What’s in flower in May? May is the month of maybes. Consequently you just never know what to expect to be in bloom at this time of the year. It’s a month of rituals when weather forecasts are faithfully watched. As a result frost sensitive plants move from indoors to outdoors. Then back in again if there’s the slightest risk of frost!
Heavy rainfall and hail in April and into May along with temperatures around 50 °F haven’t helped either. In addition it’s been great for the weeds and I at least have a lovely green soggy lawn.
Come and let’s see what’s looking good at leavesnbloom on 15th May 2012…
What’s in flower in May
What’s in flower in May? – Mysotosis – Forget me nots
There’s a blue mist of Forget-me-nots as they sprawl along the edges of the lawn weaving their way through the wallflowers.
There are more blue forget me not looking flowers from the Brunnera ‘Looking Glass’ and Brunnera ‘ Jack Frost’. However it’s their 2nd flush of flowers. Unfortunately the first flush was badly damaged with the late snowfall and heavy frosts of early April.
The foliage plants in the background giving contrast to the blue flowers are Spiraea japonica Golden Princess™ Lisp and Berberis thunbergii Bagatelle.
Then a little plant that rarely gets a mention on the blog is the scented Corydalis flexuosa ‘China Blue’. It blooms under a white Potentilla along the bamboo path in the shade. It has lovely china blue trumpet shaped flowers with delightful looking foliage that has tinges of bronze. I divided the plant last week and moved some to a sunnier location as direct light has the effect of giving the newly emerging leaves a pinkish hue.
By the wildife pond Caltha palustris is in flower in the water while the chives growing in the gravel are just waiting for a sunny day to pop those buds.
Foliage Interest
While along the Heucheraholic path Heuchera ‘Curly Red’ is starting to turn crimson and Santonlina ‘Lemon Fizz’ with its tiny leaves has turned golden and they both compliment the burgundy tulips that grow in that area.
Dicentra spectablis was a plant name that I grew up with and as a creature of habit I still struggle to call it Laprocapnos spectabilis. The arching flowers are contrasted by the bright foliage from Philadelphus coronarius ‘Aureus’ and Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’ that grow alongside the plants.
More pink is appearing in the bog part of the garden as Primula japonica ‘Miller’s Crimson‘ is flowering. And you’ll notice the white in the background from the Winston Churchill scented daffodils.
Milium effusum Aureum freely weaves it’s way through the Iris variegata. But it won’t be long before I’ll be rooting out the stray seedlings.
Finally here’s my Fothergilla gardenii x major ‘Blue Shadow’.
Bottlebrush flowers
I just love this shrub with its white bottlebrush flowers and its amazing foliage colours in the autumn. Likewise it’s worth reading ‘Dear Mr Fothergilla’ to see those glorious autumn colours.
Well I hope I’ve given you a little inspiration today for what looks good in the garden in May.
