Things are Looking Blue

This time of year, my garden takes on a decided “blue” tone. I realized this a number of years ago. I think it is a bit funny because I do not seek out blue flowers. Part of it is lavender (which I realize is not “blue”), but the overall effect is “blue”. I’ve got some blue salvia (May Nights) just starting. I’ve got assorted blue iris, blue columbine, and blue/lavender wood hyacinth. Also, the (lavender) dwarf lilacs add to the picture.

Variegated Iris

Columbine - I let it wander where it wants to. Some years, I get a lot; sometimes not quite as much. It is easy enough to pull out when it is finished flowering if I think it is in the way. Right now, these are spread through my front beds.

 Wood Hyacinth

 Different iris (I think of these as "Delft", but I do not know their true name).

Petunia (love the speckled effect, although I would prefer it was magenta)

 And, the dwarf lilacs

I Just Love My Redbud Tree

When we just finished college, my husband (boyfriend at the time) took a job for a little over a year in Roanoke, Virginia. Such a beautiful area!!!! When I visited, we would drive around the area exploring. I fell in love with the Redbud trees that peeked out from all the scrub and sticks that were everywhere. I saw a lot of them that spring due to the different times of emergence since we were driving in mountainous areas.

I was able to add a Redbud tree to my yard several years ago. I can see it when I am enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning. Here is a pic from early April – it has been in color just under a week. This is the "far" corner of my yard; the northwest corner.

Here are some closeups from today of the flowers.

In other spring news, my bleeding hearts are looking happy.

And here are some grape hyacinths.

And some tulips that the squirrels and rabbits haven’t taken the tops off of yet.

And, my fern-leaf peony.

This shows the frostbite from 2 days ago (Wah!!), but I’m hopeful the rest of the heads will still open.

Some Columbine - a bit early

Prairie Smoke

Violets in the grass (I think they are cute and don't try to get rid of them)