Mixed weather this month has made everything grow, including the weeds. Sunshine and showers have had everything rushing skywards, flowers have been popping open every day, bees buzzing, butterflies fluttering. The garden has also at times felt like a steaming rain forest with lush damp greeness steaming in the sun after a heavy shower.
Narcissus poeticus is my last narcissus to flower, it has such a wonderful perfume which carries quite a way on the breeze. In the background is a Japanese Azalea.
This is the fourth of my dwarf iris to flower on the alpine scree, the last 2 should flower soon.
Such a pretty coloured viola flowering on the scree.
Viola Labradorica making quite a ground cover in the rhododendron bed.
Looking through the English bluebells behind the rhododendrons, to the bog garden. My bluebells are increasing each year, they are beginning to form a drift!
Azalea and forget me nots in the sunset border.
It’s waterfall time again. Clematis montana is tumbling out of one of our ancient boundary oaks.
The above Clematis montana.
The Rhododendron bed and Sunset border with the Clematis montana in the top left hand corner.
We have tulips which have survived the winter, the mice and the squirrels!
More tulips in the border by the field have done well so I must try more next autumn.
An orange cowslip behind the dead oak.
The bog garden is waking up. The first of the candelabra primulas are starting to flower.
Primula Guinivere also in the bog garden though I don’t think she needs to be. Maybe I could split this when she has finished flowering and move some elsewhere.
Meconopsis cambrica, the Welsh poppy, flowering in the woodland.
Darmera peltata on the rockery behind the scree. More weeding needed in this area!
Japanese Iris, the dainty flowers are less than 2 inches across, but there must be 10 or 12 flowers on each stem, so plenty of them.
Clematis White Moth on the archway into the woodland.
Hellebore Neon Star is still putting out new flowers in the woodland.
Camassia in the Bee and Butterfly border in the front.
Bergenia Beethoven in deep shade by the front door.
Tiny Aquilegia semi aquilegia on the alpine scree. This little plant is only about 6 inches tall.
Geranium phaeum in the border round the dead oak, it is covered in flowers at the moment.
Viburnum plicatum Mariesii is just coming into flower.
The first rhododendron to flower in the rhododendron bed.
Looking through the rhododendrons to the back garden.
From the back garden, looking towards the circular side garden.
Everywhere I look at the moment, there are flowers to be seen, spring is rushing towards summer and I can’t keep up with it all!
Can you keep up with your garden at the moment?
Thanks must go to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting the monthly meme of GBBD, do pay her a visit to see flowers from around the world.
Such an exciting tine in the garden, Pauline! I especially like that second to last photo – and the tiny aquilegia is charming. Thanks for sharing all your blooms
It is an exciting time Cathy, I agree! There is always something new each day when I go for a wander, they never fail to delight me.
Marvelous views Pauline. Such richness is a happy time in the garden. Love that Japanese Iris.
Thanks Susie, yes, the garden does make me very happy at this time of year. I too love the Japanese Iris but I wish something would stop chewing the leaves, they look such a mess!
Your garden is marvelous as usual. Your Clematis montana is quite a sight.
You are of course several weeks ahead of us but it is surprising to see that a few things seem to bloom at the same time, regardless of the climate. This is the case of Primula Guinivere which is blooming here too.
Thanks Alain, the flowers just keep on coming! I think some plants are triggered into flowering by daytime temperatures and others by the hours of daylight and that is why we have some of the same flowers flowering together. P. Guinevere is a lovely plant, I must make more of her.
I admire that sumptuous sweeping curve in the back garden
Sweeping curves Diana, make it much easier for the undergardener on his ride on mower!
Your May garden is beautiful Pauline with so many treasures. Is the Clematis montana the fragrant ‘ Elizabeth’ ? I love your little yellow iris, do you know which one it is?
Thank you Chloris,the flowers are putting on a good display at the moment. I don’t think the clematis can be the one you mentioned as i haven’t noticed any perfume as i’ve been passing by. I did know the iris’ name when I planted it, I duly wrote a label and put it beside the plant, but….the ink wasn’t waterproof, sorry!
I have found that the clematis has a perfume after all Chloris. A scent came wafting across the garden and by following it I was led to the clematis. Up close it isn’t very strong, but on the breeze it was delightful.
what an intriguing garden. I wouldn’t mind a little stroll amongst your lovely plants.
You would be welcome any time Joanna! It is a wonderful time of year in the garden at the moment.
Those Japanese irises look most intriguing Pauline. Most hellebores are well over now so how exciting to have one that’s putting on flowers.
They are a pretty little Iris Anna, small but plenty of them. I’m amazed that Hellebore Neon Star is still putting out new flowers, I’ve cut most of the other flowers off to stop them seeding about.
You have so many lovely plants flowering at the moment. The montana looks glorious and I love the geranium phaeum, so good for bees.
