Our arabis, common name rockcress, although Nancy never calls it that, has brightened my morning for the past three weeks.

We have four of them planted where they are easily visible from our kitchen sink. They are 10-inch-tall mounds covered with fragrant white flowers and are especially heartening on dreary mornings.
We use arabis as an alternative to candytuft, or iberis. The arabis blooms earlier than candytuft, lasts longer and doesn't get as woody.
The garden is coming around.
Our stellata and soulangiana magnolias are blooming. It seems that this is a great year for magnolias. I am seeing them everywhere I drive.
Our first azalea – white, but I don't know the variety – is in full bloom and the pulmonaria are hanging on, looking OK from a distance but a little ratty up close.
And the daffodils and tulips are at their peak.
The bright lavender bushes you are seeing everywhere are PJM rhododendrons. They are not considered a sophisticated plant, but they bloom early, are highly reliable and grow almost anywhere.
Let's see if the bloom is continuous this summer

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