I LIED ...

There was a promise made which involved NOT bringing the garden to you again until it was full and abundant.  Turns out that this is easier said than done.  You see, there are many more gardens.  One last black iris -

This is 'New Dawn' and she is truly lovely.  She emerged this morning and I was so excited.

Her blossoms mimic the shade of a ballerina slipper.  She fills my vases and rooms with her soapy-clean fragrance and makes me long for a proper rose garden so that I might have cuttings all season!  Her thorny boughs are a safe haven for the house wrens and sparrows.  And I have seen the Cooper hawk turn away from that hurtful maize in mid hunt - opting for a safer and less painful lunch elsewhere!

The honeysuckle bloomed today as well.  Lonicera ... the scent is unreal - wafting out over the entire property.

It's become so dense and prolific that one has to duck in order to get into the potting shed!  If you need something to climb a fence or stand in as a wall - this is for you.  And your backyard bees will be happy as well as the little sparrows who will build their nests in this vertical thicket!

My early lavender with the helleborus as a backdrop.  I don't have much success with lavendula in this garden as it takes a beating from the north wind.  To my mind, one can never have enough lavender.  I need to scout a location and set in a few dozen new plants.  

My 'Endless Summer" hydrangeas are astonishing - I've never seen such bloom on these shrubs.  In addition, they've shot up at least 12 inches and are covering the window boxes - a first.  I did remember to fertilize last year, but this is out of control!  I'll be eager to see if the flowers are as large as in seasons past.

The hosta and violet bed - waiting to be weeded and mulched...

Another dream is to add a water feature to my gardens, but for now I must make due with several bird baths as well as this organic rock 'pond' which I keep filled regularly with fresh spring water.  I spent eight hours in my gardens yesterday.  All good.

And, believe it or not, I started a fiber project in the very early morning.  Something for the home, something soft and needful.  Stay tuned ...

TWO projects, to be honest.  I'm no good at keeping secrets!