Lots of stuff is blooming a bit early this year, and some things are right on schedule. The hesperis is near it's peak, and ox-eye daisies that I dug up from a pasture several years ago are going strong. A few larkspur are starting to bloom. The earliest peonies will probably open in a week. Poppy buds are rising and beginning to uncurl (some jerk cut my very 1st poppy bloom which opened today.) Ther is actualy one echinecea purpurea that has buds that are beginning to color up. A late and very hard freeze over three nights killed rose buds, but more are starting. It also killed all the leaves on my biggest mophead hydrangea. I'm guessing no blooms on that one this year. Some of the brances are resprouting near the base. I'm going to wait another week and cut back any that haven't resprouted to the 1st green bud. The freezze also may have killed some chrysanthemums that were leafing out well. It has been 2 weeks and I'm not seeing any sign of regrow on them at all.

This has been an extremely dry spring on the heels of a dry fall and winter. I've pulled all my irrigation hoses and plan on doing only spot watering this summer. Anything that survives the drought-I will plant more of next year!

Janie