Welcome to May Dreams Gardens for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day this fine May day. I have flowers blooming, flowers budding, and flowers fadng! Here are some pictures of a few of them. On the side there is Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’.
This next flower is a mystery to me. I should know the name of it but I don’t. Can anyone help? I assume it is the Allium family.
This is a creeping veronica, Veronica repens ‘Sunshine’.
And the star of every Indiana garden, the state flower, the Peony. These should be fully in bloom by next weekend. This is a passalong plant from my Dad.
My best performing clematis is this White Solitary Clematis, Clematis integrefolia ‘Alba’. It’s a shrub type and does require some support, or it would sprawl all over the ground.
I tried to keep the gnome out of this picture of the Japanese Iris, but couldn’t. You just don’t say “no” when the gnome wants to be in the picture. There might be consequences, mysterious happenings in the garden, if you know what I mean.
I tried but didn’t get everything planted last week while I was on vacation. Now that I am back to work, these purchased plants will have to wait awhile longer before I can plant them in their summer homes.
And look, the robin’s eggs have hatched in the crabapple tree in front!
That’s enough pictures. Now the lists.
First, the fading flowers. “Wish you’d stopped by last week because they were really something to see then, but now there are just a few flowers hanging on, relunctant to say good bye so soon.”
Allium (Allium karataviense, I think)
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis, a passalong plant from one of my sisters)
Drumstick Allium
Helleborus x orientalis (Lenten Rose)
Lilacs (Syringa patula ‘Miss Kim’ and Syringa meyeri)
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Miniature Iris ‘Smart’ (newly purchased!)
Snowball Bush (Viburnum opulus ‘Sterile’)
Strawberries (I see little strawberries coming on as the flowers wane!)
Tulip ‘Deidre’, a late bloomer
Variegated Kerria (Kerria japonica ‘Picta’)
Violas and pansies
Next, fully in flower, or at least a few flowers beyond the bud stage
Beardlip Penstemon (Penstemon barbatus ‘Nana Rondo’, blue flowers)
Blue Dogbane (Amsonia tabernaemontana)
Blue False Indigo (Baptisia, ‘Purple Smoke’)
Catmint (a passalong plant which is probably Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’)
Chamomile
Chives
Columbine (Aquilegia ‘Tower Blue’, ‘Tower Pink’, another double purple that I don’t know the name of, ‘Black Barlow’, and a single-flowering purple one that also has no name.)
Creeping Veronica (Veronic repens ‘ Sunshine’)
Daisies (probably Ox-Eye Daises, Leucanthemum vulgare)
Dwarf Columbine (Aquilegia flabellate ‘Cameo Mixture’, also newly purchased)
False Forget-me-Not (Brunnera macrophylla)
Grapes
Japanese Iris
Mystery flower, some kind of Allium?
Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)
Snowmound Spirea (Spiraea nipponia ‘Snowmound’)
Spiderwort (Tradescantia ‘Blue and Gold’)
Spiderworts in various shades of purple (probably Tradescantia virginiana)
White Solitary clematis (Clematis integrefolia ‘Alba’, a shrub type clematis, but it does need support)
Woodbine Variegated Honeysuckle Vine (Lonicera periclymenum ‘Harlequin’)
Next, those in the bud stage, too shy or too stubborn, to be fully a part of bloom day! Sometimes plants just do their own thing, in spite of any coaxing or cajoling you might do to get them to bloom!
Coral Bells (Heuchera ‘Petite Pearl Fancy’, it’s part of my miniature garden along with the dwarf columbine listed above)
Cranesbill (Geranium passalong plant from my sister, variety unknown, but they are pretty)
Cranesbill (Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Karmina’ and ‘Biokovo’)
Dead Nettle (Lamium maculatum ‘Aureum)
Mockorange (Philadelphus ‘Buckley’s Quill’)
Peas
Peonies (passalong plants from my Dad and a friend at work, plus one I bought called ‘Shirley Temple’)
White Flower Carpet Rose
And finally, here’s a list of some of the annuals I purchased for containers.
