>>Wow, everything is looking beautiful! <<

Thank you! It's getting to where you can really see the color-matching of different gardens now. :D The barrel garden is still kinda flat because it takes time to grow in, but eventually it will have flowers of different heights and some spilling over the edge.

>>Columbines are among my favourite flowers, <<

Me too. I like the wild type but I don't have any of those blooming yet.

>> and I love the cottage pinks too, especially the clove scented ones.<<

I've got more of them in the prairie garden. They're edible, and sometimes have a clove taste.