Of course my previous posts were panic. As often happens around here, after a warm spell there’s a late frost. After weather in the high 80s, we had a frost warning two nights ago. Today it is 45 and rainy. The ground is absolutely saturated and I am concerned the grass I planted a few days ago will drown. At present, there’s about an inch of standing water on top of it.

I was  astonished to see, however, that at least one of my trilliums has survived. It is  no more than 3 inches wide at present and absolutely pitiful looking. I am unsure whether to celebrate its survival or mourn its pathetic appearance. I  gave it a boost of fertilizer–just a touch–and we’ll see what happens.

In the front yard, my Allium ‘Globemaster’ are growing beautifully and small flowers are starting to form. I adore the big, succulent looking leaves. My crinums are coming up as well. I mistook them originally for the beautiful dahlia I planted last year–whose tag escapes me–I have never grown dahlias but was told that with a large pile of mulch it wouldn’t be necessary to lift and store them here. Nothing is emerging, but perhaps it is waiting, like the trillium, for optimal conditions. I expect to take a little field trip in June to a daylily and crinum farm and stock up.

My boxwood hedge is looking shaggy and droopy. The warm weather completely negated the effects of my late winter pruning and it has put on about 8″ of growth in two weeks. Whenever it stops raining, perhaps this weekend, I’ll trim it back again. I do love my sheep shears, which are perfect for the task.

I bought a small Salvia officianalis and a cilantro plant at the grocery store the other day and plucked my first sage leaves for the chicken I am going to roast tonight. My Salvia guarnitica in the side yard has expanded exponentially and is popping up everywhere. Good thing I love it.

And finally for now, I am starting to see buds on my Iris japonica ‘Eco Easter.’ I was given this plant last year by a gardening friend who promised it would grow rampantly and produce adorable blue flowers. I duly planted it in my blue garden, which seems to struggle along every year. But I am hopeful that this plant will mark a turning point in the success of my blue garden (not to be confused with the blue slope in the front).