Early spring rampage

those hemerocallis are stunning wylie, you have such patience.
I do like the smaller species Gladiolus. I intend to get more over time.

Being a sucker for anything blue I love the Aquilegia. And the gladiolus is beautiful.

Thanks! I have been busy getting the beds prepared to plant out this year's new daylilies around the end of the month. The gladiolus are fairly easy to start from seed - it is the 3 or 4 years for the first flower that is the hard part. The aquilegia came as a mix selection, so I didn't know what to expect.

Always admire your flowers. Can I ask if you get a fair amount of warm rain in winter in the Azores?

looking great ....

Gg

Siris: As the jet stream moves up during spring and down during the fall, it will rain almost every day for 4-5 weeks. Then late June through August it will be very dry. Last week it rained very heavy and I had to wait until it stopped before I could walk in the street, it was full of water rushing down the hill. That is actually a good thing because it cleaned the street. Farmers move their cows all the time, which means you have to watch your step. A farmer will have several fields, none of which are adjacent; so the streets can be full of cows moving with very little help from people. But it has been a couple of days, so we need more rain to clean the streets. Cows use a lot more water than people (and there are more cows than people on this island), so we worry in the dry periods if there will be enough water for people.

Lucky you.

They're all beautiful Wylie and I'm a sucker too for any Aquilegia but the black Petunia is amazing!

Thank you Wylie, for that information. I was thinking to water some plants more, e.g. S, African plants, providing they don't get too chilled as well.
Plenty of cow manure, but probably rather fresh!

For the South African plants, you need to figure out where they are from. Many come from areas that have very well drained soil or thrive in rocky areas. I use soil with a lot of grit and make sure they get a good soaking at least once a week. I take notice of the weather they have during their winter to learn about rain and temperatures.
Thorneyside: The petunia is in a planter right by the entrance so it doesn't get lost in the background, a problem with black flowers.

Lovely selection love the Gladioulus.