Good on ya, Alice!

Your season may be short, but I bet it is glorious!

Dahlias! Of all the sun plants I left behind, it is the dahlias I miss the most. They were the queens and whores of my summer and fall garden. I love 'em.

For this part of the country, it has been a very moderate spring, temp. wise. Had been very, very dry, but the last week has seen a lot of rain, and probably more to come for the next few days. Was concerned that my cuke and zuccini seeds had rotted, but noticed a couple of cotyledon leaves of each emerging today, which is the earliest I would have expected to see them.

Not real happy with the topsoil I bought by the scoop to fill the raised beds. Too much clay. Hard to work compost into it because of clumps that can only be busted up by hand when the moisture content is just right. It would probably be ok on the ground, where I could run a tiller through it it.

The hydrangea macrophylla and hydrangea arborescens are both loving this rain. I have one arborescens that is a cultivar, but I don't know which cultivar - don't think it is Annabelle - and a friend gave me a start of the species found along edges throughout the east. Also don't know the variety of the macrophylla - it was also a pass along plant from a friend. It is compact and the blooms are not overly large. By the time all the blooms are full and mature, it will all be blue, but right now, some are blue, some are pink, and some are lavender.

Re: lightning bugs/fireflies. I was surprised several years ago when my southern California in-laws visited to learn that they do not have fireflies out there. Do you have them in Montana, Alice?