 |
| Lily of the Valley, Convallaria majalis |
Welcome to Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for May 2014.
Here in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6b garden in central Indiana, I am delighted with each bloom, each leaf, each sprout that returns after one of the coldest winters on record. I do believe our snow cover saved many a plant.
There is a general sense, too, that those plants that survived the winter are greener, have more blooms and seem stronger for the experience.
The blooms are still just a tiny bit behind past years, but considering what they went through, I am happy to wait for each and every bloom.
I noticed walking through the garden that I like flowers with bell-shapes. I cannot imagine ringing in spring without Lily of the Valley, Convallaria majalis. It’s an old favorite, going all the way back to when I was a kid and picked them in my grandma’s garden.
Other “bells” almost blooming include variegated Solomon’s Seal, Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum ‘Variegatum’.
 |
| Solomon’s Seal, Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum ‘Variegatum’ |
and of course, Bleeding Heart, Lamprocapnos spectabilis. (Love those new botanical names, don’t you?)
 |
| Lamprocapnos spectabilis |
I still think columbine, Aquilegia sp., are some of the prettiest flowers around.
 |
| Aquilegia sp. |
I could show you dozens of pictures of single and double flowering columbine in bloom now, but I think I’ll just stick to this diminutive columbine. I bought it years ago and am working on getting it to self-sow in the garden.
Elsewhere in the garden, the first of the clematis is blooming.
 |
| Clematis with gillyflowers |
I’m sorry I don’t know which Clematis it is. I do now the flower below is Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Bath’s Pink’. I like calling dianthus by their very English common name, gillyflowers. They smell fabulous, by the way.
One would think from the pictures so far that my garden is awash with whites, pinks and purples and it is. I do have some blues mixed in, including Spanish bluebells, Hyacinthoides hispanica.
 |
| Spanish bluebells, Hyacinthoides hispanica |
Just down that path, there is also a touch of yellow from some jonquils.
 |
| Jonquils |
My guess is that these jonquils are the variety ‘Baby Moon’.
What else is blooming in my garden? How about lilacs and Amsonia, Carolina allspice and Deutzia, Alliums and strawberries, plus my big old-fashioned snowball bush, Viburnum opulus ‘Sterile’.
 |
| Viburnum opulus ‘Sterile’ |
I love this big shrub. It provides great cover for birds, bunnies, and garden fairies and reminds me of my grandmothers who had similar shrubs in their gardens.
How about your garden? I’m sure you have all kinds of blooms in the month of May. We’d love to have you share them with us! It’s easy to join in for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day. Just post on your own blog about what’s blooming in your garden right now, outdoors or indoors. You can include pictures, lists, common names, botanical names, whatever you’d like to do to showcase your blooms.
Then leave a comment and put your name and a link back to your bloom day post in the Mr. Linky widget below. (This month, I’m using a different version which should prompt you to upload a thumbnail image from your blog post. Use that to showcase your best bloom and further entice us to come and virtually visit your garden.)
Happy Bloom Day!
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
Thanks for hosting Carol! I always enjoy bloom day.
Thanks for hosting again Carol, this is such a great way of keeping a record of what’s late and what’s early in or gardens.
Your garden is teeming now with colors, beautiful. Thanks for allowing us to show our blooms around the world!
Thank you for hosting Carol. Your gardens are looking lovely. It was a slow start to spring this year but May has finally arrived and the gardens are catching up…love the month of May! Happy Bloom Day!
Hi Carol,
Lovely to see your garden looking so floriferous after the long hard winter!
Things at May Dreams Gardens are looking absolutely dreamy, Carol. What a show you're enjoying right now, with all those charming bells and sweet scents. We wish you and everyone else here a glorious May Bloom Day!
It's great that so many of your plants survived a harsh winter. Fragrant flowers really make a great spring, love the Dianthus and Lily of the Valley.
How wonderful everything is looking after your hard winter, it's amazing how plants survive the extremes of weather and come back even better.
Well, I can really see how far ahead plants are where you are when I compare Solomon's Seals. Thanks for the lovely post, and for hosting this special bloggers day.
Dear Carol, thank you for hosting. I see your garden is growing rapidly.
I also noticed an increased vigor and bloom on some of my plants this spring, especially those that are more cold hardy. Thanks for hosting and happy GBBD!
Wow Carol your garden is a sea of blooms…we have a strange spring with early bulbs still going and all other blooms not showing up much…many buds though so I expect an explosion soon much later than usual.
Thanks for hosting Carol. You and I have many of the same plants in our posts this month which always fascinates me. I hope my link appears as the Mr Linky box wasnt closing.
