Beautiful, Julia! I keep talking myself out of Stealth Bomber, and keep wondering why when I see it again. Lunar Max looks like it is getting ready to really show off all season. Rudbeckia has really reseeded a lot here this year. Provides a lot of color.

Great start Julia! Stealth Bomber, FREEDOM'S TRIUMPH & TILL THE END OF TIME are the ones that really grab my attention.

Brad

I'd be happy with that rudbeckia, and you have many different color variations too. I see that Lunar Max is out of Etched Eyes, which is also a good early performer. Doesn't like the afternoon sun though. Was it last year that you had such dry weather early in the season? Black Eyed Bully never really liked it here, though the black eye is truly intense. I do notice that some of your scapes have only 3 buds. But the garden in general seems very well budded. Keep those deer away!

Beautiful pictures!

Just look at Stealth Bomber in the middle of all those buds! Lunar Max is pretty in that clump and Osterized catches my eye! Garden shots are lovely with all those blooming perennials!

I like Stealth Bomber, gorgeous color, looks like you are going to have a great show, so many buds. Blue Eyed Butterfly is going to look great in all those Perennials.

Sherry

Beautiful! Mmm all the buds! I always pick Osterized as my favorite and today too. Love how the purple and pink look together. Intelligent Design - exact same thing here ))

Julia - Well at least Dearest Valentine opened for you and has an edge up north. What happened to its foliage? Everything else looks so lush and green. This bloom looks rose pink. Were any of your blooms rose red?

Your rudbeckia looks quite vigorous. I love it, but it can shade out the daylilies too much. I usually dig out a lot of the self-seeded or reposition it on the side.

Your Stealth Bomber looks so purple. Kay says it's purple for her too. It's always been red violet here. I like it either way.

Lunar Max makes a very pretty clump!

Debra

Julia , some really lovely blooms shown here . How do I choose ? Did it take a long time for your Double River Wye to get up to full speed? Mine seemed to take forever ., yours is lovely . DEAREST VALENTINE and FREEDOM'S TRIUMPH are my choices here . Love the intense saturated pink color .

We are looking like it might rain here today and believe it or not I am wishing for rain. The sun has been so intense that any moisture we had ( and we had a lot) seems to have gone the way of the dodo bird. I know it will ruin blooms but I am willing to sacrifice a day's worth of blooms if it means we get some much needed rain . Boy, this spring I never thought I would ever say this . Hope you get some rain too ( If you need it of course)

I myself have ripped out hundreds of self seeding rudibeckia . Not sure what variety but it is a tall one with hundreds of quarter sized blooms . Self seeds like a madman. Pretty but very invasive .

You have some really pretty one today, Julia. I like the look of Lunar Max. Dearest Valentine is a beautiful color and such a nice start. Til the end of Time often starts out "blemished" here, then "straightens up its act." Stealth B is such a beautiful color...the Rudbecia looks really good...it adds to the photos so much with the texture and colors and the cone flowers do their part too.. Rocks Cry Out had its best season ever here, and your may be doing the same. Lastly, I really like Black Fathom Depths with the lovely yellow setting it off so nicely.

kay

Thank you all for the comments. Today I got pics of several that opened and will see what opens tomorrow. It was sunny at sunrise but then the clouds came and stayed all day. No rain but much cooler. So much still has not opened. Maybe peak will come August 1st this year.

Debra: none of the openings were rose red but this is such a new planting and needs time to adjust to a our temps swings and soil here. Next year will be the real test.

Julia