It is so exciting to see everyone's gardens start to pop! I am also Fairfield County, 7a. The native pollinator garden I put in last year (with mostly plugs) is off to a great start. And I just got my "Monarch Waystation" sign - a bit early for them yet but the milkweed is peeping through the soil. I'm slowly expanding it to get rid of as much "lawn" as possible. And i just put out this to alert the neighbors that it is intentional:
Golden Alexander (which had faint blooms all through the winter, odd?)
Blazing Star just coming out of dormancy, the purple spikes of this was a favorite of mine last year:
Solomon's Seal which has done a great job taking over shady areas:
Surprised to see a bloom already on climbing hydrangea:
Bleeding heart, one of my faves, not quite open yet:
Q