Amstel Begonias (‘Camilla’ for hanging baskets)
Argyranthemum ‘Madeira Deep Rose’
Cleome ‘Linde Armstrong’ (a dwarf cleome I had last year and loved how it performed)
Double Impatiens (white and pink, plus a variegated leaf one called ‘Fiesta Ole’ Peppermint’)
Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’ (another winner from last year)
Geranium (Pelargonium, white)
Impatiens
Lantana (lots of lantana, first year I’ve tried them)
Laurentia ‘Beth’s Blue’
Osteosperum (two kinds, one white flowering, the other purple)
Verbena (white, purples)
Wax Begonias also known as Fibrous-rooted Begonias
Zinnia (Cherry Profusion)
I am sorry to report that the Deutzia, (Deutzia gracilis ‘Nikko’) which should be flowering now, does not appear to have survived the “winter of April ‘07”. Please take a moment to remember how it was last year.
What’s blooming in your garden today?
Please join us for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day by posting on your blog what’s blooming today in your garden, and then leave a comment here so we can find you and visit to see all your pretty flowers.
If you don’t have a blog, feel free to list your blooms in a comment below.
If you have too many blooms to list or not enough time, just go with your top 10 list and join us anyway. And botanical names are strictly optional! All are welcome!
And I’ll end with one more picture. This is Tradescantia ‘Blue and Gold’. It’s a morning bloomer and I took most of my pictures the evening of the 14th, so I borrowed this from a post last spring. I promise it is blooming like that now!
Nice blooms this May, Carol. Mine’s up too.
Beautiful! So that’s the stuff ‘dreams(May) are made of’.
All the blooms are lovely. I specially like the Veronica, wish I can grow it here in my climate.
I too have few blooms up my sleeve, already posted at Indiagarden.
It looks like your garden is finally going full steam, Carol. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the peonies, another plant — like lilacs — that bloom in my fantasy garden.
My bloom report is up. Thanks again for hosting.
— Susan from South of the River
Now it’s time for us to ooh and aah as photos of your luscious spring flowers overwhelm us with their soft colors and textures. I want to pet the spruce foliage.
The Clematis integrefolia ‘Alba’ is lovely, Carol!
There are a few things blooming so my photos are up too.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
So many gorgeous blooms. I have posted my modest selection.
I’ll post tomorrow…but could your mystery plant be Mediterranean Bells (Nectaroscordum siculum) ?
Dear carol,you were right about your mystery plant,it indeed belongs to the Allium family.You can look for yourself on http://davesgarden.com/journal/d/i/19856/
Hi Carol, Very beautiful photos. My favorite is the Tradescantia “Blue and Gold”. I’m going to try to find a few at my local garden center. It is a knock-out! The peony has me eagerly anticipating mine. But the new lives in the nest are the best blooms of all! Please stop by my blog – it is ready for May Bloom Day. Alyssa
A slightly attenuated version of my contribution to GBBD is up…90 minutes early on the west coast for your east coast insomniacs.
Link: http://coldcalculation.blogspot.com/2007/05/garden-blogger-bloom-day.html
Your place must just be buzzing with bees and others. What a collection! That pea flower has me most envious, though! You’ve gone from snowy bloom days to better day & night temps than we’ve been having. I hope there’s a pea blossom in my garden soon.
My bloom day post is up now too.
Thanks for this fun event every month! And congratulations on the well deserved Mousie!
I have the mystery Allium too. I think it is Allium bulgaricum. I love the blue of the Dogsbane. A wonderful collection of plants you have.
Carol your garden is a May dream at the moment. Enjoy! 😉
My Blissful contribution for Blooms Day is to be found at
http://blissyo-elgarden.blogspot.com/
Before I forget, I have the name of that bulb you’re searching for Carol on Bliss.
Have a wonderful Blooms Day everyone!
Howdy neighbor. Congratulations on your Mousie.
Aloha from Hawaii on Garden Blogger Bloom Day.
Beautiful blooms. Stop by and see the new way I have to show off my blooms.
