@WarmFluffy
Our front yard has the most sun. The tulips are spreading slowly and you're right I should just make the patches bigger with more tulips.

@RussRAB
Our tulips last and eventually spread, but need fertilizer after blooming. It's hard to remember where they're planted. I let the foliage of the tulip continue to grow and spread bonemeal over them. Tulips are a pain in the ass when it comes to cultivating the gardens. I don't do enough cultivating because of them.
I always find spring bulbs moving or splitting plants and wonder what colour they are.
I thought a warmer climate would broaden the variety of plants to thrive. What you describe makes perfect sense. I'm glad I'm here in Nova Scotia in the spring but right now it's -3 degrees Celsius with a wind chill of -10.

@flower_nut - I'd be tempted to trade places with you in the Spring, but the winter cold is a deterent especially as I've gotten older.

@RussRAB
I agree with you. Winter can be a pain in the ass for a few reasons.
Freezing rain has frozen the car doors and I need to get to work.
Snow accumulation on the house and garage are at dangerous levels.
The power goes out before I have a chance to cook anything.

@Heidi68
They are short, very upright and stiff at a distance. If that makes any sense?

@flower_nut I meant - I like the Hyacinth better - tulips remind me perfect gardens - I like things a bit more random

@Heidi68
Me too! This hyacinth is lost in branches of the tree where it's planted. I held them out of the way of taking this photo.
Speaking of random. I built this with leftover stone from the front garden wall. Thought it looks like a snail or a whale.

@flower_nut nice!
I have a problem with - ooooo look, pretty flower, purchase pretty flower, get home, where should I put this one? Look there is an empty spot. Pretty flower can go here. Next day - ooooo look another pretty flower - repeat above scenario....

@Heidi68
The unusual plants have that effect on me.
I don't do hanging baskets.
Ooooo look, pretty basket!

@flower_nut I don't do hanging plants either.... have a few plants in pots - couple of roses that I couldn't find a place in the yard & a couple of winter Jasmine.... other than that everything is just put randomly around the yard.

@Heidi68
While building gardens some plants become bones and formalize the garden. Certain gardens look better at a distance with splashes of colour in random. When you have as many plants as our garden you start to fine tune the look around the bones in the garden.
I like random also and the path in the woods leads to a look-off where I plant at random any colour and plant that will grow. Walking through nature you come across a random bunch of plants that look out of place and surprising. I've had people stumble into my backyard from the path in the woods and they're spellbound.

@flower_nut sounds gorgeous. I have about 7 acres of natural woods that I love to stroll through - back part of my pasture. I have fox, raccoon, opossum and deer living there.

@Heidi68 - Your garden design sounds quite a bit like mine. I really like the bearded irises and when I buy them on-line, I often seem to buy more than I have space prepared for them. It's particularly bad because I have often paired down my orders due to cost - sometimes sacrificing ones I had originally put on my "must have" list.

@RussRAB I love the bearded iris

@Heidi68 Beautiful flowers. Are these some you grew?

@Heidi68
I have some bearded Iris but I love Japanese Iris.
Ooooo pretty flower!

@RussRAB these are some I had in Oklahoma - wish I had dug some up and brought them to NC with me.
@flower_nut those are stunning!

I agree with @Heidi68 , the Japanese iris are spectacular. Are they a water iris or do they grow more like the bearded varieties?

@Surfpirate
Spring is the most magical of all. The garden comes back to life after a long nap. The grip of winter lifts and a feeling of warmth fills the air.
I have a soft heart and biased for the underdog which is the hyacinth.
During the winter months, I'll share photos and look forward to spring for taking new ones. Thank you.