Iris, Peony, last of the Dicentra, Roses, Daylily, Gazania, Amsonia, Delosperma, Oxalis, Campanula, Clematis, Soapwort, last of the Rhododendron, and lavender.

No time for photos right now. Tuesday morning starts construction of new front stone wall, planter and steps so I'm busy moving some plants out of the way.

Siberian iris, purple only. White siberian iris has buds, but last year it bloomed later than purple. Historic lavender irises (not bearded), some yellow bearded iris. Unknown pale pink fragrant peony. My festiva maxima has buds and will open very soon. Yellow daylilies are in full bloom and look georgeous. Wiegala, chives. I have a clematis that I bought but can't remember its name that is blooming. It's very pretty with a blue/lavender tone and fringe around the flower center, smooth leaves. It is a VERY slow grower and last year only had one bloom.

How nice that your gazania is blooming. Mine is only a couple of inches tall!

Lamium

The first Stella d'Oro daylily

A not terribly attractive hellebore that just keeps going

Fancy heuchera, Dolece licorice possibly

May Night salvia

Last of the Nellie Moser clematis blossoms. I like the seed heads too.

Dicentra still going somewhat.

Gigantic blue lupine, perennial bachelor's buttons, forget-me-not's, salvia, bearded & Siberian iris, 1st flower on climbing rose, tomato blossoms, pea blossoms, spiderwort, lamium, all rugosa varieties, mock-orange blossom.

Carol

On a drive south we saw lots of daisies and blue lupine by the side of Rt 202 in Peterborough NH.
In my garden, soapwort, bearded iris, oriental poppies, wiegiela, jacobs ladder, fringed bleeding heart, columbine, dianthus (tiny rubies?). White siberian iris. Blue wild iris are blooming in the marshy field.

Claire - I have my first order of Iris coming in July. They are so wornderful in your garden, that I have hope for mine. Any advice for an Iris newbie? Everything else looks spectacular. I have yet to dive into peonies, but yours are so wonderful. I may be inspired.

These pictures are with my phone instead of a real camera, but it's still fun to post them!

'Pinwheel' Mountain Laurel

From Drop Box

Virginia Fringe Tree
From Drop Box

Dianthius, not sure what kind, but it's cute!

From Drop Box

Campanula, but not sure what kind. It turns light blue in time.
From Drop Box

Snow Mound Spirea
From Drop Box

Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo
From Drop Box

E. missouriensis

{{gwi:1074329}}

Here's a few of mine blooming today
Tradescentia 'Sweet Kate'

Peony 'Nymphe'

Iris 'Caesars Brother'

Bowman's Root, a cute little native, not sure of latin name. Sun washed out color. More pink actual.

Clematis 'Westerplatte'

Cornflower, drawing blank on botanical name so can't look up cultivar

ALso,

Clematis 'Blue Moon'
Clematis 'Koningsberg'
Rose 'William Baffin'
Rose 'Gourmet Popcorn'
Rose Knockouts - just a little so far
other bearded Iris
Dicentria 'Luxuriant'
Dianthus just starting
Physocarpus, Diablo and Summer Wine
Fringe tree
Geranium striatum
Geranium macrorhizum
Geranium Biokova
Geraniums others... just barely getting started
Salvia 'May Night' been going strong for awhile
Salvia 'Cardonna' just getting going
Weigelas - Red Prince, Wine & Roses
Oriental poppies
Kalmias

For the longest time, I had mostly summer bloomers. Its been a long work in progress to get a spring list going. I'm enjoying them a lot.

Seeing the list in this context is interesting. I see things that should be growing together, but aren't. More musical chairs to do..

A*zalea, Rhododendron, Physocarpus S*ummer Wine, Deutzia are gone by.
I just deadheaded Veronica 'Crater Lake Blue' which was a disappointment how short a bloom time it was and getting ready to deadhead Nepeta WLow.
Lupine, Iris, Columbine and Baptisia are almost past. Spirea, Kolkwitzia, which is usually just getting started, and Clematis 'Duchess of Edinburgh' are also on their way out.
Some Dianthus are almost done and some haven't started.
Salvia 'Rose Queen', Geranium 'Karmina', Penstemon 'Iron Maiden', NOID Pink Peony, R*osa 'Golden Celebration', Rosa 'Rhapsody in Blue', Alchemilla, Lamium, Flax, Salvia 'Purple Rain', Verbascum, Snow in S*ummer, Thyme 'Elfin', Saponaria, Chives are all blooming along with Philadelphus and Honeysuckle which are just starting.
I'm waiting for Echinacea, Shasta Daisy, Parsley and a couple of Roses to bloom any day.

