GBBD: In The Merry, Merry Month of May


I always think of May as a transition month: not quite summer yet, but something more than spring somehow. The garden's in transition too: from the shouty yellow of the daffodils - much needed in March after winter's drabness - to the quieter, varied shades of mauve for early summer. This Blooms Day I'm surprised how much white and very pale pink there is to show you: enough to put them as alternating photographs in my collage (click to enlarge if needed). I'm surprised there's tulips too, as they're usually well over by now. The last vestiges are there in my north facing front garden. If only I'd partnered my pictured T. 'Spring Green' with T. 'Queen of Night' in my mirror beds either side of the bay window. They're both blooming now, but alas I chose T. 'Purissima' for my white, which has long gone.

I thought I'd be showing you a kaleidoscope of Clematis this Blooms Day, but the cooler weather of the past few weeks has seen them stay steadfastly shut with the buds getting fatter by the day. There's now the odd lift of their skirts to to tantalise us with a petal here and there of blue, mauve or pink. The only ones fully in their glory are the C. montana doing its best to make my back fence less boring and the ever early C. 'Guernsey Cream'. There'll be a need for another interim Blooms Day post when they're fully out in a few days time methinks ;)

This month's finalists for the collage are - from top left to right, line by line: Anemone sylvestris, Tulipa 'Queen of Night', Tulipa 'Spring Green', Centaurea montana, Dicentra spectabilis (an amazingly lush show of them this year), May blossom aka Crataegus monogyna, Centaurea montana and Allium aflatunense, Weigela florida, Clematis montana var. Rubens 'Elizabeth', Petunia Tumbellina (TM) 'Priscilla', Potentilla 'Manchu', Geranium himalayense, T. 'Queen of Night', self-sown Aquilegia, a Saxifrage, Clematis 'Guernsey Cream'

Garden Bloggers Blooms Day is hosted by Carol: who won't be dreaming this month over at May Dreams Gardens.

Comments

  1. Unknown15 May 2009 at 09:58

    Hi VP, love the pretty collage! happy GBBD to you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anna15 May 2009 at 11:04

    Some lovely May bloom there VP. Hasn't May so far been in complete contrast to April ? It has really slowed growth down. Much too wet here this morning to do any work outdoors. Look forward to seeing your special clematis photo feature as and when :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Liisa15 May 2009 at 11:28

    Gorgeous collection of blooms, VP! Your tulips are especially lovely - I have a fondness for that deep purple. Happy bloom day!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Frances15 May 2009 at 12:00

    Hi VP, most excellent blooms and photos of them. I am missing the tulips already. So true, not really spring, but not yet summer, very transitional month here as well. Happy Bloom Day!
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  5. Helen/patientgardener15 May 2009 at 12:16

    My tulips have sadly gone over but I still have a daff in flower - it has been flowering for weeks I dont think it has realised it is meant to die at some point!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Martyn Cox15 May 2009 at 12:58

    Hi VP, I completely agree with you about the dicentra. My 'Alba' look superb this year.

    ReplyDelete
  7. our friend ben15 May 2009 at 13:24

    Hi VP! Please, oh please, share more photos when your clematis come into their own. Meanwhile, everything else looks gorgeous! It's been a great year for dicentras in my garden as well.

    ReplyDelete
  8. garden girl15 May 2009 at 14:04

    Beautiful May blooms VP! I added Centaurea montana to my garden last fall - passalongs from a client. Some critter or other has chewed them down to nubs twice, but they've come back and seem to be left alone for now. They're tiny, but I'm still hoping they'll bloom this year.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Rose15 May 2009 at 15:00

    VP, you are so lucky to still have tulips blooming! I agree that the bright yellows of early spring are a welcome relief from winter, but I do love these more soothing colors of late spring/early summer. Lovely collection of blooms!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mr. McGregor's Daughter15 May 2009 at 15:46

    I love the 'Queen of the Night' Tulip growing in that chartreuse foliage. That's a great combination. I wish Clematis montana was hardy here, I have a fence that could use some serious camoflage.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Joanne15 May 2009 at 18:14

    Lovely photos isent spring exciting though all that anticipation coming to fruition

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dirt Princess15 May 2009 at 18:35

    Great shots. Have a wonderful weekend

    ReplyDelete
  13. HappyMouffetard15 May 2009 at 19:53

    Lovely flowers. Happy GBBD!
    I hadn't even realised the date. I'll have ot do a belated photo session and post tomorrow, if it stops raining.
    Queen of night is gorgeous, as is the dicentra. In fact, they all are.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Carrie15 May 2009 at 20:49

    I forgot about Bloom Day, only my 2nd chance to join in too, sheesh brain like a sieve!
    My favourite Tulip, we have Queen of the Night too, so beautiful. Our Clemetises are blooming now, funny old plants the neightbour's 'Montanta' is going over now, ours is in its full glory.
    Oh and the Illiums are openning, hoorah!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Gail15 May 2009 at 22:19

    Yes an in between time for sure...it's the time I wonder if I am a spring flower gardener only. But that's because I adore spring wildflowers. ...Then the early summer blooms remind me I am not so narrow. But you do have lovely blooms going on! gail

    ReplyDelete
  16. colleen15 May 2009 at 23:19

    Love the Queen of the Night.

    ReplyDelete
  17. VP16 May 2009 at 18:30

    Hi everyone - so glad you like the blooms, but then it's hard not to like flowers isn't it?

    I'll be making a visit to each of you shortly to see what you've been up to :)

    ReplyDelete

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