A perfectly gorgeous day. Yet another. What are we to think of this generosity of nature, suddenly gifting us with an amazing succession of perfect summer days when we've not yet exited spring? We've transited, amazingly, from a cool, windy spring to an abruptly-introduced, warm, gentle-breeze, all-sunny-sky spring that leaves us gasping with appreciation.

Jack and Jill cavorting under the deck

Suddenly the garden is coming to life. Mind, you have to peer closely to see that life evidencing itself, since everything still looks fairly stark, bare and unprepared to usher in late spring. But there are now leaves popping up, from the climbing hydrangea, the spireas, the roses, and many of our hostas, our favourite perennial, are thrusting through the soil.

Anemones

The peonies are shoving up their stalks out of the ground, and I've been looking closely for signs of life from the clematis vines; there are a few, and I'm hoping for a lot more to come yet. One of the Bergenias is in flower, and there's a lovely cluster of starry-white spring anemones in flower. Grape hyacinths are flowering. The larger of our two magnolias has large flower buds ripening to bloom, some of them already turning magenta, and one or two opening into full floral glory.

This afternoon I planted three dinner-plate-sized (the flowers to come in summer) dahlias. I planted nasturtium seeds and Morning Glory seeds. I planted a fledgling Shasta daisy and a Gallardia. I can see many of our perennials beginning to take their first tiny, tentative steps to awakening, and I'm overjoyed.

All in good time. What more can an avid gardener ask for?

Hens'n Chicks in the rock garden