growing fast

Last week we had rain and thunderstorms, today it was up to 82°. Wow a ton of stuff is springing up in the yard. Joe pye weed 'chocolate' :

My giant hostas on the side yard:

Sensitive fern I transplanted in a row alongside the hosta are unfurling now

More hostas- these I moved last year also- under the holly shrub

Lily of the valley are blooming:

The red/bronze huecherella look better now they've gained some size:

My peonies are rocketing up. Really want to put a few more in this year!

Black-and-blue salvia made it to spring!

I'm very happy to see the milkweed growing

Gladiolas! quite a few new ones, too- I think they're multiplying

My sedums around the stump came up faster than ever this spring

I'm not crazy about the rose, but it too looks very healthy and vibrant

Not sure if it's just because I'm so happy to see all the plants reappearing, but they look better than ever- they all seem larger, richer in color than before. It could just be that the plants are better established, or that I'm getting better at taking photos with the camera- but I'd like to think their health and vigor has improved because I've been breaking up all sticks that fall on the lawn and leaving them to disintegrate naturally under the shrubs and perennials. (A nice side effect of this is that when my kids hear sticks snapping underfoot, they know they've stepped too close to a plant I'm tending!)