Wow – if you really were my neighbour I’d always be round begging for cuttings …
My list is up.
Happy gardening!
Wow, Carol, you have a lot this month! How lovely to see the baby robins up close. I was hoping my peas would have blossoms by now, but not quite yet.
My Bloom Day post is up now too.
Wonderful photos. I don’t have much yet, but I did post what I have –
http://canwekickthebarhere.blogspot.com/2007/05/bloom-day.html
My peonies are not even that close! I am waiting impatiently….
I can’t wait to look at everyone’s blooms. Mine will be posted but not until later this afternoon and I do want to share! Love what I have seen so far! Layanee
Hello, Gardens looking beautiful! The plant name you are looking for is on the ‘Bliss Blog’ – not sure if my first message came through, so if this is a repeat – my apologies :o)
I put up a few bloom pictures too. But there still isn’t much blooming in my yard yet. 🙁
Oh, I’m envying your Baptisia! I just planted a tiny one a couple of weeks ago, so it will be a while before I get any blooms from it.
My bloom report is up – not very impressive, but June should be full of peonies and hydrangeas….
Carol – these all look so lovely, but what are you (we) going to do with the frost that is predicted this week, which is AFTER the frost free day (Does this change the frost free day?)
Sherry
I’m going to be participated this month, Carol! I won’t get pictures published until later today, though.
Love your Amsonia!
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Lovely blooms Carol. I just finished my post and I am looking forward to viewing everyone elses blooms.
And what is this I just read from sister with a homestead about a frost, please tell me it isn’t so.
I’ve been enjoying your and other bloggers Bloom Day pictures today. I’ve posted mine too (first time! – what fun!). -Kathy
These are very interesting pictures to me-as I don’t know the majority of these flowers-but all quite pretty.I have just done my first bloom day post at http://caribbeangarden.blogspot.com/
Lovely flowers! I’m in a bit of a rush, will be back later to visit longer.
Still no camera, but I did put up a list and a few sketches.
Pictures will come when the kids bring my camera back!
What a nice list of flowers, Carol! I like the Purple Smoke Baptisia. I wonder how it would look mixed with the plain blue ones.
My list is posted here.
Now I’m out to work on the garden, and then off to view everyone else’s.
Beautiful blooms, Carol.
I really like the Blue Dogbane and the foliage on that spiderwort is amazing!
Wow! No wonder you dream of May. What a tremendous variety. I love the peony. And the spiderwort looks compact and attractive unlike my unruly wild ones.
My list for Zanthan Gardens is up. It keeps changing as I see something I’ve forgotten every time I go back outside. My violas were fine this morning but are prostrate this afternoon. I’ll pull them up tomorrow after GBBD is over.
Hi neighbor,
In the “merry, merry, month of May !” What a difference a month makes. No wonder you love the month of May.
This is my first time to participate in the Bloggers’ Bloom Day but I couldn’t resist when I saw that my wisteria bloomed after such a harsh winter. She was really slow to come out this year.
Your photos are splendid.
What a great list and photos you have! I have posted some of mine.
Hi Carol,
This is my first GBBD and I want to Congratulate you on such a great idea!
I have enjoyed looking through your garden and I particularly liked seeing your Tradescantia – I’m sure I grew that once but it is no longer with me.
My garden is in Scotland and my site, shirls gardenwatch, also has photos and videos of my visiting birds and a camera Nestbox with Nesting Blue Tits and eight eggs.
I am now looking forward to looking through your comments and visiting other gardens. Enjoy the rest of your day – and the rest of May!
Okay, I made it (but just barely!). Happy May blooms!
http://talesfromthelaboratory.typepad.com/tales_from_the_microbial_/2007/05/a_tuesday_eveni_1.html
Oops. I don’t think my link worked and I’ve yet to learn how to link in a comment (without the complete web address). So…it’s at http://www.talesfromthelaboratory.typepad.com
Awesome floral frenzy happening, Carol. You’re so far ahead of our garden…my clematis are up a couple of inches, the bluestar (Amsonia) is barely out of the garden…etc.
