Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, May 2020

Lits Mayıs 03, 2022

One of the joys of May -- the golden leaves of Goldmound spirea (Spiraea japonica 'Goldmound')

It is very warm and humid on this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day with a thunderstorm brewing. It's a sharp contrast to one week ago when a late Polar Vortex hit the Poconos, zapping many new buds and leaves in my garden with -20°F wind chills. While I am tempted to illustrate this posting with pictures of my dead plants, I choose to remain positive and show the good things that are happening today. I'll limit my negativity to just one photo -- the weeping redbud tree.

Frost damaged flower buds on Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud tree, Cercis canadensis "Covey"

While there will be no flowers on the weeping redbud this year, there are blooms on other plants. Let's take a short walk to see what we can find.

Clockwise from top right: Violets (Viola sp.), primrose (Primula vulgaris), Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis), Dwarf crested iris (Iris crostata)

Violets in the cottage garden are scattered among the forget-me-nots and primroses -- reminding me of my mother's garden in England. 'Freckles' is my favorite.

Violet (Viola sororia 'Freckles')

I moved Jacob's ladder to give it more space. It seems happy in its new spot in the Serenity Garden.

Jacob's Ladder or Greek valerian (Polemonium caeruleum)

Some lilacs and one of my bleeding heart plants were damaged by frost, but others were fine as you can see.

Top: Lilac (Syringa vulgaris). Bottom left: Bleeding Heart (Dicentra sp.) Bottom right: Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium caeruleum)

Most of the daffodils have finished blooming; "Pheasant's eye" is always last. A great favorite of mine.

Daffodil Narcissus 'Pheasant's Eye' -- a very fragrant daffodil

Before the freeze, I started mulching my beds with compost as I do every spring. Yesterday, as warm weather returned, I worked on the Serenity Garden. Many hostas were damaged, but I'm hoping compost and a little TLC will revive them.

The Serenity Garden mulched with mushroom compost

Of course, backyard birds are busy at this time of year.

When the red, red, robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' ...

Once again the chickadees are nesting in the jug birdhouse on the porch

To end on a joyous note, the first alliums are beginning to open in the pollinator garden. Their opening buds always intrigue me. I'm not sure about the giant alliums, "Globemaster"; I hope they survived. I don't know what these little ones are called as they were in an unmarked bag at the garden center, where I purchased them cheaply. They have bloomed reliably for many years and this year they didn't let a bit of frost bother them.

Allium sp.

I'm linking with Carol at May Dreams Gardens. Thank you, Carol for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Do go to Carol's blog and see what is blooming in her garden and in gardens all around the world.

Happy GBBD everyone,
Pamela x