In my family, it seems like our green thumbs get a little paler with each generation. My grandparents' thumbs (both sides) were probably a nice rich foresty green, my mom's a nice shade of kelly green, and mine, well, maybe a pale mint green at best. Last year though I decided to give growing things one last attempt and really TRY this time. This is also about the time I found this forum and all you wonderful inspirational people and your great advice and photos. So in 2018, we added 5 new flower beds and expanded another. At first it was just clearing a spot to separate some irises



Pretty pitiful start, but then I decided to add some perennials and improve the soil and things began to grow. And I went on a little iris buying spree that got out of control, but I've confessed that in another thread. By the end of summer, those initial iris drop spots were looking much better.



Time to buy bulbs!! So, umm, another shopping spree started. I bought daffodils, crocus, tulips, species tulips, scilla, which I'd never heard of and allium and probably more. Oh yeah, some poppies that I think I killed by not setting them out in time. But for the most part, I got things set out. Actually enlisted my 84-year-old mom's help one nice fall day, so that will be a nice memory every time those daffodils bloom.

I got so hooked on the bulb catalogs that we even grew amaryllis and paperwhites inside this year.


I don't think I have any pics of the narcissus - they flopped, literally.
I also babied these ornamental kale through the winter. I used to live in a Texas and always enjoyed them for winter color. I planted some the first year after we moved to TN and learned with the first good freeze that I was in another climate and don't be wasting money on those anymore! But these were in a protected spot and I covered them with big bath towels every time there was a hint of a freeze in the forecast. And they're Alive!!




Fast forward to today. I had a day off work and the first non rainy day in a while, so I got out and poked around the beds to see how things are coming along . . . And looky looky here - first bulb of the season up and blooming!! A little tricolor species crocus! What a cutie pie!

Also cleaned out the "kitchen" iris bed of dead leaves and iris fronds. Looks like the pink charm daffodils are coming up nicely too.


We've had such a rainy winter, I was happy to see that most of the irises survived and some are increasing nicely.

Moment to Treasure is looking pretty good - wonder if he will bloom this year.



Next to Moment is Faithfully Yours in about the same shape


Glamazon looks happy


As does Just Witchery



Hold Me Now is holding his own


I hope Wishes Granted grants my wish to see his pretty colors this year.

My Lady's Manor seems really happy



By Jeeves is making babies!


Wild was a gift from Iris Sisters



And last but not least in the kitchen bed I have some arils. I've never tried these before, so this may be a hopeless experiment but so far they - well - all I can say is they're not dead.







If they live, here's what they will be:

It's been so rainy lately. We had thunderstorms last night, but it was clear this morning so I trudged through the mud to see how the crocus were doing in the redbud bed. Sadly all the crocus were still closed up, but I can see several purple petals getting ready. To my surprise though, this little iris reticulata was open. It's a little mud-splattered, but look at those exotic dark colors! This is going to be so pretty when these really get established!


This is just a cell phone pic - will try to get a better one later. I think I see at least one more bud peaking through on these.

Raining again. The poor ground is so saturated, but this little guy is adding some beauty to this wet dreary day.

It looks like your pale green thumb is darkening by the minute, Laura! Congrats! Your gardens are lovely!

Rain rain go away, come again another day. I want to see my pretties come out to play.



These little crocus are trying - they probably are opening during the day while I'm at work.

Finally! Sunshine after a week of rain. I did a little cleaning in the redbud bed. The little harmony iris are putting on a show today. I'm loving these! Must buy more! Wouldn't it be beautiful to have a little carpet of these throughout the flower beds?



The tommies are coming along too.


And the little tricolors . . .



There are quite a few daffodils and tulips poking their heads up. I had read that daffodils can use another dose of fertilizer when they first emerge, but I couldn't get out there to put it out with all the rain. I wonder if it is too late now? Most are several inches up with some buds showing.

