Wow, Russ- you have far too much time on your hands! A lot of dahlias are really slow to wake up- we have a couple of them that just popped eyes-- thay're still in the bins in vermiculite because we though they weren't going to grow at all. The same thing happened last year - some Wyn's Farmer John that didn't wake up until almost July. Walt planted them when he found they were awake & we won Best triple AA in 4 shows with them in Sept! It seems like even the slow to wake up ones will catch up by mid-season & even out-do the eager-beavers that are up & running in Feb. While it might be nice to have all the first blooms at the same time there's too many variables to think you could ever get them all to start at the same time-- it'd drive you nuts!! If you have many different sized blooms there's the fact that the larger the bloom, the longer it takes to open-- so the AA & A's will take way longer to open than the minis & BB's. The singles will open sooner than the double flowering ones & so on-- sure to send you to the nut hatch if you're trying to get the first blooms all on at the same time!

Godetia (syn. Clarkia) is indeed an annual, but I too would agree to leave it alone to see what happens this season. I agree with Al that plants do not perform according our calendar. While the definition of an annual is a plant that completes its life cycle during a single growing season, failure to bloom and set seed in that growing season can very well extend the life of the plant into a second season, as it has not yet completed its intent - to bloom and produce seed and reproduce itself. FWIW, I can list a number of "true" annuals (as opposed to tender perennials or biennials) that can survive longer than a single season. It will depend a lot on environmental influences, but plants tend to be extremely adaptable and the genetic predetermination to reproduce can be very flexible. Believe it or not, deadheading to remove spent flowers and prevent the plant from setting viable seed can go a long way in increasing the life expectancy of a single season plant.

thanks so much everyone! After a sweltering hot mother's day weekend I managed to get everything planted/sown out in the garden. Peppers, tomatillos, ground cherries, and eggplant, and basil got transplanted out finally. Cucumbers (both pickling and garden varieties), zucchini, beets, cilantro, beans, several annual vines, nasturtium,and peanuts. Most everything is up and growing now, except for the peanuts, which is kind of worrying. (wonder if the soil temp has anything to do with it?) I'm really excited to see how things grow and fill in. I took these pics while the water was on last Sunday morning. here's how it turned out. the front perennial flower/herb bed. I have, oregano, tarragon, a couple types of thyme, parsley, sage out there. The wire fence around it is temperarily in place to keep out a well meaning, but destructive, mastiff puppy. and yes you can see that the front arbor is not yet finished. that is no. 1 on the to do list when i get a chance. this is a view of the south side of the fence. I have forsythia, butterfly bush, heritage red raspberries, and black currants. all planted this spring. Lolauren- hope you didn't melt on mother's day weekend! i was down in tri cities and the temp in the car read 96*!!! you had asked about my sprinkler system. I really like it except for how touchy the sprinkler heads are. they plug/ stop spinning for no apparent reason. The coverage they offer though out weighs the periodic checking of every nozzle. In fact it may cover too well! (see the soaked soil) in the desert summer that definitely wont be too much though! I had to share a close up of my favorite pot I did this year. I've never done a succulent pot arrangement before, but I'm excited to see how it grows. the pot i found was a steal in my opinion. solid stained concrete for $120! I couldn't pass it up. as far as the blueberries go, every source i've looked up said that they will do ok without another variety. live and learn I guess. we'll see what they do for a few years before i pass judgment. anyone else have any pictures of their "finished" product?? or any picture of your progress?

I have been, but primarily thinking about the vegetable and cutting gardens I want to put in at the new place. At this point it is nothing concrete, just in-my-head planning. I haven't really been thinking about perennial beds and shrubbery outside of where I will put the items I'll be taking with me (remember that gorgeous tree peony I posted about? Gotta get her in the ground somewhere over there...) and maybe starting some Disco Belle hibiscus seeds I have over the winter. There are narrow beds surrounding the house but they're full of lava rocks (UGH!) so all I'll do this fall is remove the rocks over the area I need to plant what I need to from the move and deal with the rest of it next year. But yea - definitely want a big veggie bed and an area for a cutting bed, will have to put some thought into the fencing, sq footage, etc. I'm a planner at heart, so I'll thoroughly enjoy the process over the winter when the snow is flying and I'm soaking in my nice hot bath poring over books and seed catalogs :0)