you mean? Why your place is very much a Cottage Garden! It's just beautiful!

BTW, the composter should be sitting there...in your garden. That's part of the garden too.

I really love the view with your house. The path with the "follow-the-leader" statues is wonderful and they are so unique and cute. Love it.

Can't wait to see your irises! I LOVE irises.

And you have a real greenhouse. I am GREEN with envy.

~Annie

'Wow' is all I can say! Haven't seen pics of your Iris in bloom before, so I will really be looking forward to seeing them! Do you have any particular favorites?

Those are neat tags you have for them too- very professional looking. Where did you get them? I would love to have some for my ferns (can never remember the names, lol).
Thanks for the pics
CMK

I love your follow the leader statues! That is so cute and whimsical. How many varieties of iris do you have? Are they mainly the tall bearded? Do you have any of the re-bloomers?

Love your wisteria, follow the leader statues, garden bench, and especially your japanese maples. They elude me. I have killed at least three of them - not sure what I'm not giving them, but will probably try again as I love them in other people's gardens. Can't wait to see pictures when your iris' start to bloom!

What nice people you are! Thank you so much for your kind comments. I love to spend time in the garden. I am only half joking when I say I work to support my garden habit.

To be honest, I have not gotten the use from the composter that I should. I need to start over with the proper combination of browns and greens. (I have an old fashioned compost pile too, and it isn't as fussy.)

The statues were a Christmas gift from my son and daughter-in-law a couple of years ago.

I painted them to match everything else in my garden, mainly because I was foolish enough to leave them outside the first winter and it led to some damage from freezes.

The tags are from Oakes. I love to know what a plant is named and otherwise could not remember all of them.

There are about about a hundred and five or ten TB iris. I love the really bright ones. (Sheer Elegance is probably my favorite.) Mostly they are tall bearded iris, but I have Dutch iris and a few little tiny things that just appeared this year: I believe I did not get an item I ordered and got these little things instead. I do have one Japanese Iris that I've had for several years, and another odd type that is new... Can't think of the name, but it starts with an "S". Some of the iris are rebloomers...Village Tryst bloomed three times last year!

I love the Japanese Maples too. I've had these for several years, and they are growing nicely. I have to prune the one in the back somewhat severely or it will kill off the others by stealing their sun. The one on the right was a gift from DH, and it has a lovely distorted almost sculptural look even when it is leafless in Winter.

There is a smaller one that a storm knocked a big oak limb on that almost split it into two halves. I went out with duct tape, taped it back, and it healed up beautifully. Duct tape will fix anything, even a tree.

I love to see the pictures of your gardens. I am enjoying this forum and the people who write here.
kay

It sure looks like a cottage style garden to me!

Personally I like seeing a tool or two or a hose or something showing a little work. Makes it seem more real to me. I say that because I know I have two hoes propped on the garden fence right now!

You have done a great job and I will be looking forward to seeing the irises bloom. I am an iris lover too. I will have to wait a month for mine.

I loved seeing your garden, thanks so much! It looks like a cottage garden to me too. Do you have other perennials planted, other than the iris? I love the little statues!

MeMo

Oooh- the Bridal Wreath Spiraea is just gorgeous. You have kept it in a beautiful form, and I love it with your Wisteria. Really looking forward to the iris photos!
Renee

Looks very cottagy to me, Kay! Love the birdhouse on a pole - birdhouses are a weakness on mine :).
~Natalie

Nothing like spring in a cottage garden. you're off to a great start and I can't believe that beautiful wisteria is blooming already. Kudos!