First Flowers

First flowers of the season are helping us to see past the rampant weed growth overtaking large areas of the garden.  This Spiritual Corridor daylily was the second purchased by mail order.  Ruffled yellow edging is a little over the top but these flowers certainly catch and hold the eye.  Here again, several years were required for a sizable clump to develop but we now have one large enough to divide.

American native Cardinal Flower is rarely seen as a single flower.  Usually numerous blossoms crowd a vertical spike making it difficult to see the flower's structure.  Two up and three down with two white floaters are a combination  seldom seen.  Soon our gardens will be over run with this riot of red color.

In all honesty, this is the second flower for Gentle Ed.  The first blossom was sadly torn, perhaps by the all to common insects that seem to be everywhere now.  That is not all complaint since the Bluebirds are finding easy food for their nestlings.

Indian Giver is a beautiful variety with an insensitive name.  I seem to be a soft touch for ruffled edges in light colors.

Wineberry Candy was initially placed near the edge of a new planting bed.  Quack grass quickly reclaimed the area so this plant has faced a challenge from the start.  It clearly deserves a better location.  If we ever get the upper hand with all of our weeds, this plant deserves better siting.