Nice reports all! I hope this will give people an idea of the possibilities for their own gardens - a little more practical than perusing catalogues or exploring garden centers.

Lisa, you should do well with irises. They like it here in our area and you're a good plant manager.

I turned around and a few more plants bloomed in the last few days.

Peony Pink Hawaiian Coral that I haven't seen in years (if ever). It's going to be moved in the fall to a more prominent position.

Iris Sibirica Lights of Paris that has been growing under the radar for a few years:

"Memorial Day" includes this week, by my calculations. Time for more reports.

Claire

Claire, my Pink Hawaiian Coral bloomed and was over a few weeks ago. Interesting seeing as you should be in a warmer spot. Is it in some shade?

fwiw, PHC has been disappointing for me. I put it in a prominent spot (entry to front door) with high hopes because it is similar color as my front door. But I only get 2 or 3 blooms a year. This was its 4th spring. Also, this year and another year it opened during a heat spell and was gone in a blink of an eye.

Wendy

I feel like everything is blooming! All the irises (bearded & siberian), peonies, nepeta, clematis, lupine, roses, roses, roses, geraniums (a little pink one and rozanne and Bevans Choice), baptisia, etc.

I love all those gorgeous photos!

Here are just a few quick pics I took this weekend:

Great photos,all. This has been a really great year for flowers - some plants that have been disappointing in the past seem to be bursting with flowers this year. It's just going by way too fast! I'm taking lots of photos, because we have a new puppy, and I figure I'll trace back and figure what's been in bloom later, when life slows down again.

Wendyb, Plymouth and the cape may be warmer, but we usually have a later spring than more inland or northern areas, because of the ocean's effect on the weather. There's a lot of cold water out there!

That's disturbing news, Wendy, about the Pink Hawaiian Coral peony. I was hoping I was finally getting the hang of growing peonies and it would just get better and better. Of course, it might just be related to this unusual (for us) spring.

DTD is right about the late spring near the ocean. My PHC peony is also on the north side of a very big Rosa Rugosa so it gets a little more shade (although the Festiva Maximas don't seem to care).

I still have peonies in bud but not opened. Bowl of Beauty just started opening today, and Red Magic (?) is still holding out.

I recently moved an overgrown rose and it left a spot that's perfect for a peony like Pink Hawaiian Coral. I have until fall to make the decision.

Claire

Claire - Would you take me on a photo peony tour...I have been trying to figure out which peony would be a good choice for my first one. I figure if I choose one that is happy for you, I'd have a reasonable chance with it. I'd be very grateful! Is it best to plant peonies in fall or spring?

Lisa

Lisa: I have three peonies that do really well for me.

My first peony was a Festiva Maxima (actually three Festiva Maximas). White Flower Farm had them on sale about 7 years ago, more or less, 3 for $25, and they said that they were overrun with them because they grew so well. Sounded good to me, and I've never regretted it. They've been blooming for a while and there are still buds coming.

Bowl of Beauty opens a little later and is just opening now. I think I moved this peony last fall to get it out of a bad neighborhood and I didn't expect too much this year. It has about 13 buds on it with maybe four opening.

The third peony that does well is I think Red Magic. I got it at an end of the season sale in Manomet three or four years ago (two plants for $5) and it blooms much later than the others. This photo is from June 27, 2009. It has lots of buds now, you can see them behind the Festiva Maxima. The bloom time doesn't overlap too much but the "red" is good with the raspberry splotches in F.M.

Peonies definitely should be planted in the fall, in lots of sun.

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Not a peony, but a self-seeded digitalis has just started opening today. This foxglove obligingly seeded itself last year next to my big Rosa Rugosa Yankee Lady and the colors matched beautifully. Even more obligingly, it came back this year in the same spot. I ran around last year shaking the seed heads in various places so I'm hoping for lots of new foxgloves.

Claire

I agree that Festiva Maxima and Bowl of Beauty are 2 of the best. I have a half dozen varieties (not counting the tree peonies) but these are the 2 whose names I know, mainly because they're so outstanding.

And, yes, autumn is the time to plant or transplant them, no doubt about that. On the other hand you can often pick them up after they've bloomed for a nice price - well worth keeping them in their pots in part shade until it's time to plant. They want the richest soil you can provide; maybe not super high nitrogen, but deep and full of organic matter. And although they can take a fair amount of shade, they have to have good air circulation to ward off fungal disease. Planted correctly they'll keep going for eons, with essentially no care.