Bloom Day in the Merry Merry Month of May

Garden frenzy has descended on Idyll Haven.  After losing much of April to less than stellar weather, May has become a mad dash to get things done.  Buying season for unusual annuals has begun.  "Inventory" is beginning to pile up on the patio and I still haven't been to the best places.  Every night I hook up the appliance dolly and move a few more containers out of the garage.  Eventually it all comes together.

Yesterday was my main man's 14th birthday.  Usually I don't make a big deal out his birthday and as hard as it is to face, the likelihood of him celebrating too many more is not the best.  So I took him to the groomer, posted lots of pictures on Facebook, and brought him to work with me so people could fawn over him.  At some point during the all the birthday frivolity I realized Bloom Day was today.

My Nickster is 14!  Where did the time go?

So last night I sprinted madly around the garden and grabbed a few pictures.  Much of my garden focus is on later season interest so I'm always amazed at how much is in bloom in the spring.  Here is a cross section:

The fleeting blooms of Magnolia 'Sunspire'

My big overgrown Viburnum carlesii crowding out Cotimus 'Golden Spirit'

Fothergilla gardenii with the fading blooms of a Hellebore.

Kerria japonica 'Picta' is one of my favorite shrubs for dry shady spots

 

Rhododendron 'Ken Janek' just days away from bursting into full bloom

Rhododendron 'Capistrano'

Daphne caucasica 'Jim's Pride' has been happy and long lived on the wall garden

I don't remember the cultivar name of this Rhododendron.  The flowers are fading now.

Here is what the flowers looked like a week ago

Dicentra season is upon us.  Most are reseeded from a plant of long ago.

Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba' surrounded by Galium odoratum

I absolutely love the gaudiness of Dicentra spectabilis 'Gold Heart'.

Primula in the shadow of a Disporum flavens

In the sping, I have been known to hand trim around Ajuga that has naturalized in my lawn.

Here's what happens when you restore lawn over what used to be garden.

Anemone sylvestris

Epimedium youngianum ;Niveum'

Chrysogonum virginianum is another plant for tough dry shade

Phlox subulata forms the perfect skirt for a variegated Yucca in the curb garden

Iberis sempervirens 'Golden Candy'

A true "perennial" Sunflower

Brunnera 'Variegata' and Epimedium 'Lilafee"

Brunnera 'Jack Frost'

Nepeta 'Little Titch' has survived repeated attacks by the flea bag cat

One of my favorite spring activities is to create garden chaos.  Usually I accomplish this by moving plants all over the place.  As a result, not much looks pretty right now but here are a few long shots.

My much neglected front garden is the only one of my gardens that looks put together in the spring.

Pathway from the garage to the side entry.  Lots of opportunity here.  Now if I could just find the perfect plants.

Another Dicentra ;Gold Heart' in the back border.

So there you have it!  Much thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting this monthly event and making me go out and stalk photos when I otherwise would not.  Be sure to head over to her site and take a peek at what's in bloom right now all over the globe.

Keep digging!

Sue~