The view of the bluebells in your garden is gorgeous, Carol! I am with you–after the past winter, every bloom is appreciated, no matter how small. I'll join in with a post just as soon as it stops raining so I can take some photos without getting soaked.
Beautiful! I have some of the same plants blooming, including ox-eye daisies. Thanks for hosting!
Gillyflower is a great name! All lovely blooms – it's nice to see spring springing.
I am jealous of anyone growing Lily of the Valley. They hate me I swear.
Ray
Glad to see so many of your plants survived! We did alright as well.
~Julie
I've been looking forward to GBBD for a week! Thanks for hosting it and giving us a chance to connect with one another!
I think you are spot on about the plants that made it through the winter. They are definitely hardy — and so welcome. I love the images that show the swaths of flowers in your garden. Just lovely.
Thanks for hosting once again, Carol!
Your garden is full of color! What a way to ring in floriferous May! Thanks for once again hosting the party Carol!
Hi Carol, Thanks for hosting. I'm so glad spring has really arrived for you.
This is your dream garden right now, isn't it, Carol? It is all so lovely. We are ahead of you bloom-wise. Makes me miss the jonquils already.
I love your bell shaped flowers–so many this month. I agree that Columbine are some of the prettiest flowers, yours is lovely and ours (here in Texas) are on the down side of their bloom time. Thanks for hosting, Happy Blooms!
Looks like Spring at your place, lots of lovely blooms. Feels like summer here after a very unusual winter and spring.
The new look of Mr. Linky is great.
Thanks for hosting again! I love all your blooms! How did you know which ones to choose for today's post? I have too many!
Bluebells and jonquils and snowballs, oh my! Beautiful. And love the new option to choose an image w/your link. Happy GBBD!
Thank you for hosting, I LOVE your pathway with the beauty on all sides.
Took me a second to figure out the widget thing…but I love it! Thanks again for hosting…happy gbbd!
Happy May Bloom Day! Your garden is looking wonderful. So many lovely blooms.
I couldn't get the widget to actually post my photo – or post – Missing op? It looked like it accepted the photo. No matter, I love seeing all the blooms – and thank Carol for hosting this wonderful project.
I did get in! I'm always so confused.
Your blooms are to die for. Love the new magical widgets brilliant!
Thanks again for the garden visits!
And it's May Dreams come true.
Come see what's blooming at Entwined Gardens
Have a great day in the garden!
Jayme B
I tried a few times this morning to leave a link, with no success, so will leave a link here.
http://leadupthegardenpath.com
Pauline, I tried it for you and got it to work.
I'm glad that miserable winter didn't cost you a lovely spring. Your garden looks wonderful! Thanks for hosting GBBD!
It's your month, such fun to be a part of this bloomday tradition!
Every one has such lovely flowers! Happy May!
Love seeing all the midwest flowers again–thanks
Super to see all those pendulous blooms. Interesting that so many do well in shade. It looks as if your garden has caught up with ours over in the UK. Thanks for hosting.
Super to see all those pendulous blooms. Interesting that so many do well in shade. It looks as if your garden has caught up with ours over in the UK. Thanks for hosting.
Hello All I've been absent while we were building a house and then without blooms because I live in Minnesota! Finally some flowers this week!
Ah, seeing all your wonderful bell dangly blooms I realize I did not include a picture of my bleeding heart "hedge." Oh well, there are just so many blooms! A wondrous miracle after this past Winter.
I enjoy seeing what's blooming elsewhere – and to hear of the different names we call the same plants! Thanks for hosting
Glad to see I wasn't the only one who was stymied by the widget thing. Happy bloom day anyway: http://bannersbyricki.com/archives/3695
Carole, for some reason the widget has me caught in an endless cycle that isn't allowing me to post my url. HELP!!
http://garden337.com
Thanks for hosting Carol, I like the new link widget 🙂
Thanks again for hosting, Carol.
It's good to see that nature isn't defeated by the cold of Winter. It may be milder over here but you're not much further behind.
Happy Bloom Day! Thanks for hosting such a fun day.
Thank you for hosting. I love reading everyone's posts, and I love that GBBD keeps me blogging (and gardening sometimes too), lol!
Nancy, you are all set and have a link and pic above. Thanks for joining in!
Carol, although I went through the steps, my blog and thumbnail didn't show up. Can you help? Thanks.
I'm not sure that my thumbnail posted, either, but here's hoping. I'm glad to see your garden survived the harsh winter. We lost several plants and spring was slow to come but what a difference a month makes! Thank you once again for hosting GBBD. RamblinwithAM
Wonderful to see such a variety of gardens in various stages of spring. Thanks and happy spring!
