Fritillaria thunbergii: You don't just love this one for its flowers!

Hey, spending all that time in China Valley must have predisposed me to be attracted to Chinese plants! Tony Avent claims this is hardy so here goes.

90F by Tuesday?...The cool spring that has been so wonderful for tulips is about to turn hot

This will be an incredible weekend at the Arboretum. Rising temperatures (into the mid-80s F) will encourage sluggish Azaleas buds to open; Redbuds, Lilacs, and Viburnums continue to flower, Tree Peonies and some Iris a starting to bloom as are many many other plants.

There is a book sale in the Administration building featuring duplicate volumes from the Library. Saturday will be the main day for the FONA plant sale that also features books, gardening paraphernalia, a few textiles, some jewelry, and probably other things I have forgotten! Fern Valley, the Native Plant Collection, is open and beautiful; the native Azaleas are just beginning to bloom, Trillium grandiflorum carpets various areas, Stylophorum diphyllum, is abundant. The Azaleas collection that had been lagging a bit due to the cool spring will explode in response to this weekends forecast heat. I'm scheduled to water Sunday, but I'll be in Saturday too: its too good to miss!