My MIL’s garden 4 days ago.
Mourning Dove, Fire and Ice, Spartacus with flower stalk, and Neptune.

More of my MIL’s garden from 5/15:

Omacha hydrangea, Paul’s Glory pair of hostas, Raspberry Sundae with reverse sport Sorbet, and Hope Springs Eternal. Yes, most of these were from me, but she has treated them well.

A new mini pot with Fruit Loop, Pot of Gold, Lakeside Zinger (sporting Inkwell), Bridal Falls with flower stalk, Kiwiberry flower from 2 weeks ago, and kiwiberries this week. My boys and I grew the kiwiberry vines from seeds we collected during Easter snacking 2014. This year has first bloom and first fruit. And to think I nearly yanked out those vines 2 months ago.

time flies is so true!..I need to get serious and take some pictures..your kiwiberry vines remind me of climbing hydrangeas..

saw my first peony bloom today..

Love coast to coast with blue combo.

Valley’s Lemon Squash, Pinani Island Surf, Fair Maiden, Unruly Child

Martini, Swamp Thing, Sultans of Swing, and Ice Cream

Teaspoon, two views of front porch, and Olive Branch with One Man’s Treasure

Lakeside Prophecy Fulfilled with Captain Kirk, Baptisia Lunar Eclipse, Royal Charmer, and Bedazzled.

Things are looking good utog. Amazing yours are getting ready to flower. All my pips are up now, but some just barely. See my post above.

debra

Wave Runner and Fragrant Dream,

Night at the Opera,

group of hosta (Tokudama, Fog Light, Deep Blue Sea, Cup of Grace, and soon-to-bloom Mike Shadrack),

and 2nd year Frozen Margarita

utog..is that an oakleaf hydrangea?..love those..

Ann, it is! Little Honey is an oak leaf hydrangea.

Little Honey hydrangea close-up. I have two and bought a big one for my MIL.

I wish I was your MIL 😂..I love that you give her so many beautiful plants 🙂..

my Alice oakleaf hydrangea..there's a bloom on the way that I was trying to get a pic of..top right..

Ann, I see it!

More hydrangeas for Ann in first two (Tuff Stuff, NOID blue, Little Honey and Annabelle).

Then, Mystic Star, a great plant.

Last is Clear Fork River Valley this morning among friends.

Tokudama flavicircinalis,

Manhattan,

and last two are Brothers Stefan, one grown in ground and other in a pot.

Wider views of a couple of areas.

The shed row, part-sun and hard to water. L-R: Sugar Snap, Brother Stefan, Sunset Grooves, Elegans, Sun Kissed, and harder to see pot of Honey Bear and Hunny Bunny, and Cutting Edge.

Maple garden. Hostas are Chorus Girl, Remember Me, Fried Green Tomatoes (best guess), Goober, Paradise Glory, Wu La La, Frosty Morn, Spilt Milk, Devon Green, Orange Marmalade, Hovercraft, Jetstream, Journey's End, Sunshine Glory, Shade Fanfare, Diva, and Catherine (Touch of Class).

Side garden, newest area. Viking Sunshine, Kiwi Full Monty, Grecian Vase, Summer Squall, Queen of the Seas, Glory Hallelujah

Wider & downhill view of side garden to include Undulata, Blue Hawaii, Snake Eyes, & Chodai Ginyo

Beautiful dog in hot sun. It actually looks like a dog in hot sun and not a hosta.

We finally have hostas in Chicago!

April 12 sum & substance

May 2 S&S:

May 18, three guacamole, same sum & substance in-ground, sum & substance in pot. I moved two other guacs that were in between the remaining three guacs and the S&S so I have a path to the rain garden behind them.

Electrocution,

blue NOID hydrangea for next two,

and trio of Warwick Comet, Tokudama, and Fog Light.

Apple Pie (Avent) in a new pot. Yes, this plant is over 3 feet wide,

Dressed to Kill with minis Green Thumb, Blue Mouse Ears, Tiny Gems, Mouse Trap, and Little Treasure (mini for me),

Bridegroom, a new addition from Hornbaker's 2 weeks ago, with World Cup in background. I am reallly impressed with the vigor and quality of Hornbaker plants. BG arrived bareroot 2 weeks prior to this photo.

and Journey’s End with Shade Fanfare

Holiday weekend has begun. And so have the hosta flowers!

