This time of year is a fun time outside for me. Tiny peeks of color are starting to show and the peonies are starting to pop! Mother nature did her best this week to throw another curve ball with a wicked hail storm. For the most part the flowers did pretty well given the size and intensity of the storm but a few casualties were had.

The anemones were totally untouched and are really coming on strong still. I will sure miss them when they are gone. They really are one of my favorite flowers.

The foxglove and sweet william were also looking good this week. I just love foxglove and the bees seem to be pretty please with it this year also. And then there are the peonies. They took the brunt of the hail storm destruction unfortunately but I was out there cutting like a crazy person  getting as many inside as possible before they were beat up to badly. The things a girl will do for pretty flowers   . . . .

There is a little more activity in the cutting beds this week. I am still over here waiting for those peonies to pop, any day now. While I'm waiting I've been researching some early and late blooming varieties to extend the peony season. It's a good thing my husband doesn't read my blog - hopefully these arrive and are tucked in before he knows it! 

This is my first year growing anemones. I'm hooked! Totally hooked. They are so pretty. Stems start out a little on the short side, perfect for a mason jar, then the keep getting taller and taller. I've already ordered many more for next year. 

This calendula is such a pretty color. Reds, oranges, yellows always speak to me since they remind me of fall. I know I might be alone here but I will take fall colors year round.

This annual phlox is also new to me this year. These colors are warm and romantic. I have ALOT of perennial phlox in my garden beds but they are more jewel tones (pinks and purples) and very bright. It is a little difficult to start from seed which was surprising to me since the perennial phlox seems to expand grow like a weed. The more I do in the annual flower world the more I understand that annual flowers and perennial flowers are two very different beasts. The more this annual phlox blooms though the more I think it's worth the struggle! 

Spring can be a little slow in terms of blooms when the tulips and daffodils are done and the ranunculus are starting to slow down. I was busy expanding my growing beds so I didn't put in many biennials which carry many flower growers thru the shoulder season. The lull in blooms has given me lots of time to plant, plant, plant and all those little plants are starting to bloom! I am most excited for the peonies and very surprised about the columbine, I didn't plant that. But is sure is pretty!

Tulips brighten my day every time I see them! It doesn't matter how short or tall, bright or pastel, simple single stem or ruffly parrot, they all make me smile.

Every year when I sit down to start ordering my bulbs I have to exercise ALOT of self control. There are just soooooooo many to choose from. So many. So so many.  I held back this year since I knew I would be expanding my annual beds but I did tuck a few pink beauties in around the house so that I could add a little pop of color to my spring arrangements.

Most flower farms start to order the next years bulbs when this years bulbs are blooming and then we wait. . . . . . . until fall arrives and the bulb crates start rolling in. I am very excited about the additions I've ordered already and I just might be adding a few more from my wish list because they are really pretty. And I think you all need them in your bouquets next spring. 

Iris are one of the many unsung beauties of the cut flower world often forgotten by cut flower growers and home gardeners alike. I also am guilty of not giving these lovely flowers their due. As a matter of fact I completely forgot I had these until a hint of purple deep in the trees caught my eye.

I was given 1 rhizome years ago and unsure of where to put it so back in the dirt bank it went. Flash forward 3 years later they have established themselves and multiplied.