Bloom Day for May
Tomorrow is Bloom Day, a chance for us to give a monthly overview of everything in flower in their gardens. Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is hosted by May Dreams Gardens, where you can find a link to Bloom Day posts from around the world.
Bloom times this year have been rather topsy turvy. Most plants are starting late, a few (such as the Tulips) are finishing early. It hasn’t been a bad May, but it’s certainly not been one of the best.
Anyhow, let’s start with those plants that are almost at the end of their run, beginning with the last of the Tulips. The photo above is Tulipa ‘Little Princess’, a hybrid species tulip.
The deep red ones here are ‘Kingsblood’.
The White Trilliums (Trillium grandiflorum) are still in bloom, but the flowers are fading and taking on a pinkish hue.
Just as the Hellebore flowers are fading to a light green.
The Celandine Poppies (Stylophorum diphyllum) flowers are at the end of their season, and the plants are full of nodding seed pods. Time for a bit of editing to keep this charming wildflower from achieving world domination.
I took the photographs for this post, and I wasn’t able to get the correct light for the pics of the Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis). Though they are past their peak, the Bleeding Hearts are still looking pretty good.
Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) are in full bloom, but have not yet formed the wispy seed heads that give this species its common name. For some reason I lost quite a few Prairie Smoke over the winter. This is odd because the season was by no means severe. Too much moister, perhaps. Either that or I allowed some of the plants to get smothered by their larger neighbors over the summer.
This was the best year ever for our Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris).
Looking up at the Lilac blooms against the second story of our house.
Our patch of Prairie Trillium (Trillium recurvatum) displays its maroon flowers and mottled leaves. Funny how this clump just stays the same size, or so it seems. It combines nicely with the last of the Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica).
After the Tulips are done, the Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) become my first love. So beautiful, so delicate. This is the Columbine species native to Eastern North America, and I do prefer it to all the other species.
The last tiny blue flowers of False Forget-Me-Not (Brunnera macrophylla) make a nice background for the Columbine.
The Wild Columbine started blooming just a few days ago, but has not hit its peak. The last of the False Forget-Me-Not (Brunnera macrophylla) make a nice backdrop.
Also coming into its own is Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum).
A good, mounding groundcover for shade or part shade that can take care of itself. I like to grow it in the shadow of taller, sun-loving plants.
Mostly the flowers are lavender, but there is also a white-flowered form.
‘Kit Kat’ Catmint (Nepeta faasenii) has begun to bloom along the west-facing edge of the Driveway Border.
Bees absolutely love the tiny blue flowers.
Last fall I planted some Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra). The flowers are tiny, but in summer this plant bears highly ornamental (though poisonous) red berries.
Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ just started opening this weekend.
Love the rich purple color. The flower clusters are not yet full-sized.
Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea) is showing the first of its flat yellow clusters of tiny blooms.
Early warmth followed by extended cold has been confusing our poor plants. This weekend we seemed to get seasonal temperatures for the first time. I hope the warmth continues, and enables all the blooms to become reoriented. In the meantime, happy Bloom Day!
gardeninacity 
Lovely to see all your blossoms in spring, blue flowers and shrubs seem to attract more bees than other flowers … Or is that just my imagination? I tried to buy some of your lovely Ballerina tulips … But none in stock here I’ll have to wait till next year.
Didn’t know about blue flowers attracting bees, but they do attract me!
“Purple Sensation” – Wow!
Happy Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day!
Happy bloom day to you!
I laughed about your world domination comment regarding the poppies. I could say that about the columbine. I have to edit those regularly or they would be all that bloomed now. Happy GBBD.
I like it when the Columbine spreads. It’s not big and dense enough to squeeze out other plants.
It’s a lovely day in your neighborhood. 🙂
i do not know why more people do not grow hybrid species of tulip. As your photo shows they are excellent.
I do hope the warmth continues, Jason. Lovely lilac, allium and Catmint, it’s so tall! I’ve never seen such tall Catmint, Jason.
Have a nice week!
It’s stayed warm so far.
Oh, beautiful!
What a lovely selection of plants for May! Our weather has been difficult this spring. Temperatures have fluctuated, there have been late frosts and hardly any rain. On a happier note, Geum triflorum looks very pretty. I will have to see how it does in the UK.
It does prefer well-drained soil.
Despite that early thaw and freeze we have had a good May. The rain and cool temps (until now) have made the flowering trees last and last. I love your grouping of red themed Tulips. Gorgeous.
Lots going on in your spring garden Jason; I think you are right and it is wet/damp that has damaged some of your plants. I’ve noticed that plants can survive a lot more degrees of frost if they are in very free draining soil. I like the various Nepeta you have.
So many beautiful flowers! Those tulips in the first photo though, I think they stole the show for me.
‘Little Princess’ is really striking. It’s been reliably perennial so far, and expands but very slowly.
Looking lovely. That Prairie Trillium-Virginia bluebell combo is magical.
Thanks, I like it too.
Your blog and pictures are always a pleasure. And I so agree with you regarding the beauty of wild columbine. I have some columbine cultivars that seem to have thrown out some seedlings this spring and I am hoping the offspring come out a little wilder than their parent plants.
I grow only the wild species, in part because Columbine hybridize so readily.
Lovely! Alliums are not out here yet, the tulips are over and the lilacs are just opening. I put it down to crazy weather too.
I just did a post on our native columbines, which have just started to bloom here too.
So far May has been very wet and cold here. A few area towns had 7-8 inches of snow yesterday.
I saw the Columbine pictures in your post – lovely!
Like Loree, I love that species tulip in your first photo. I might have to look for that this fall! We’re having crazy spring weather here too, and our poor plants are confused.
As are some of the poor gardeners, at least in my case.
I really like your native blooms! The Aquilegia canadensis is particularily gorgeous! I’ve not yet had success starting seeds of it’s western cousin…I may just break down and buy one! Happy GBBD!
Are you planting the western species with the blue flower?
Seeing tulips now when mine are so long gone (including the foliage) is nice. I wish I had planted some A. ‘Purple Sensation’ this year. They don’t come back for me and I have to replant every year-in a frenzy to order tulips I often forget about the other stuff!
Maybe there are other species/varieties of Allium that would be perennial for you?
Ooh! I’m adding ‘Kingsblood’ to my bulb order for this autumn. What a handsome color! Spring seems to be arriving despite the weird temperatures this year. (We’re still cold and wet.)
Suddenly we’ve turned hot and rainy.
I’ve been eyeing the Kit Kat Catmint to edge some gardens. Your lilacs look great. I inherited one here but it needs some TLC. Happy Belated Bloomday!
Happy Bloomday to you!
Prairie Smoke is just gorgeous!! How I love your blues, and columbines, they pop up here every year, different colour, shape…the variations are just astonishing, seems this plant can live everywhere.xxx
I only grow the one species of Columbine, so I don’t get a lot of variation. I really do love this species, though.
Wonderful blooms, Jason – I especially love the Prairie Smoke and have been wanting to add that to my garden.
It’s a great plant but it can’t handle much competition from bigger plants. Needs sun and well-drained soil.
That’s good to know.
All wonderful but love the lilac bush and the columbine pictures most!
I just might agree with you!
How blooming lovely! Especially your aquilegia, great photo
Thanks!