Well, I'm officially a beekeeping school dropout.
My 21-year old daughter had seen an article in the paper about an all-day class for "Beginning Beekeeping" and we decided to go and see what it was all about and whether we wanted to start one day. It started off well with a session on considerations for where to locate your hive. It seems we have a pretty decent spot, even though we are in a surburban neighborhood. Our backyard backs up to a creek, which would provide a good source of clean water, and we could place it near the garden with dappled sunlight coming from the sycamores along the creek. I have some agastaches and echinacea and other good plants established. It seemed the only thing we are missing is an evergreen hedge to serve as a wind block to protect them in winter. The sessions then turned to the equipment and other related topics - we learned quite a bit, but the majority was WAY over our heads. The presenters used several terms without defining them and we were a bit lost. We made it most of the day, but decided to sneak out at the afternoon break.

I believe we need to do some research on our own and then try again once we build a little foundation of knowledge. Lots of positives though - we were expecting a small group, but there was actually quite a crowd there, ranging in age from probably 70's to elementary age kids. Everyone was really friendly and we learned that the club meets monthly with 30 minutes beforehand devoted to beginner questions. Each beginner is matched with an experienced mentor - that will be a good thing for us! Oh, and we won a door prize - mason bee house, which seems a lot simpler to start with than the honey bees!! And I bought some amazing hand cream!

Anyway, back to our yard - we walked around with new eyes, finding that we have tons of henbit growing. Henbit is one of the bees' first sources of food in the spring.




Crocuses are growing too, and now my new giant ones are blooming! My older crocuses have mostly declined to bloom this year. They're still mad that I let the lyriope overtake their spot for so long. I did clean it out last year so maybe now they'll perk up and bloom more next year. Or maybe they're just going to be later than these newcomers to our yard.





And the daffodils Mom and I planted near the creek are getting ready to bloom. Looking forward to watching those naturalize over the years ahead. In my hometown a wealthy lady from the oil boom era loved daffodils so much that she ordered enough from Holland to fill a rail car. The bulb company sent a representative with the shipment to help her plan the plantings. Upon her death, the gardens were opened to the public - what a wonderful legacy they made! Thousands of daffodils flowing through the hills and forests of her land. (Mine aren't quite to that level! )

We had a week of colder temperatures, so not much development on the daffodils yet. The giant crocuses are in full bloom now:




And the Tommies are impressive in their staying power. They've been at it for 2 weeks now!



The humilis species tulips are beginning to open.

Loving all the photographs, Laura. Looking forward to seeing the beds' progression.

Look at these beautiful pics my daughter took of one of the daffodils in the back yard. I'm really liking these orange trumpets. I think they came from a colliection ordered from Longfield Gardens.

The species tulips ( tulipa himilus violacea) were kinda bleh. We'll give them a pass this year since they are brand new. Maybe next year they will develop a bit more stem. I'm a little bummed - I was really looking forward to seeing them in this spot.





I do love the dark pink color though - especially near the yellow daffodils.

Oooh, those are pretty!

I've read that species Tulips fare well in my area. Keep meaning to get some...but I always think of them, think I'll do it later, then forget.

I'm not sure how I feel about them. The color is great, but I was not expecting them to bloom directly on the ground. I'm hoping after they settle in they'll have just a tad more height.

Be interested to see what they do.

So here are those same tulips about a week later still holding their own color-wise. I'm liking them better and better.

I can't remember where I got these daffodils - I thought I had planted Pink Charm in this bed, but these less-than-exciting doubles came up. When I was a little girl, I called these the scrambled egg daffodils.


That picture was taken last weekend. This has been an insane work week, so I haven't had a chance to check on that bed lately. Looky looky what they look like now! So pretty! I'm in love!!



What a difference a week makes!

Nice spring colors! Even nicer are the memories you are making!
I look forward to stopping by your garden and seeing your pictures.

May this year be full of blessings for your family and garden!

Thank you Sharon. I always enjoy your posts - you say such nice things and say them so sweetly.

We took mom for a ride around town this evening to see all the spring flowers in everyone's yard and to show the fruits of her labor on the daffodils she helped me plant last fall. They're mostly open now and looking so cheerful. She kept exclaiming over how BIG these daffodils are. I said, that was the plan! I wanted to see these from the kitchen window (which is a fair distance away.)





Oh! And the other day I saw a bluebird moving into that birdhouse. My dad made that for us when we moved to TN 14 years ago. He passed away on St. Patrick's Day in 2012. I'm glad we have that house to remember him by.