A Few Bright Spots Despite The Flooding Rains

I was able to get out yesterday during
a break in the continual rains we've had
here in Texas. Most everything is washed out
but I did manage to find a little color in the garden.
I am thankful that all the ponds and lakes are
full again - a blessing...Our local dam, Denison Dam, has
gone over the spillway, 4th
time in it's history. It was in 1957, 1990, 2007 and
now 2015. When it was built in the 1940s
they said that this would only occur
 once every 100 years.

Apricot Bliss rose.

Unknown lily, but so bright!

Daylily, Russian Rapsody

I have moss! This is my front patio and the
cracks are usually filled with dirt and sand. When
the heat returns, I'll be sad to see this go.

Daylily, Warrior Prince

So Much Rain

I'm not one to complain about rain here in
Texas - but it (flooding rains) came at a time when all the
roses and iris had just bloomed. Most were waterlogged and
not very pretty to photograph.
Red Knockouts in the front have gotten
large and are starting to hide the chain link fence.

Spanish Lavender

Red David Austin rose with beautiful iris.

Abraham Darby David Austin english rose before
the rains

The fragrance is out of this world!

Wisteria growing on the fence. 
I'm trying to cover up the chain link fence!

April Day

The ajuga is beautiful this year

Ajuga mixed in with caladium Miss Muffet and Purple Oxalis

Garden "buddy" 

Before photo 

Before photo

After photos

The iris are really sparse this year.
Can't figure out why I have so few.
First time this has happened. Usually in
April they are just loaded with buds.

The new spanish lavender I planted several
weeks ago

Coreopsis with a large clump of
herb Rosemary in the background

The Delphinium is just
breathtaking!

A Tiger Swallowtail enjoying it.

Iris "Footloose" with caladiums and
snapdragons

Entrance to the garden - this is usually full
of iris blooms

My garden buddy Tigger passed away
this past January. He was 13. Miss you

A Lovely Spring, So Far

Lovely daffodils so sunny and bright!! These popped up
as soon as the snow melted.

Lynwood Gold Forsythia came into bloom and
so far gets better with each passing day -
 the blooms will soon be replaced with
a restful green that I love in the hot summer time.

Flowering Quince. This has been a slow grower but is
 stunning this year!

I planted a Variegated Privet at the same time as
the Flowering Quince - it really took off!

I love stone! I cleaned out this flower bed
that has Drift roses, Loropetalum fringe flower shrubs and
a few daylilies. I just added the stone to define
the bed.

Went Snapdragon shopping. I didn't
get any seeds sown this year. 

Purchased some tomato plants as well - Heirloom
varieties - Cherokee Purple and Rutgers. I'm
planting them in pots this year to see if I get a better
yield.
For last couple of years the tomatoes
didn't produce much. I've never
tried the Cherokee Purple. 

New azalea that I bought for the front yard.

Elaeagnus shrubs are still
progressing for my living fence. I
am still replacing a few at time
that didn't survive the heatwave we had in 2012.

The snapdragons are adding some
color to the garden. I think we are having
a late spring. Usually this time of
year the heirloom variety of iris are blooming.
I don't have buds on ANY of the iris yet.

Bridal Wreath Spirea Shrub. This is
new to the garden. My experimental
shade garden under the large
cedar tree had lots of
plant deaths. I moved all
the daylilies to a sunnier spot. All the
camellias died along with a few of the azaleas.
There are two remaining azaleas.

Added some Blue Delphinium here

Spanish Lavender

Thought maybe this new succulent might grow around the stone

Red Knockouts coming along - also a Redbud Tree blooming
across the road

A bit of whimsy on the well house

Put a few Snapdragons in this bed

New bird house I put on top of the clothes line.
I love bird houses