I agree with Ciscoe Morris, the Seattle gardening expert, every plant is a favorite. If it is in my garden, it is a favorite. But there are a few I love a bit more than others. Also, there are, of course, favorites for each season.
For me, the Peony is the Queen of the spring. I have at least six tree peonies, which are just beginning to unfurl their large petals into flamboyant blousy flowers. At least four of them will be blooming by Mother’s Day. They finish blooming far too quickly, those large petals falling like a blanket around my pots. If it wasn’t for the herbaceous peonies, I would be sad to see the tree peony shed its petals so quickly.
But I have over thirty-five herbaceous peonies in my garden, most of which are fragrant. In about a week, my garden will become a sea of pink and red, multiple-petalled flowers smelling strongly of rose fragrance.
The dwarf iris’ along the front borders of my garden has been in full bloom since last week, some are almost finished already, and the full-size Iris’ are just beginning to open.
Another of my favorite plants is the Exbury Azalea, with hot pink and bright orange colors. Again the blooms do not last long, but they are stunning while the flowers remain on the shrub.
