May 8 - this year and last

Just last week I was looking at pics from the blog and noticed that by May 8, the irises were blooming. I thought, huh, we're behind. But this was this morning ...

You can also see the strawberries in the closer planter, the chives getting used to their new home in the aluminum planter, and the "virginia cup plant" coming up strong in the raised bed by the fence.

But the lavender is dead. Last year there was bushy new green growth by now. This year -- nuffin. It's dead. Hereby pronounced. RIP. Now, what to put new in that space...