White-Pink Tree Peony

Well, I can’t believe that I completely missed the date for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.  Especially given that May is one of the most flower-filled months of the year.  So given that I am so late I will just hit the highlights without a lot of reflection.  The Peonies are well into their cycle with the species peonies and tree peonies just finishing up and the intersectionals (Itohs) just starting.

Yellow tree peony up close

Paeonia x ‘Morning Lilac’ single flower

Paeonia x ‘Morning Lilac’

Paeonia x ‘Scarlet Ohara’

Many of the garden standards like Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Bearded Iris, Roses, and Clematis are starting up.

Rhododendron chionoides

Black and Blue Bearded Iris

Yellow Bearded Iris

Knockout Rose Red

Azalea Exbury Hybrid ‘Klondyke’

One strong growing plant with wonderful foliage in the monument bed is Virginia Waterleaf.  Based on last year’s aggressive spreading, I’m planning to cut this back after flowering and before seeds set.

Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum)

Hydrophyllum virginianum

Right behind the waterleaf is an Enkianthus which holds myriad little bells at the moment.

Enkianthus campanulatus

Also a bit uncommon and quite nice is the Indian Aster.

Indian aster (Kalimeris indica)

In the alpine bed and troughs there are lots of saxifrage and androsace in bloom.

Androsace, saxifrage, campanula, aubretia, and oxalis all blooming in the alpine bed

But I continue to find the Lewisia particularly attractive.

Lewisia pygmaea

Lewisia cotyledon

My favorite flower in one of the large troughs right now is a very compact silvery dwarf harebell from Croatia that naturally forms a cushion of flowers.

Silvery dwarf harebell (Edrianthus pumillo)

Well that’s it for this month given that I am already a day late.  What a glorious time of year!