Some things that made me happy!

Well, first of all I just got a big surprise when getting ready to write this post.  Blogger sure changed things!  Hopefully I'll be able to get it all figured out without deleting anything.
We had several very nice days in a row.  Temperatures in the 70's and mostly sunny skies, that really made me happy.  Yesterday while reading Grace's blog and looking at her new blooms I spied something pink out the front window.  Of course being excited to see what it was I walked across hot crushed gravel in my bare feet with my camera.  I guess I'm just toughening them up for summer?  Anyway, the pink was not only one rose bloom, but many!  How did I not notice them the day before?
Here are a few of the new blooms I found while tip toeing across the gravel:

 Can you see all the spots of pink?  There are lots of buds to open still too.

 A close up of 'Gertrude Jekyll'.  If I remember right she was the first to bloom last year too.

 Rose 'Kimberlina' is right next to Gertrude.  I highly recommend this rose.  It has a very light scent, but gets loaded with flowers all summer and is very disease resistant.

 Persian Cornflower

 Another Lupine started from seed last year.  Last evening I found the Littlest Gardener rummaging through the book shelf in her room searching for a book.  She told me they read a book in preschool that day and she thought we had it.  "It's about the Lupine Lady" she said.  I had no idea what she was talking about, but sure enough we found it on her bookshelf.  My Mom had given it to her and I guess we forgot about it.  The book is called Miss Rumphius.  I'm just sorry I hadn't read it sooner, what a wonderful book with a great message.  Here's a link to it.  Even though it's a children's  book I think adults would appreciate the message and artwork in it.

 Red Valerian - the only one to survive the winter.

 A new Clematis blooming on the picket fence.  I will find the tag and post a better picture of it soon.  It's very unusual - dark red with purple bars.

This might have been the most exciting thing of all.  I found blooms on two of my eggplant plants.  I've never gotten an eggplant because they usually don't flower until too late in the summer.  Fingers crossed we'll actually get some this summer.  Edited to add this is 'Millionaire Hybrid' an extra early hybrid.

Yesterday while the sun was out I decided to dig up the entry bed, and got about half way finished.  It's a tricky bed since it's got mostly shade except for one section that gets full sun.  Finding just the right combination of plants has been hard.  I'll share pictures as it progresses.

Today we are back to cloudy and cool, the good side was some housework was accomplished!

Now I'm really getting excited!

Part of the fun in reading other garden blogs is being reminded of what I will have blooming in my own garden soon. June is usually my favorite month in my own garden, many of my very favorites bloom then. Many of those favorites have already begun blooming in other parts of the world. Since the garden still seems to be running ahead by a couple of weeks I've been excited to see some of these flowers just getting ready to bloom.
Roses are probably my most looked forward to blooms right now. I added a few new ones last year and have already managed to find a spot for a new one this year. I think at this point unless I remove more grass I may be out of room for now.

'Abraham Darby' - is loaded with buds, unfortunately it is also loaded with blackspot. I'm trying an organic spray for it, and hoping it will help.

'Gertrude Jekyll' - even open only this much the fragrance is wonderful.

'Tamora' - my newest rose has the most beautiful buds. I think if it didn't open any further than this it would be fine with me.

My unknown pink rose that came with the house. It had been in a rather shady spot in the backyard. Since moving it to the sunny front yard few years ago it has just gone crazy. It's over 5 feet tall already.

Another good smelling flower are these daylilies. They grow near white Lupine and look beautiful together. The Lupine is just starting to bloom too.

The newly added Allium 'Purple Sensation' seems to be much taller in the full sun places that I planted it. I know I'll be adding more this fall.

I think the Alliums look pretty with the Iris. Cameron of Defining Your Home Garden had this combination on her blog last Fall and I thought I'd try it here since I had no idea where to plant the Alliums.

Something I've noticed in the last couple of weeks are just how bad the aphids are this year. They are on everything. I would be out there everyday with the hose trying to spray them off and I've been to busy to use the dish soap and water spray method (which doesn't always seem that effective to me). A few years ago we released ladybugs into the garden and within about a week the aphids were GONE! The Littlest Gardener and I are going ladybug shopping this week so we can get rid of the aphids the natural way.