Spring is definitely in full swing here and already hinting at summer!  It was so warm this week that the lovely spring blooms we’ve been anxiously awaiting buckled a bit with the first blast of heat.  They have since recovered, but not without making our hearts skip a beat thinking they may go by more quickly than we hoped.  The black and white Anemones (Anemone coronaria) are almost finished blooming, but put on quite a show both in the greenhouse and in the North Garden display pots.  They were much loved by visitors and staff alike.  Currently, we simply cannot stop oohing and ahhing over the greatly anticipated Ranunculus.  They are here!  They are finally here!  And they’re spectacular.

I am not sure quite what it is that captures my mind and heart so much about these lovely blossoms.  Maybe it’s the layer upon layer of petals unfolding each day.  Maybe it’s the almost perfect circle of each bud.  Or maybe it’s just that these flowers are heralds of an ebullient season still ahead of us.  Whatever it is, I cannot get enough Ranunculus in my life or in the gardens.  They are on display now in the North Garden both in the display pots and in the gardens themselves.  If you recall, back in March I wrote about Gail’s and my excitement regarding growing Ranunculus for the first time.  We could not have hoped for a better outcome!  From tubers to first growth to flower buds appearing to first bloom these plants have brought much joy throughout the past three and a half months.

The other new effort we’ve been making (besides the usual planning and planting in the Rose Garden, North Garden and Cutting beds) is we’ve been taking pictures of an assortment of the major blooms from each garden.  It’s our new version of a snapshot of what’s going on in each garden at a particular point in time.  Seeing the colors and shapes and sizes all together in one place allows us to evaluate the gardens from a new angle.  It’s been fun and refreshing!

What do you do to keep a fresh eye on your gardens?  Are you growing anything new that has made your heart skip a beat?  Happy planting!