Articles for the Month of May 2015

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day May 2015

White-Pink Tree Peony

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

Yellow tree peony up close

Paeonia x 'Morning Lilac' single flower

Paeonia x ‘Morning Lilac’ single flower

Paeonia x 'Morning Lilac'

Paeonia x ‘Morning Lilac’

Paeonia x 'Scarlet Ohara'

Paeonia x ‘Scarlet Ohara’

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

Rhododendron chionoides

Rhododendron chionoides

Black and Blue Bearded Iris

Black and Blue Bearded Iris

Yellow Bearded Iris

Yellow Bearded Iris

Knockout Rose Red

Knockout Rose Red

Azalea Exbury Hybrid 'Klondyke'

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)

Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum)

Hydrophyllum virginianum

Hydrophyllum virginianum

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

Enkianthus campanulatus

Enkianthus campanulatus

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

Indian aster (Kalimeris indica)

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

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

But I continue to find the Lewisia particularly attractive.

Lewisia pygmaea

Lewisia pygmaea

Lewisia cotyledon

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)

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!

May magic

Lewisia longipetala 'Little Plum'

Lewisia longipetala ‘Little Plum’

The first week of May seems to represent some kind of trifecta of garden flowers, garden chores, and garden harvests.  It is at this point where we get to see the fruition of some of the things that we labored on on last year and meanwhile we are tasked to prepare for the coming season.  While admiring the Lewisia

Lewisia longipetala 'Little Plum'

Lewisia longipetala ‘Little Plum’

which have come through the winter beyond my wildest dreams, I noticed that the hepatica are already seeding like mad and if you don’t grab those seeds now, then you never will.

Hepatica seeds

Hepatica seeds

This week has also involved tilling and planting the garden, mowing multiple times, hauling in more mulch and compost, and extending garden beds to accommodate our ongoing plant lust.

Looks like a big strawberry crop this year

Looks like a big strawberry crop this year

The strawberries look great but we added another 25 plants just in case.

I was happy to see the emergence of one of our Arisaema taiswanense.

Arisaema taiwanese returns

Arisaema taiwanese returns

The Arisaemas are typically very late in emerging but I was getting concerned that these had not survived the winter.

One thing that was an especially nice happening this spring is the first flower on a Gentiana acaulis that I’ve managed to root in tufa.

Gentiana acaulis in tufa

Gentiana acaulis in tufa

Gentiana acaulis in tufa

Gentiana acaulis in tufa

There are a lot of other special happenings in the garden right now, like the double flowered trillium

Double-flowered Trillium

Double-flowered Trillium

and the new Callirhoe

Callirhoe involucrata var. lineariloba 'Logan Calhoun'

Callirhoe involucrata var. lineariloba ‘Logan Calhoun’

but I’m leaving for the NARGS annual meeting in Ann Arbor in the morning, so I need to finish packing up.

Let me just share some species peonies photos before I depart.

Paeonia obovata ssp. obovata var. willmottiae

Paeonia obovata ssp. obovata var. willmottiae

Paeonia veitchii

Paeonia veitchii

Paeonia suffricosa ssp. rockii

Paeonia suffricosa ssp. rockii

This last one is the first time for flowering for us.  It’s a real beauty…