Yes Wendy, the bees certainly love the Geranium phaeum. We noticed that there were so many different sorts of bees on the ordinary pulmonaria the other day, I must get my nature book out and identify them.
So much to see! It really is a fabulous time of year, and you have such a delightful variety of flowering plants, all artfully interwoven. The clematis waterfall is spectacular! I hate to miss a single day in my garden this time of year, as new blooms are still opening.
I love this time of year Deb, I just wish it would slow down though! I never go away on holiday in May or June as I feel they are the best months for the whole garden, I would hate to miss anything.
Views of your marvelous garden always inspire me to do a better job in my own space. We’ve had record breaking high temperatures so many things are blooming sooner this year than usual. It’s nice to know that there is someone else who finds the rush of spring difficult with which to keep pace. There are so many things to do in the garden and so many fabulous gardens and plant places to visit. So many choices. If we could but hold the hands of time still. Ah, impetuous spring!
I’m glad you think the same as me Peter, time is rushing by just too quickly! You are very kind to say that the garden here inspire you, but maybe I ought to show pictures of all the weeds that I haven’t tackled yet!
The Japanese iris is stunning Pauline, are they difficult to grow? May is such an exiting time in the garden with, as you say, something new flowering every day. I hope you are taking time to enjoy it all as well as working to keep it looking as pristine as your garden always does.
No christina, Iris japonica was just planted and I’ve left it to get on with life. The only problem is that something enjoys eating the leaves making them rather messy. I have to admit that the garden is far from pristine at the moment, the weeds are growing much faster than I can pull them out, maybe I should take some photos of them!
What a wonderful garden you (and the undergardener of course) have made! We have had much needed rain the last couple of days and the weeds are shooting up at an alarming rate. The Darmera looks lovely. I first learned about Darmera from a previous post you did and subsequently bought one. I am looking forward to seeing how it does but it is showing no signs of life yet!
Rain certainly makes the weeds grow Denise, I wish I could keep up with them! The previous owners here planted the Darmera which is a boggy plant, but they planted it on the rockery behind the scree. The massive roots have wound their way round the rocks and there is no way I can move it to the bog. In the summer the leaves look very stressed as they aren’t getting enough water.
Crikey, that hellebore is doing well to be still flowering. It’s a lovely one too. The clematis montana is a real picture. They do need a lot of space!
It is isn’t it Jessica, I don’t know why it won’t stop, but I’m rather pleased! Clematis montana has climbed up to the crown of the tree and then tumbled out as a waterfall of flowers, which we find so beautiful. I found the other day that it has rather a nice perfume too, I was wondering where it was coming from, but by following my nose, it led me to the Clematis!
I am so pleased to have seen this post! You have some really choice plants here, Pauline. Astonishing Darmera peltata… Bergenia Beethoven… oh and Clematis ‘White Moth’ which has gone straight to the top of my must-buy list.
Thank you Sarah, you’re very kind. I prefer the white flowered Bergenias to the pink ones and I think Beethoven is my favourite. Clematis White Moth doesn’t seem too happy, I must give it a handful of fertiliser and see if that improves it.
Ha! I can’t keep up with half of it, and I have nowhere near the space you do. Goodness – I need a waterfall like yours – it is magnificent! Wonderful spring photos from your garden, Pauline. It has rained here too in the last few days, with cool temperatures, and I have to say I am loving it!
I’m glad there is someone else like me Anna, we’ll get there eventually! We had rain forecast for today, but not a drop, more forecast for tomorrow, so the plants will be pleased if it arrives.
What joy to have a Clematis montana doing that in your garden – and bluebells happy enough to be spreading. ‘White Moth’ is such a delicate clematis, worth adding to anyone’s wishlist, as Sarah says above. It all looks beautiful – and I didn’t spot a single weed, Pauline. Hope the rest of May is as kind to your garden. Thanks for sharing.
It was so long before the clematis flowered Cathy, I thought it had died on me, then suddenly there were the flowers tumbling out of the top of the tree, they certainly need a big strong support! I try to avoid photographing the weeds Cathy but we still have plenty to get rid of.
Hi Pauline, It looks like I’m a day late and a dollar short but, I can’t help but respond to such a lovely post! I love the Dwarf Iris….what a pop of color. And, of course, the Clematis Montana is stunning!! What a great backdrop for every angle in the garden. Everything is coming up early here but we aren’t having the kind of rain that creates the jungle you’re experiencing!
I’ve been so pleased with my dwarf iris Sally, which were all new last year, they have made a nice splash of colour on the scree bed. We are very lucky having the huge old trees to form a backdrop to the garden, they make it look very mature. Our weather is now a lot cooler, so different from when I wrote the post!
Wow so beautiful!
Thanks Donna, glad you like them all!
Hi Pauline, your garden is amazing!
Thank you so much Sandra, you are very kind!