Change is in the air

The anenomes have just opened, and delicately float in the breeze

The last week has seen more torrential rain, and the garden has been quite battered.  Despite the weather, I've had quite a good showing in the front garden, and given that Mimico is "an up and coming" neighbourhood, and thus still a little rough around the edges, I've been pleased to see lots of people stopping by to take a look, and lots of folks snapping photos of the garden as they go past on their stroll.  I have to say, I get quite a bit of satisfaction from thinking that my efforts help to beautify the neighbourhood, and hopefully bring some enjoyment to others.

The tulips have come up trumps again, after 6 years.  Every year I anxiously await to see if this is the year where they get too tired and overcrowded to bloom well, and each year they continue to look lovely.  I am on the verge of digging them up to make sure I don't reach the stage of overcrowding, but can't quite bring myself to disturb what seems to be a good thing.  Maybe I'll wait for just one more year.  In the meantime, I'll stick to my regimen of plenty of bonemeal and keeping the water away from them in the summertime.

The tulips are just starting to go past their prime, but have looked magnificent

One thing I have done in the last couple of years is try to find ways to not let the predominance of tulips in the garden become such an aesthetic problem after blooming.  Some strategically placed companion plantings, such as aquilegia and lilies have now matured to the size where I think they will do the job of hiding the retreat of the tulips, whilst still allowing them a full opportunity for the leaves to die back naturally, allowing the bulbs to store up all that vital energy needed for perfect blooming next year.  The extra light afforded by the absence of the locust tree should also help.

This tall lily will draw the eye after the
tulips start to decline

Here, peonies and hostas will be the focus
once the tulips go past

Change is definitely in the air though, and whilst today is still damp and grey, and a little on the cool side, the forecast for next week includes lots of lovely sunshine and much nicer temperatures.  The next wave of early summer flowers, such as peonies, alliums and clematis are all on the verge of bursting out, and they should enjoy and change in the forecast, and they'll certainly have been well hydrated until now.  No gardening today though - I have started on an arrangement of the Bach Italian Concerto for piano quartet, which at the rate I go, will see me through the rest of this year!  There just aren't enough hours in the day!

In the meantime, here are some pictures of the state of the union in the garden, and although it's sad to see some things going past already, there's much excitement about what is to come over the coming months.

This area had become increasingly shady and will need a re-arrangment shortly.  I plan to wait until the anemones are done flowering.

Although it's not raining today, there has been quite a heavy fog, which has left lots of droplets on the Lady's Mantle

This clear white clematis only blooms in early summer, but it does so before the New Dawn rose opens up, so it makes a good companion plant.  It's also not too vigorous in terms of foliage, so it doesn't crowd the rose.

These dark aquilegias are just opening as the tulips go over,  and the frondy foliage will hide the declining tulip foliage from the street view

These Alliums will be fully open in a couple of days.  The peonies are already hiding my homemade woven dogwood stakes

My crocs were decorated with fallen forget-me-nots when I took these photos in the drenched garden