Photos from this weekend

Late bloomers - these tulips just opened over the past few days.

Close-up

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) - this is its first year in the garden and it's only about 12 inches tall; it should reach 2-3 feet.  I expect a more spectacular display in the fall when the temps begin to cool once again.  This plant loves shade, and will bloom for quite awhile unless exposed to too much sun and heat.

One of our plum trees has bloomed; she's 4 years old and produced 1 small plum for the first time last year.  We expect a few more this year.

The ground phlox has started to bloom as well

My mother planted this hosta at the base of an elm tree (which sadly died of Dutch Elm disease along with several others in the backyard) when she owned the property, so I'm not entirely sure of the type.  But based on size, and color and texture of the foliage, I believe this is Empress Wu Hosta.  It becomes mammoth and the tree stump will no longer be visible within a couple of weeks.

Weeping Siberian Pea Tree, affectionately referred to by Nora and me as the Weeping Russian (because we can never remember the full name).  This will be covered in bright yellow flowers soon.  I just relocated it next to the gazebo and it seems quite happy in its new location.

Jim is almost finished with the new arbor.  He has a little more trellis work to add to the front end posts and the center post in the back.  It's sizeable, sturdy and will look fabulous draped in purple wisteria and pink and white climbing roses - with some clematis tossed in.

Lastly, Nora's artistic Sedum photo.  Sedum "Autumn Joy" doesn't flower until late summer, but will bloom until late fall.  It is a wonderful, hardy perennial that looks beautiful in any perennial border.  The foliage is a lovely blue-green and is thick and succulent and, at 2' tall, could really stand on its own.  But by mid to late August, it will be covered in enormous, dark pink flower heads.