DAVIDIA BLOOMS AFTER 18 YEAR WAIT

my brother's davidia bloomed after an 18 year wait. my brother writes:

"1n 1995, I was given a 2 year old seedling of Davidia by a friend.  Davidia is a very rare tree, and it is famous for taking up to 20 years to bloom.  Every year for the past 18 years I've been looking in vain for buds and flowers.  I looked just this week.  It's been a running gag that I won't let us even think about moving until the dang thing has bloomed.

Today I was showing another friend around the garden, and he remarked "Oh, your Davidia is in bloom."  WHAHOOOO! " 

above is a long-established davidia at the arnold arboretum

my brother's tree with it's 4 flowers, above, and below...

(brother lives and gardens in massachusetts)

HAPPY MOTHER'S MAY

a wonderful time for flowers! 

the center of the potager a few weeks ago... since then i have removed the dwarf albert spruces and put tomatoes in... the narcissus put on a tremendous display and are done, now the clematis are blooming...

magnolia 'daybreak'

in the woodland garden, omphalodes' little faces are smiling...

epimedium 'bandit'n (imo still not big enough that i can divide)

fothergillia... doing better now that neighbor's got rid of a tree...

dependable camassia

this purple akebia vine is trying to kill my cherry tree and take over the entire house!

the white akebia is no less vigorous! it climbs onto the deck...

1st harvest - baby lettuces

we finally had some nice rain after a bone-dry april

tree peony... so beautiful, but the flowers only last a few days

in the center you'll find a cardinal... i was so excited to see it in the redbud while i had my camera with me - but i had my macro lens!!! so that's why this photo is sub-optimal (aka crummy)...

close up of the redbud...

purple fringe tulip... i never tire of these...