Garden walk - May 3 - 7:30am

The first week of May here is when the color starts to pop. By June, most of this will be gone.

The smoke tree in a small garden plot. I love the effect when the sun shines through it. Only 4 years old, hoping for a much large tree in a few years.


Planted last month in the "patch of doom," sweet broom. I extended the drip system here, so we'll see if these survive. Nothing else has.


Not a good year for the purple iris, only a few blooms this year, but very magestic.


The yellows and variegateds are just now getting started.


Mexican primrose peeking through the Margo Koster rose, just starting to bud.


One of the two peony plants to remind Danny of a proper English country garden. These amaze me in the heft of the blooms.


Chocolate flowers, remnant of a former 1995 roommate's gardening. It's volunteered around the area, happily.


Looking west into the terraced area. The iceberg roses have gone nuts again, but the small roses mixed in with them are just now starting to bud.


Looking east into the terraced area.


And now for the veggies. I just planted 3 different tomatoes. I haven't planted any of the winter starts in my little incubator--all those are still in the house. Danny is happy I haven't planted 9 like I did last year.


My first attempt at rhubarb. Both of the starts have come up, but it will be quite a while before we can pick the first stalks.


The newer garden area. Brussels (under the cups to protect them from the squirrel--a live one, not the little statue), eggplant, red and green bell pepper. More to be planted in this area from the incubator in a couple of weeks. In the evening, we put a large plastic milk crate over two of the Brussel sprouts to protect them. We'll see.


Looking west toward the house from near the cottonwood tree. The 7 year old deck hopefully will be rebuilt in the next year.