May 15. 2026

May is always a wild ride! It’s Mother’s Day, prom, Geneva College’s graduation, and also a time when not much is naturally blooming. Tulips are done, and with the early heat in April I didn’t even have any stored tulips left. Peonies have barely started (note the photo of trying to open peonies via steam from my pot of curry!), and perennials are carrying me through: lupine, columbine, bleeding heart, iris, ninebark… Hardy annuals are just getting started- bachelor’s buttons, nigella, corn cockle, bupleurum. And of course the lovely ranunculus are going strong!

I ordered double tulips and lilies for Mother’s Day & Geneva graduation weekend, and next year I’m so excited to be able to fulfill the MANY orders that weekend with all of my own flowers. My forced lilies will be ready by the end of May, so I’ll just start them a bit earlier next year. I’ve ordered plenty of tulips now that the tariffs are more predictable. Using my low-tunnels a bit more like greenhouses will keep my ranunculus and hardy annuals blooming early enough to use!