Happy Memorial Day weekend! I did my annual Memorial Day phenology photo shoot today, to track progress of where things are this year, compared to last year and years past. Click the peony to see the whole set.
Short version: every perennial plant is at least 1 week ahead of schedule, 2 weeks ahead of last year (we had a late spring in 2011). Enjoy your long weekend, everyone!
Stacking Functions Garden 
June 1, 2012 at 12:11 pm
1. It’s our second year in our new house, and the first year after Beth cared for the gardens and fertilized. We’ve got some fantastic salmon-colored peonies that we don’t believe even blossomed last year.
2. My guide to fruits & berries of MN says that bunchberries are a good survival food, but due to mealy texture and low flavor, not desirable otherwise. I disagree as I found the little crunchy seeds in the middle to be irresistible. I never thought that I could grow them this far south. Did you buy them or just plant some seeds from up north?
June 1, 2012 at 12:37 pm
I bought them from a native plant nursery called Prairie Restorations in Princeton, Minn. (They also have a retail outlet in Scandia.) Great place, and they have some very interesting plants that are hard to find elsewhere. Nice to hear someone has actually eaten and enjoyed bunch berry!
http://www.prairieresto.com/