Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day – May 2014

Coltsfoot and violets on the Rose Bank
Coltsfoot and violets on the Rose Bank

I begin this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day post with a blooming mistake. Maybe three years ago I thought coltsfoot might be a good groundcover on the Rose Bank. I was only thinking of the flowers and the size of the early spring foliage – not what it would look like in June, July, August, September and October. Or how very rapidly and strongly it would spread. I don’t mind the violet which are everywhere here, and in the Flowery Mead – aka the Lawn.

Daffodils, dandelions and grape hyacinths
Daffodils, dandelions and grape hyacinths

Here is a blooming trifecta. The first dandelion appeared on May 2. Now, after the first lawn mowing and some warm weather, they are everywhere. The daffodils and grape hyacinths are happy under the weeping birch.

Forsythia
Forsythia

There is better, more lushly blooming forsythia in  the neighborhood, but this is the best forsythia bloom I have had in all  the 34 years we have lived here. I often thought about ripping out this hedge because it bloomed so intermittently and poorly, but it was just too much work. And now after the longest, coldest spring it is shouting out Hallelujah!

Primroses and snake
Primroses and snake

Because my camera is the ‘point and hope’ variety, and the shadows were so dappled, I did not see this snake among the primroses until I took it out of the camera. Do you see it?  I like snakes in the garden.

Van Sion daffodil
Van Sion daffodil

Van Sion is a very old daffodil. It was growing here when we moved in. It is a very strong grower and spreader. I have helped spread it here and there, but can’t ever seem to get all of it out  from this rose bush. Some years the outer petals are quite green which I really like, but others have called this an ugly daffodil.  I don’t see why. Look at all those happy petals.

Poeticus daffodil
Poeticus daffodil

I don’t think anyone dislikes or thinks the old Poeticus daffodil is ugly. At a tour of the daffodils at Tower Hill one year our guide told us that the all the pink shades in pink daffodils come from the narrow red rim on the cup in this daffodil. Poeticus is one of the many daffs I have moved to the eastern edge of the lawn. Someday soon I am going to try and name them.

Wild cherry
Wild cherry

Even the walk to the henhouse – or the solar clothes dryer – is a joy at this time of the year when the wild cherries are in bloom.

Dutchman's breeches
Dutchman’s breeches

Just in time for Bloom day are the Dutchman’s breeches. It is too wet this morning – mist and fog – to get a really good photo of the blossoms, but I was happy to see that this has spread throughout the garden – by ants!

Epimedium rubrum
Epimedium rubrum

I love the epimediums. This clump of Epimedium rubrum is a few years old.

Epimedium sulphureum
Epimedium sulphureum

This clump of Epimedium sulphureum is only two years old, but it is taking hold nicely.

Weeping cherry
Weeping cherry

Finally, barely in time for Bloom Day, the weeping cherry has begun to bloom.

It has been a long cold spring here in the higher elevations of western Massachusetts, so I am glad to finally be able to have some bloom and join the party hosted by Carol over at May Dreams Gardens. Thank you Carol!

This Post Has 16 Comments

  1. Hannah

    It’s great that spring has arrived for you after such a nasty winter. Your bulbs are putting on quite a show. Poeticus daffs are a favorite of mine for fragrance and cuteness. I like the artistic curve of your weeping cherry in the mist. I love Epimediiums too, but some like rubrum stay really small for me, sulfureum gets bigger but doesn’t have the nice bronzy edges here. Lovely photos!

  2. I enjoyed the “spring rerun” everything that was blooming two weeks ago here. And glad to see another fan of Poeticus daffodil – and I learned something new! Enjoyed your snake, too.

  3. Pat so much blooming for you now…I think you have caught up with many of us!!

  4. goodtogrow

    Wow, your place is so pretty! That makes me miss the eastern states!

  5. Sally

    Hi Pat,
    You have quite an assortment of lovely blooms! I love the white and blue Violets….and get a kick out of the dandelions….there’s no eradicating them without poisoning yourself and half the county! The biggest thug in my garden is Japanese Lanterns! They were well behaved last year so I was fooled…..Your snake is cool! Happy GBBD!

  6. Daniela Baloi

    I love the Poeticus Daffodils! I had a few groups that didn’t bloom last year but did this year! I was so happy and these are fragrant too! You seem to only be a week behind Northeast Ohio! Happy GBBD!

  7. Layanee

    I think I just might have to borrow that ‘flowery mead’ term. My lawn is abundant with blooms this year. I have called it the Freedom Lawn but flowery mead is so much more poetic. Happy spring.

  8. jane

    Happy Bloom Day! (well belated) You have a great variety of pretty blooms this month. Such a pretty, little snake among the primroses. Wonderful photo. I like all the dew on the dutchman’s breeches as well. Thank you for sharing your garden with us.

  9. Jean

    That is so interesting about the pink daffodils and poeticus. I love daffs and miss them when they’re done. Nice GBBD post, Pat!

  10. It looks like spring has definitely hit your area with so much blooming! I like your Violets and that Van Sion daffodil is so unusual and interesting! Happy GBBD!

  11. Pat

    Hannah – I think the color of the epimedium foliage does change over the season – more green with fewer markings.
    Donna – We are having welcome rains now so I think spring will take a great leap forward.
    Goodtogrow – The New England spring is a beautiful thing.
    Sally – I do not want any poisons on the lawn where children play. And children love dandelions, so we are good all around.
    Layanee – I think I got the term ‘flowery mead’ from Warren Schultz in his book A Man’s Turf: The Perfect Lawn that includes a great history of the lawn.
    Jean – Genetics certainly show up some interesting facts – there is always so much to learn and a walk down the garden path can be quite an education.

  12. Pat

    Lee – Yes, spring is finally here, and with rain today I think we are in for great explosions of bloom.

  13. Dee Nash

    Pat, it’s simply beautiful! So glad to see your spring beauties growing and blooming.~~Dee

  14. Lea

    Beautiful, beautiful blooms! I especially like the Van Sion.
    Happy Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day!
    Lea
    Lea’s Menagerie

  15. Rose

    So happy that spring has finally arrived for you, Pat! The forsythia is beautiful; the winter wasn’t so kind to the forsythia around here. Love the last photo of the weeping cherry with the hazy horizon!

  16. Just Lovely 🙂
    and do not miss…

    SATURDAY SHOW OFF

    it is FUN 🙂
    Welcome
    Håkan, The Roseman

Leave a Reply