10 things I love about the garden

Please bear in mind that this is by no means a complete list. But here are 10 things I'm thinking about in anticipation of the growing season. In no particular order of importance:

1. The chance to experiment with lilies like this beauty we bought at a sale at the Chicago Botanic Gardens.

 

2. Cold drinks in the "cocktail lounge."

3. Bodacious clumps of daffodils behind ferns.

4. Frogs in the pond.

5. Brian cooking Thai green beans with pork in the garden.

Saturday: On mornings like this, it's all about the light

Clouds left over from the night's thundershowers depart about 6:30 a.m.

 The sun rises above the trees and throws its light across the vegetable garden. (Whoo-hoo, look at that corn growing!)

 Tiger lily buds drip with moisture.

 Phlox catches the light.

 Buds swell on the 'Casa Blanca' lilies.

 The light plays off all the moisture in the air. And off those big puffs of Arctic blue willow (center).

 Sea holly (eryngium) almost looks like an alien plant in this light.

Bee balm 'Raspberry Wine' snuggles with some lily buds.