Thank you, Chaz! I'd love some Lupine seeds! We grew them at the garden center I worked at years ago... a few would bloom the first year, the majority the second... they were started in a large greenhouse, so I think that might account for the first year flowers... but every time I planted them in my garden, they would flower very sparsely and die out by the second year. They were planted on the south side of a patio fence enclosure, so I thought they were fairly well protected... although I'm sure the northern winters are what killed them. When I trucked cross country with my ex many years ago, I saw loads of beautiful native Lupines growing along the highways in Colorado! What a sight that was! I've always wanted to include them in my cottage style borders, but they just never did well for me. That was in zone 4b, so maybe they'll have a better chance of survival here in zone 5b. Thanks, HoustonPat! I love spring blooming bulbs, tulips being one of my favorites! We have plans to add more Parrot Tulips and Species Tulips this fall, so next spring the gardens should be even more gorgeous! Those raised beds began life as backdrops for archery targets... they were heavily screened on both sides and have rope handles for ease of moving, as you can see in the photo... I've removed the screening from one side to open them up, laid them flat, and they make excellent raised beds! There are about a dozen total of these screened frames, and we've commandeered all of them for use as raised beds, since they weren't in use as target backdrops... several are veggie and herb beds, and the remainder will be used to grow on perennial seedlings for sale purposes... we're starting a small driveway flower business to help offset the cost of gardening and plant purchases! Gardening can be an expensive hobby! Kitty, those blooms are gorgeous! I especially like the Mont Blanc! I'm really glad the majority of your older bulbs survived and came back to flower for you! We don't have any Tree Peonies yet, but I do plan to petition for some to be planted next year! The catalog photos are always so beautiful! I wasn't even aware they grew in such northern zones! I never looked into them before because trees and shrubs aren't really my specialty in gardening, but now that I have more space to garden in, I've become a lot more aware of the larger things that make up the "bones" of good landscaping and gardening! I'd love to see photos of yours!

Thanks to all for the nice comments. I have been posting a lot on the other new website. I don't think I'm supposed to say the name here (MD). But I have been looking at everyone elses posts here. It is just so much work to post pictures to Photobucket then post them in here. Thanks to everyone for your pretty pictures. I have really enjoyed them. Dot

Look at that bud on Mrs Oakley Fisher. Perfect. Love the centers of Bouquet D'Or. Saw a full bloom picture of its laterals. Great.

Serendipity, all I did this spring was sprinkle some Osmocote just once. I'm not sure if that had made any differences. I shall note that I planted all of my Heucheras with compost. Vivian and tepelus, I like the hot pink flowers on my Paris, too. I think it's one of the first of my Heucheras that bloomed (since March) and it's still blooming today. My Snow Angel has pink flowers, too, although not as 'hot pink' as on Paris. It also blooms a few weeks later than Paris. I think Heuchera Snow Angel is aptly named because the white variegated on the foliage does make it looks like it's covered by snow!