The plants probably feel like spring has been a long time coming, especially since we had snow on the ground and a severe cold snap just over a month ago. But for me it seems like everything is happening too fast! Below are some highlights from the garden today.

I spent some time today putting organic fertilizer around all the plants in Armando’s garden. There are some nice flowers already from the bulbs, but there are a lot of wide open spaces, too, where no plants are showing yet. Things are running a bit late after our cold snap, so I’m hopeful that there are more to come!

Some good news is that the peonies are coming up pretty strongly. They won’t bloom this year, but I think if I feed and coddle them a bit, maybe next year. Also, Kniphofia thompsonii is coming up, as well, though it looks a bit bedraggled.

The western side of the Armando garden has filled in a bit more than the east side, which I planted later. I’m happy that the Chaenorhinum survived just fine, and the lupines are coming up really strong, as well.

I am becoming a big fan of Fritillaria bulbs. The Crown Imperial bulb I’ve had for about six years now has two flowering stalks coming and a third offset that will be blooming size next year. The new Fritillaria raddeana bulb that I added last fall is blooming and is exquisite. So, forgive the many photos–I have never seen this plant in bloom before.

Somehow the Hellebores popped up and bloomed without telling me. But I found them today and got some photos. We have four of them in the yard, but only three of them bloomed well this year–the maroon one in the woodland garden is pretty weak.