IT'S MAY, IT'S MAY, THE MONTH OF YES YOU MAY!

  The late spring garden is in full bloom. Clematis dominate the arbor until the rose take over in June.

 Here are the Dutch iris, a once a year treat. 

 "Easy money" as Jack calls Isabella as she lounges on one of her many favorite spots. 

 "Skating Party" is one of my favorite iris from Cooley's in Silverton, OR. They are no longer in business but their legacy lives on! 

 We kitted out the patio this weekend and treated ourselves to a new umbrella that just happens to match the newly painted lath. 

Couldn't resist the shadowplay of my metal "dance" sign! 

GILIAN LIKES IT HERE!

 Gilian Blades must have been something to have this beautiful clematis named after her/him!

These blooms are about 7" across at full flower and last several days. 

IT'S A SNAP!

 These little green gems are snap peas....the plants I grew "by accident." I went to the Grange without my specs and thought that I had picked out Green Arrow pole peas. Imagine my surprise when I discovered (shortly before planting) that I had grabbed the wrong thing! Since I couldn't be a plant murderer, I planted 'em. I went back to the Grange and got my regular peas, along with snow peas (the edible pod type). But these little morsels of pea-ness (oops, don't say that out loud...) have turned out to be the earliest variety and a nice addition to salads. You can eat the pod and the little peas raw or saute them quickly for about 1 minute and add them to other veggies.  

 May is clematis month here in the Rogue Valley. The garden arbor entrance sports 2 varieties, C. montana wilsonii (the little white ones) and a C. jackmannii (the big dark blue on the left). My garden theme is white, purple, blue and yellow with a few pink accents. One of those is the New Dawn rose growing up the right side post but not blooming just yet. The hanging basket repeats the color scheme. Yes, that's a goose on top of the arbor, though he is at rest this week after lots of wind last week. His wings go clack, clack when the wind picks up.

Here is a long shot of the veggie garden entrance. Bright green is the main color right now, as everything is madly growing. Some nice showers and mild temps have lessened plant stress after our week of record setting high temps in the low 90's in the valley and mid 80's up here in the foothills.