May 2026 Bloom day

 

White iris

I's been such a cruel spring this year, with drought and wild swings in temperatures in my Zone 6B Virginia garden! The mid-April frost coming after an abnormally warm week not only blasted the emerging leaves and buds from my flowering trees, but the irises that were in spike as well. Only the patch of irises in the front yard, protected by the house, managed to bloom. As of a few days ago only the white ones, later than the rest, persisted. My peonies, which would be blooming about now, have only a few viable buds, and are late.

Me too--I'm late with this May Bloom Day, hosted by Carol Michel's May Dreams Garden blog, because I was taking an intense in-person painting workshop for four days, and had no time to write or post my photos. What you see were taken last week and/or some days ago; welcome to my May garden, such as it is.

 

Amaryllis on the porch

 

The Amaryllis I got as a gift a couple of Christmases ago re-bloomed, and decorates my front porch. In the front yard a friend found and brought me some lovely rocks to build up a border edge for the bed under the trees, and I think it adds a little something to the overall look.

 

Front yard with new stone edging

I like to plant some annuals in this front bed in an effort to camouflage the dying foliage of the daffodils and have something growing there during the summer, but usually deer come and eat most of the plants anyway. This year I'm hoping to foil them with a new deer repellent, but its effectiveness remains to be seen. I bought a few new perennials to add to the Gaillardia I planted a few years ago--a blue-flowered Lithodora, and a blue Pincushion flower (Scabiosa) at the edges of the trees where they'll get some sun.  

Recently I planted three bare-root Astilbes under the dogwood tree to the left, but they'll take a while to emerge and bloom during the summer. I'll probably plant some Coleus later on when the daffodil foliage has died out completely.

 

Lithodora

 

Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' getting ready to make a show

Blue Pincushion flower (Scabiosa)

My Viburnum 'Brandywine'  on the east side of the house did not sustain any damage, but the climbing rose 'New Dawn' and Clematis 'Etoile Violette' don't look very happy in the prolonged drought, with leaf miners blighting the rose. Neither does the Filicoides Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa filicoides). Only the dwarf blue spruce seems to have retained its normal lovely spring foliage.

 

Viburnum 'Brandywine' with blue spruce, Hinocki cypress and 

 

In the east woodland garden all three Japanese maples and the Virginia Fringe tree were blighted and are only now starting to put forth some foliage, but surely there won't be any flowers here this year. The flowers of the two Rhododendrons and the Pagoda dogwood were also blighted. Usually this part of my garden is so lovely during this season, but this year, only the 'Blue Barlow' columbines, which have spread everywhere, are blooming. 

 

'Blue Barlow' Columbines

Rhododendron 'Southgate Brandi' under Japanese maple 'Bloodgood'

I keep adding native plants to my woodland garden: this spring some wild ginger under the Carolina Silverbell tree, next to the Pink Turtlehead planted last year. And, I finally bought a reasonably-priced Helleborus niger, which I planted between the Japanese Full Moon maple and the Virginia Fringe tree. I acquired one bare-root plant of Trillium grandiflora I hope to plant as soon as I find some time.

Moving down to the back yard, the Foxglove Pentstemons are proving indestructible, and the Ninebark Tree 'Coppertina' in the badlands has some decent blooms, though not like in other years.

 

Foxglove Pentstemon

Ninebark Tree 'Coppertina'

 

A nice surprise in the back bed--one of the Snapdragons I planted last year survived the winter and is blooming--it seems taller this year, and definitely taller than the ones I just planted, which I think are exactly the same variety. I've learned that deer don't eat Snapdragons, so they're a  good choice for my garden. So is Verbascum. 

  

Snapdragons

Verbascum 'Southern Charm'

The red honeysuckle 'Major Wheeler' has been very floriferous, and providing nourishment for the hummingbirds migrating north. The native red Columbines also attract the hummers.

 

Red Honeysuckle 'Major Wheeler'

 

Red Columbines (Aquilegia canadensis)

Another shrub that won't be flowering this year is the Philadephus 'Cheyenne'; the shrubs in that bed are so sad-looking! The Beautyberries died down to the ground and are just starting to re-sprout from their bases. The Honeylocust tree was looking dead, but seems to be sprouting some foliage now. Not worth photographing.

On the west side of the house the Salvia "May Night' is blooming with the round-leaved Coreopsis. The pink-flowered Sweetspire (Clethra alnifolia) behind the deer barrier is re-sprouting, but the Clematis I planted there last fall was eaten right down to the ground. Probably not a bad thing--this site is too hot for the 'Betty Corning' Clematis I'd purchased on sale. I bought a replacement, but I'm still trying to figure out where to plant it out of the reach of the deer, where the fragrance can be enjoyed.

 

Salvia 'May Night' with Coreopsis

Clematis montana 'Appleblossom'

The other Clematis on this side of the house has not performed well either--only a few blooms this spring. It badly needs pruning, but that will have to wait until after it's finished blooming.

This morning I spent an hour digging up a dead Ilex bush that was in front of the Clematis, preparing the ground for a new shrub--a dwarf Smokebush. It was back-breaking work in this heat (the outdoor thermometer is marking 96 degrees F as I write), digging up big rocks and the yellow clover taking over--I'm getting too old for this! I wish I could afford to hire two laborers to do this stuff for me, but my budget doesn't permit it, so I try to enjoy it, despite the backaches.

