I still have few Banja Lukas (Tulipa ‘Banja Luka’) blooming this year.
It sure is a beautiful tulip with strong colors. I have always been a fan of yellow and red tulips.
It will be a difficult task to choose the next varieties in the autumn. Nowadays I usually go for the ones that are not too tall and have strong and sturdy build. Those tend to look good longer and are not that sensitive to the weather.
The Flaming flags (Tulipa ‘Flaming flag’) are doing well. This is a third good year in a row for them.
When I bought the bulbs I was not sure how Triumph tulips would do up here in the north but they seem to be just fine.
They are strong and sturdy. Even though the weather has not been ideal for them they still manage to look good and untouched.
Columbine Olympia (Aquilegia ‘Olympia’) also called Lapland’s Aquilegia is always the one that blooms first. Way too earlier than the other aquilegias.
Even though it is a low growing variety it has big blooms and lots of them.
I only have this one plant and have been trying to grow more from the seeds but without success this far.
Columbus (Tulipa ‘Columbus’) sure is a very beautiful tulip. This peony tulip has glowing reddish pink color and has a decorative white edge.
This spring has not been a good one for them. The strong rainstorms have beaten the blooms and it has not been an ideal year.
The blooms are also a bit smaller than previously but I guess I am to blame for not giving them enough nutrients.
It will still be few months before dahlias start to bloom up here in the north.
Luckily there are fully grown available in the stores. Bought two of them to the balcony to brighten the day.
Have to admit that only planted few roots this year. Simply do not have good space for them available this season. Last summer was not good for them and most did not have enough time to bloom.
The speed is now staggering. With in a bit more than a week everything has changed.
Suddenly all trees now have leaves and it seems that everything is blooming. Change happens fast up here in the north because summer is short and over in a blink of an eye.
Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) also opened its blooms. I bought it last year from Ikea and was a bit unsure how it will turn out but it seems that all is well.
It has been cooler and rainier up here in the north for the past week and it seems to continue like that.
The good thing is that it keeps the soil moist and gives a better chance for sown seeds to germinate.
Monal (Narcissus ’Monal’) which I planted last year made it through the winter and is now blooming by the lake. It has been a good year for the daffodils and have not lost a single variety.
The Tuolumne Dog’s Tooth Violet (Erythronium tuolumnense) is one of the spring flowers I have.
It seems to like the place which it has been planted to even though the soil is poor and it needs to compete with the grass.
The plant is originally brought to Europe from California but seems to do well up here in the north.
It is time for the Turban fungi (Gyromitra esculenta). These fungi are considered a delicacy up here in the north. The Turban fungus is deadly poisonous and must be prepared well and the right way.
They emerge early in the spring and now is the best time to harvest them. You can usually find them close to the pine trees.
I consider it to be among the three best edible fungi there is. Cannot wait to have these with a good stake or as a soup.
Gardening in the North 