Something is nibbling in my hibiscus, so I sprinkled it with ground cayenne pepper to see if that deters the activity. I know I said I wanted low maintenance plants, but I’ve always loved the look of hibiscus and really want this one to do well so we can plant more.

The honeysuckle in the corner is super happy this spring. I think it rather enjoys the new drip line feeding its roots.

We thought for certain the crossvine had succumbed to the artic cold in February, but it is also happy and full of bloom. I’m very glad I didn’t rip it out!

Well that is surprising. I planted white Iris three years ago, and last year all the blooms were white. This year a purple one has bloomed in the patch! The other plants don’t even have buds yet.

When planning our front flower beds, we give our kids the option of choosing a plant. My youngest chooses daisies every time. This year the Shasta Daisy caught her eye. They certainly are pretty!

Three years ago I used erosion control blankets to keep dirt in place while my grass seed could grow (which it did with only a little success). The label said that the mat would degrade. Nope. The string used to hold the straw together is still there after three years. The freeze killed most of the St Augustine grass (yay!), and I am raking and thatching the front yard to seed with a buffalo grass mix (which is native to the area). Between pulling up the St Aug runners and the embedded strings, raking is slow going. Live and learn.