Wonderful to see such a variety of gardens in various stages of spring. Thanks and happy spring!
Late in the day, but I made it! May is such a wonderfully busy time in the garden, I'm amazed so many of us actually had two minutes to post anything. Happy Gardening!
Happy Bloom Day, Carol! Your garden is looking lovely as usual. It is almost as if I am previewing some of the flowers I may see on the Lot in the upcoming week or so.
The flower you identified as Spanish Blue Bell showed up in our garden last year as an escapee from the neighbor’s garden. I’m glad I now know what to call it.
Your garden looks wonderful xogail
Carol, thanks for hosting! I love your Lily of the Valley best of all.
I love your blooms. Mine are so different.
My first time participating. Thank you for hosting this!
My first time participating. Thank you for hosting this!
Thank you for hosting…and glad I remembered to come over here on the 15th! See you next month.
So happy it's May! Your garden is looking terrific!
Beautiful blooms! my solomon seal is just starting to emerge – can't wait for them to look like yours!
Thanks for spreading the flower love throughout the interwebs. My puppy sister inspired me to join in – you've created a very special place.
Happy Bloom Day Carol! Not sure if my link is working but I gave it the old college try.
Beautiful! It's wonderful to see so many blooms in your garden this month.
Thanks for hosting. Happy GBBD!
Your garden looks lovely! I especially like the Spanish Bluebells, the clematis and gilly flowers. (I didn't know that them by that name!) Thank you for hosting another Blooom Day. I always look forward to seeing what's blooming in other areas!
I know we agree that May is a great month in a Midwestern garden! Thanks, again, for hosting Carol.
Thanks for hosting! Loving seeing all the plants that everyone has coming up.
Love, love, love the Spanish bluebells! Happy Bloom Day!
I love those Spanish bluebells! I don't have any clematis blooming except for the Fremont ones, which I love, but I got sidetracked on my way to take a photo of one. Maybe I'll go find one and add it.
Happy Blooms Day
Carol, A month ago, your garden was far ahead of mine; but after several 80 degree days in Gettysburg, we seem to have caught up. Although the garden is still behind where it was last year at this time, my blooms this month look a lot like yours. -Jean
happy bloom day–at least the rain is holding off until tomorrow this time.
Happy GBBD, Carol! Thanks for hosting!
Happy GBBD Carol!
I can't believe how nice your Spanish bluebells look! Happy bloom day!
I am so happy for you that your garden is finally done with this winter. This is your month, and it looks great on you!
My goodness – I can't believe how many people participate in this meme – you can't possibly look at all the gardens! Your garden is looking great and is at much the same stage as mine or maybe just a little ahead. I have bluebells and clematis, but not aquilegia yet. My lilac is just out. I love your jonquils – all our narcissus are long over.
Thanks again for hosting this meme – it is sometimes a struggle to get it done but I am so glad I do, even if it is late.
What a gorgeous spring garden!
Hi Carol,
I can see that everyone is choosing from a plethora of flowers in bloom at the moment. A far cry from February. Now is the time to think about flowers that might fill in those gaps in the cold or hot parts of the year…
So many pretty blooms. I cannot grow those first sweet bells, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. Loving everything in your garden. Off to visit others.~~Dee
Hi Carol, Thanks again for hosting GBBD. I love to see the number of gardeners participating increase.
I absolutely love your Spanish Bluebells! Thanks for hosting GBBD! It is so great to see what's blooming in everyone's garden in so many different locations.
Your garden is looking great this May Carol, you've so much going on, considering the late start you all had!
Thanks for hosting, I'm a bit late, I know but better late than never, I say!
All my blooms went early this year in Southern California. Now we are in a heat wave. I was lucky to have just a few Lily of the Valley bloom. I wish I could grow them here like my Grandmother did when I grew up back east.
I've never really joined in Garden Bloom day, so this is a first! Hope I'm doing it right…
I always make a post for GBBD but most of the time forget to link it here. Now I did! Love the 'thumbnail' addition. Hadn't seen it yet.
Marian
I love the new thumbnails in the widget!
Thanks for hosting Carol! Your garden looks to be bursting and whizzing ! Lots of lovely fireworks – the Dicentra is an especial favourite.
I´m a bit late but I wanted to join again. Thanks!!
I love bell shaped flowers too. Lily of the Valley is a must in my garden as well – such wonderful fragrance. Thanks for hosting, and sorry I'm late!