Dahlias, Hydrangeas and lilies- and a cactus bloom for Cactus Monday

Since I am still visiting my daughter I thought I would post some recent pictures that I never got around to putting up. I was really surprised when my two Dahlia plants started coming back this Spring. Everything I had read indicated the tubers needed to be dug up and stored over the winter, but busy gardener that I am, I never got that done. I had them both in pots, and when the tops died back last winter, I just put the tubers in the flower bed, covered them with mulch and hoped for the best. Well they popped right back this spring, with the peach colored one just a bit ahead of the pink one, but buds on both. Here is the first bloom from the peach one.

And a "bugs-eye" view of the opened flower

Here is the very first flower from the little Hydrangea I've been babying along for the last year and a half or so. It is the kind that blooms pink or blue depending on the soil PH. This plant really isn't cut out for AZ heat, and I often have to give it an extra watering, but its worth it to get Hydrangea flowers- some of my childhood favorites- to bloom for me!


I planted two Calla Lily bulbs a year ago in the early Spring, but although both had plenty of green leaves, neither of them bloomed. However this Spring I was surprised to see them both pop out, and one of them sent up a gorgeous bloom.

And for Cactus Monday. This little cactus bloomed in late April, and was putting out a second round of blooms when I left home last week. I don't know what kind of cactus this is but the blooms are gorgeous and there are tons of buds.

I am heading home today- can't wait to see all the changes in my garden! Happy Cactus Monday to everyone! Please head on over to Terri's Painted Daisies. Terri hosts Cactus Monday and leads a wonderful talented group of artists in showing off their cactus creations!