Your mystery plant, as others have noted, is Nectaroscordum siculum, also sometimes called Allium nectaroscordum….love the way taxonomists figure things out and change names. It’s a lovely plant, very unique, though not fragrant…except somewhat oniony, of course.
Thanks all for the comments and for participating in Bloom Day. I think I’ve been to everyone’s bloom day posts, posted so far, and left a comment. If I missed yours, it is purely an oversight, please let me know and I’ll be around directly.
There is still time to participate if you haven’t posted yet. It’s May and there are lots of flowers everywhere, and we’d like to see YOURS!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
I can only imagine your garden at it’s peak! What a great May bloom report! Apple and I don’t have quite as many to share but we actually have blooms to report this month!
I’m up…finally! Sorry!
Enjoyed seeing all yours, Carol!
(I think I need to start this a couple days ahead…and then maybe I won’t feel so behind!)
Hi Carol,
this is my first Bloom Day post. Thank you for hosting it.
It can be found on the May 15 entry on my blog at
http://web.mac.com/stone0579/iWeb/piaandco/Blog/Blog.html
or http://www.stoneafterstone.com then click on “blog”
Late as usual! My Bloom Day is finally up. Your garden seems to be so far ahead of mine. My iris are barely budded. My violas aren’t budded at all. I’ll just ahve to enjoy yours until mine catch up!
I am to late to participate in the what’s blooming in your garden today, too bad!
Maybe a next time?
Late, of course
http://lifeontigermountain.blogspot.com/2007/05/garden-bloggers-bloom-day.html
The blue dogbane is really pretty. Love the gnome and iris pic, cute!
Carol, your blooms make me wish I’d been a gardener the years I lived in Cincinnati. I missed out on some terrific plant opportunities.
My bloom list is up, if late. 😉
Vive
Another first-timer – a tad belated. I enjoy keeping up with your blog and thank you for hosting.
Sorry I’m late, but here’s my post:
http://blackswampgirl.blogspot.com/2007/05/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-may.html
By the way, Carol, that Deutzia was gorgeous last year. I think you should try again–07 was an odd winter, after all! 🙂 (And have you seen the gorgeous ‘Chardonnay Pearls’ cultivar?!!!)
Hi, all, I’ve been back around and hopefully left comments on everyone who posted their blooms since yesterday evening. If I’ve missed you, let me know, purely unintentional on my part!
Some of you are apologizing for being late. There is no “late” as far as I’m concerned, so please feel free to join in at any time!
Thanks all for participating. All the blooms in May look wonderful everywhere!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
Hi Carol! Love your flowers…I have my post up, but I kinda “cheated” with annuals. Hey, a bloom is a bloom, right? 🙂
Yes, two days later my post is finally done. Next time I’ll just start 3 days early, and use less photos.
Finally, I got my May 15th photos up! I can’t wait to visit everyone else’s blogs.
Plus I love seeing your flowers because you’re like 1 week ahead of me, it’s so cool!
rosemariegarden.blogspot.com
Hi Carol – I’d love to jump on the bandwagon from Blithewold in Bristol, RI where every day is blooms day! I just happened to take a couple of bloom snaps yesterday… plus one of the frog… Your mystery bulb is indeed Allium bulgaricum – I think someone already i.d.ed it – but it’s one of my favorite-faves!
http://www.blithewold.org/blog/the-frogs/photo-op/
I’m a bit late but here’s what I have …
http://intheherbgarden.blogspot.com/
I love this concept, and I fully intend to participate next month. May was completely impossible since I was in Alabama on a road trip. I know, excuses, excuses.
Thank you for this website! I’m planning a wedding in May and I’m looking for what flowers will be up May 3 next year. If you have any suggestions I’d love it!
I’m so jealous of your dogsbane! I’ve never been able to get it going, even though I’m convinced that if it can grow in Australia, it can grow here in South Africa.
My winter blooms are up here: http://kahnage.wordpress.com/ – come over and have a look at what’s potting in the southern hemisphere…