In between light rain events yesterday, and after our ravine walk we decided to go along to our favourite independent, family-owned and operated nursery rurally located, but yet not far from where we live. Cleroux has always had the best and most robust of our favourite flowering summer plants, begonias, and although I overwinter the bulbs gathering them up every fall, we always go along to ensure we have others well advanced for the season, to plant in our front-of-the-house garden pots.

The garden pots out at the front of the house are all filled with soil and ready to be planted. I won't disappoint them, planning to do the planting in a matter of days; perhaps today I'll begin. Yesterday I planted three new clematis vines, and most of our existing clematis appear to be coming along nicely. Strangely, the honeysuckle, one at the front the other in the back garden, don't seem to be doing well. But the climbing hydrangea is working mightily to make up for that lack on the part of the honeysuckles.

We've had to place temporary wire 'fencing' around the back gardens, to keep them from being gnawed by our two little black predators who have never seen a growing plant they aren't interested in nibbling at. Mostly we're trying to keep them from the lilies and as well the hydrangeas, potentially poisonous to dogs. We've had to dig up one old hydrangea because of its prominent placement and ready availability for our two little incorrigibles, and that's a pity.

Garden perennials are beginning to show themselves very appropriately for the season. Our favourites, hostas, which we have planted in all the gardens, in a wide variety of sizes, colours and textures, are the most reliable plants in the garden. The lilies-of-the-valley at one side of the house have already hung out their flower buds. The two magnolias are beginning their bloom and will soon be magnificently covered with large, magenta flowers.

Jackie heading up the rock garden

The climbing roses are coming along nicely and no doubt will be shortly setting the stage for their June blooming time. One of the rhododendrons has suffered dieback, unsurprisingly, given our very severe winter, and we've had to cut back one of the yews for the same reason. All in all, we're more than satisfied, however, with how the gardens have survived an uncompromisingly icy winter that never seemed to end.