Hi, Members >The pest "endymion" Rodger mentioned must be the hybrids of Hyacinthoides >campanulata and H. non-scripta, In my garden the "pink" seems to start a few days earlier than the others, as well as White Triumphator, probably at peak bloom now, and a blue called Excelsior, which seems inferior. H. non-scriptus still has flowers. This is not happy, it may need moving to an area where it gets more water-- it is in the "rainshadow" of a large rhododendron on the end of a bed. >They are best restricted to rough grassy areas Also good along sidewalks, planter strips, or other areas where you need a self sufficient plant. I (tenatively) suggest Brimeura (Hyacinthus) amethystina alba, also flowering now, as a smaller and less agressive but similiar appearing plant. It differs in having two small bracts at the base of the flower spike, and in supposedly more pointed leaves. > >Also best planted in the grass is Ornithogalum umbellatum, the Star of >Bethlehem. Many "thogs" (I hear the English fanciers call them that) are in >flower now, though the smallest ones started in January. Some are >admissible to well-kept plantings, but most increase as fast as cheap >Muscari and are best put under big shrubs and so on. I like the common >European O. nutans with its nodding, gray-green-striped flowers; it will >grow anywhere. I planted Ornithogalum balansae, nutans, and umbellatum along the sidewalk in an area that gets little summer irrigation-kids walking by have kicked off the (pop-up) sprinkler heads, so I don't water there. Somewhat to my surprise, these have diminished, not spread and flourished. >Many bearded iris species are in flower, and the Pacific Coast irises are >starting. Of the latter I have mostly hybrids but also some species, >including native I. tenax. Here, pacific coast iris are probably at peak bloom. The named varieties include Foreign Exchange, yellow (Gold?), Idylwild and a few more. Lots of unnamed seedlings. Not sure if I. tenax is still true, it hybridizes with I. douglasiana, which is also starting to flower. (I don't always pick off the seed pods, so seeds fall into the clump and germinate. I. innominata had one golden gift, a few more coming. I. thompsonii budded. Tall bearded Iris just starting-Perfume Counter, Blue Surprise, a white which should be Space Angel, but the beard doesn't separate from the fall, so may be something else. Golden Encore will open within a day or two. Anemonee nemorosa-blue is well past. Single white with pink tinged exterior, scorched after yesterday's 80F temperature. Crested white in masses, still looking good. Hybrid anemonees almost past. Allium karataviense-one bud has split the sheath, so will be in flower shortly. Allium cowanii/neapolitanum--I bought both names, and the plants were different, but which one still survives? Allium-unnamed, from mixed species seed, possibly A. ostroskianum--anyway, a fair pink, is just starting. This is not what I bought under this name, but? Camassia leichtlinii suksdorfii-tall blue, starting. Narcissus-Polar Ice was fine yesterday morning, the heat melted it. Same with Stratosphere, a tall jonquil hybrid. N. Sun Dial still in bloom but starting to look a little ratty. This was unusually tall this year-almost a foot. N Misty Glen is white, the green eye not obvious now. Ixia hybrids-rose showing color north of the house along the walk to the front door, while elsewhere some open flowers, cream still tight bud. Gladiolus tristis almost open. G. carinatus has a flower, but it is in a pot so can't say it is in season. Lilies-the first here will be L. washingtonianum, usually around June 1. Right now it is less than a foot tall. Dicentra formosa Marjory Fish has been open a couple weeks. Off white, or white with salmony pink midribs. Geranium tuberosum still has a few bluish flowers. Lewisia cotyledon hybrids have been open at least a couple weeks. For comparison, apple trees still have a few flowers, oak tree leaves are partly expanded, Mollis azaleas in salmon and lemon are at peak flower while the named variety Peter Koster is almost done. Buddleia globosa is about to open its' orange yellow balls of flowers, for the first time here. Dames' Rocket, Hesperis matronalis, is starting. I try to keep the white, it keeps sporting back to lavender and I keep pulling out the lavenders. Who will win? Aquilegia flabellata blue, and white, and A. formosa are starting. Roses-- Graham Thomas, Mary Rose, Fru Dagmar Hastrupp--none of them pruned last winter, but still, very early. Ken, western Oregon Z7