 

Dutch Iris

Purple Dutch Iris

 

The pale Dutch Iris flowers also got blighted, but the later-blooming purple ones are making a good show now. The Allium Moly is always dependable.

 

Allium  moly

 

 That's about it for now, awaiting rain. Thanks for visiting!

 

May 2025 Bloom Day

Along my front walk.

Azalea 'General Semmes'

In the last couple of days my Zone 6B garden in Virginia has received over five inches of rain! Most anxiously welcome after such a prolonged drought, with this rain my garden is verdant and lush for May Bloom Day, hosted by Carol Michel's May Dreams Garden blog. Welcome to my May garden!

Starting along the front walk, I had moved all the plants that were on the porch and rear deck back indoors and to places under my cherry tree in front. My contractor was supposed to start on Monday to refurbish the back deck and do other exterior chores, but the predictions of rain forced them to re-schedule. It was too much trouble to put everything back where it was, so the plants will stay here until the contractor finishes.

My azalea 'General Semmes' is still presenting one last inflorescence while the Amaryllis bulbs are mostly finished blooming, though a few buds persist. The tropical Salvias and white Heliotrope along the front walk will bloom later in the year.

The first bud of the 'Red Double Knockout' rose is opening.

 

First bud of  "Red Double Knockour' rose.

 

Starting along the east side of the house, my 'Blue Barlow' Columbines didn't have as much bloom as on other years, but still a respectable amount.

 

Columbine 'Blue Barlow' with Japanese Hakone grass.

 

Surprisingly, the Lamium 'Orchid Frost' is starting to bloom in the woodland garden under the Japanese maples. Here's hoping it will spread.

 

Lamium 'Orchid Frost' with Allium moly beyond.

Lamium 'Orchid Frost' with Ajuga 'Black Scallop'.

Moving toward the back yard, Herb's bed is looking wonderful with the Allium christophii planted last fall and peony 'Duchesse de Nemours' starting to bloom. The Foxglove Pentstemon in the same bed is also opening up. Later, the Clary sage there will start to bloom in June.

 

Allium christophii with Clary sage and "Duchesse de Nemours; beyond.

Peony 'Duchesse de Nemours'

Foxglove Pentstemon.

 

The Thread-leaf blue stars (Amsonia hubrichtii) in the Little Indians bed are blooming and the butterfly weed in front (Asclepias tuberosa) is in bud.

 

Amsonia hubrichtii with Asclepis tuberosa in bud.

The Ninebark tree 'Coppertina' is blooming in the badlands, and the Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) is sporting its blooms too. A few red Columbines (Aquilegia canadense) persist  in the shade of the back bed. The deer ate my Thalictrum, so no blooms this year.

 

Ninebark tree 'Coppertina (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Coppertina')

Kousa dogwood.

 

Native Columbines in the back bed.

In the back bed, the abundant spikes of the Verbascum 'Southern Charm' that were so pretty earlier in the week, are splayed out under the weight of the rains, but Salvia 'Pink Profusion' is offering more blooming spikes.

 

Verbascum 'Southern Charm'

 

Salvia 'Pink Profusion'

 

It was a nice surprise was to see that my still-small Mock Orange tree (Philadelphus 'Cheyenne') had produced some flowers--last year the deer ate every bud. Its flowers aren't as showy as some other cultivars, but still lovely!

 

Mock Orange (Philadelphus 'Cheyenne')

 

The long island bed has a marvelous display with deep purple Dutch iris, red honeysuckle 'Major Wheeler,' some blooms of double-flowering quince, Clematis 'Walker' and bearded iris 'Victoria Falls.'

 

My back yard on May Bloom Day

Dutch iris

'Major Wheeler' red honeysuckle with double-flowering quince beyond.

Clematis 'Walker'

 

Iris 'Victoria Falls'

 

Another variety of Blue Star (Amsonia montana) is blooming  in the bed with the Yellowwood tree, with white Salvia and yellow Helianthus beyond.

 

Amsonia montana

White Salvia with Helianthus.

 

Another Ninebark tree,. 'Amber Jubilee' is blooming in front of the Japanese maple 'Amber Ghost.' No signs of buds on the Yellowwood, I'll have to wait another year for a glimpse.

 

 

Ninebark tree 'Amber Jubilee' with Yellowwood tree in back.

 

On the west side of the house, the spikes of Salvia 'May Night' make a contrast with the yellow Helianthus, and Catmint Nepeta Walker's Low' below Clematis 'Appleblossom' climbing up to the deck railing.

 

 

Salvia 'May Night' and Helianthus

Catmint 'Walker's Low' with Clematis 'Appleblossom'

 

Viburnum 'Cardinal Candy' is about to open its buds, while beyond is a native witch hazel, getting taller. Toward the front by the garage there are more Dutch iris, Allium moly and a pink peony in bud. My young  white Forsythia (Abeliophyllum distichum) is growing well amidst the Dutch iris, but my prize lace-leaf maple 'Viridium' suffered badly from the early April frost just as it was starting to leaf out.

 

 

 

 

Viburnum 'Cardinal Candy'

 

Dutch iris with Allium moly with young Abeliophyllum.

 

Pink peony in bud.

To complete the circle a round the house, the strawberries 'Mara de Bois' along the front walk continue to bloom and are starting to yield some luscious berries.

 

 

Strawberries 'Mara de Bois'

 Happy Bloom Day!