Mike Shadrack flowers just look so perfect with foliage, nevermind the vermin-nibbled leaves.

Bedazzled, a new addition from Lowes last week

Brother Stefan and Elegans blooming together.

Elegans flowers up close,

mophead hydrangea,

Omacha hydrangea,

and Catherine (or Touch of Class).

Spilt Milk,

then Hovercraft and Jetstream

Love those purple petioles and gorgeous green leaves of Sugar Plum!

Utog, your yard looks wonderful! Only thing blooming here is some yarrow and dianthus. Can’t wait for my hosta to finish unfurling. It will be warm tomorrow and Sunday so I have to get my drenching done!!

debra

ps I love that blue noid hydrangea!!

Thanks, Debra! I am looking forward to seeing your garden as it unfurls.

Krugerrand is having a good year,

the oft-photographed trio (Afterglow, Worldly Treasure pair, and Silk Kimono),

perspective check for Afterglow,

and Tokudama aureonebulosa.

Clear Fork River Valley in bloom among companions, including new addition Lakeside Dragonfly,

Mike Shadrack hosta in bloom,

new additions Honeybells with Valley’s Red Scorpion (whose name is obviously related to its form),

and new addition Pinani Island Surf.

For Debra, Tattoo today.

Another perspective check on Afterglow. Dog weighs 63 lb.

Rowan My Boat, 3 days after arrival. Skywriter, week 3. Leather and Lace, year 3.

Blue Tooth, dwindling Rhino Hide with Blue Mouse Ears, Fair Maiden, and Fair Maiden with Pinani Island Surf.

Vulcan with Royal Charmer and Reptillian, Tijuana Brass, trio of Royal Wedding with Happy Dayz and Moonlight Sonata, and the subtle streaking of Spilt Milk.

Oh boy, utog,where do I start?Love afterglow and also 63 lb. dog! Skywriter looks amazing and I have always loved your Tokudama A. My Rhino Hide dwindled to nothing, so you have my sympathy…….Still love Blue Tooth and you have a great Spilt Milk. Also, this year I planted new perinnials….. I have an Annabelle Hydrangea, came withthe house over 30 years ago. This year I added Cinderella Milkweed, Lupines and the same Alcepias Tuberosa you have, also some coreopsis and dianthus. I am hoping the ones out front on the sunnier side will get enough sun. Your Tattoo looks huge. Mine is so teeny weeny I thought it was MIA, but then the little pips showed. I have some damage from my drench this year……..because we were so cold and pips emerged late, then it rained and rained so I kept putting it off. Finally we get a dry spell and do it. But most hostas are fully leafed out. So this is the only reason I can think of for the burn. same mixture ratio. Go figure…..

debra 🤷🏼‍♀️

Debra, thank you for the thoughtful comments. Your sun perennials should do well and provide a fun change in focus. I have always been hesitant to do the ammonia drench because I have burned plants with Miracle gro hose sprayer in the past. Dilution is important, but so it the sunlight level, humidity, and heat, IMHO. Generally, my good intentions do more harm than good. I picked and squished slugs today. The voles are continuing their onslaught on the hostas and liriope, breaching the liriope border completely in multiple areas important for water-flow control. I must regroup with DH and plan our counter-attack. Today, Stained Glass fell over and is in rehab due to voles. Last week, Ani Machi fell and may not recover. I cleared some excess leaves and mulch today so the voles have less cover.

On the bright side, lots of plants are doing great. There are so many flower buds everywhere, hosta, lily, and more. Grapes and kiwiberries are growing well. I even started some tomato seeds after a 5 year hiatus.

We spent yesterday at my MIL’s. I was on lifeguard duty, so I could only snap a couple pictures. Her Little Honey hydrangea is in full bloom.

Thus ends May 2022. My garden is starting to bloom and fruits are growing on tree and vines. Clear Fork River Valley with Cup of Joy and ferns. Night at the Opera hosta, added October 2021. Aqua Velva in ferns with dwindling Earth Angel; AV moved here after voles took Cloudburst. World Cup will bloom soon.