Friday, May 15, 2009

GBBD: May 2009

Welcome fellow bloggers to another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, the brainchild of Carol, the Queen of May Dreams. Someone recently said that this is "almost" time in their garden, and that is an apt description of my garden right now. The daffodils and hyacinths are long gone, the last of the tulips have dropped their petals, and the main color in the garden right now is green.





There are many plants almost ready to bloom, like this clematis, believed to be a Nelly Moser.




The few irises I have, all unnamed passalongs, are showing buds
with this one almost ready to open.



Looking back at last year's post, I found that I posted only one photo for GBBD May 08--a picture of all my new purchases lined up ready for the rain to end so they could be planted. I could show you a similar photo this year, since on and off-again rains have made it difficult to plant anything, but I will spare you. Suffice it to say, that the area in front of my garage door is awash in colorful blooms! Above is one of the few containers I've managed to plant, this one with a favorite of recent years, Supertunia "Raspberry Blast." If you're looking for a trailing petunia, this one is a great performer.



Two hanging baskets of ivy geraniums also add a little color to an otherwise green landscape.


In the main garden two of the most dependables are already showing some blooms: Nepeta, "Walker's Low" above . . .


. . . and Salvia, "May Night" here. It won't be long
before the bees find these, two of their favorite plants.


In the shade garden, some newer plantings are also beginning to bloom. I am so excited to have my first bleeding heart! These teeny tiny heart-shaped blossoms refused to stop swaying in the wind for the camera woman. But I had to show them anyway--I have had no luck with bleeding hearts in the past, so I'm thrilled to see even the tiniest of blooms this year.


These heucheras, the old-fashioned coral bells, were also tiny plants when I planted them last year. But they are quickly catching up to the fancier hybrids in the garden and showing off with the coral blossoms for which they're named.


One of many plants on my "wish list," this Brunnera "Jack Frost," was finally purchased a few weeks ago. It seems to have settled in nicely here and is still showing its delicate blue flowers.


But here's my new favorite for May--a columbine! Oh, for a better camera to capture this sweet little bloom! Three small columbines were added to the shade garden last year, and two of them resisted Tarzan's best efforts to transplant them all summer long, so I am really excited to see them bloom.
That is it for the blooms here at the Prairie, but more are almost ready and should be all decked out in time for June. Check out more Bloom Day posts from around the world at Carol's.

. . . . . . . .But wait! I had to take the dogs out before I finished this post, and look at what has appeared this morning . . .



. . . the first iris of the season has decided it is ready to bloom Now!

31 comments:

  1. Awesome! So happy to see the beautiful iris! And you could post your new purchases-I bet your area of new plants looks like so many gardeners right now! I hope you are out planting today as it is beautiful!

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  2. Good morning Rose! Green is a good spring color and just to let you know...I have plenty of it! I often think I have only an early spring garden until the summer flowers show up! Jack Frost is wonderful...and the iris is perfect! I do think that you have lots of delicious blooms!

    Happy Bloom Day!

    Gail

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  3. Lots of blossoms at your place this Bloom Day and more to come soon! Isn't it a thrill to finally add the brunnera from your wish list?

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  4. Rose, I love bleeding heart, too, and have never had any luck with it. I'm glad to see you've kept one alive. I may have to give them a try again!

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  5. Love those irises. :) Beautiful blooms.

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  6. Great bloom day post. The rain is keeping me out of my garden too. I have a pot ghetto lined up in the drive way. Poor potted plants are looking out into the gardens and wishing they had a real home.

    My first iris Immortality is blooming too. Hope you have a great weekend and some fair weather.
    Marnie

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  7. That is the most beautiful flower I've seen on a Pelargonium. What is it. (I must have it!) You are going to love Brunnera 'Jack Frost.' It outperforms the other 2 kinds of variegated Brunnera that I grow. That's a great little Columbine, such a nice deep purple, as is that gorgeous Bearded Iris. I'm glad it opened in time.

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  8. Dear Rose....the Iris is beautiful but that dainty little columbine gets my vote.....how pretty is she.....

    Bleeding heart once they are happy will grow larger each year.....they are lovely, I have the white one as well.....

    Have a lovely weekend ....and tks for showing your lovely blooms.....

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  9. Great shots!! Have a wonderful weekend

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  10. Better late than never for that gorgeous purple Iris. Can't wait to see all your new purchases when you get them settled Rose. Jack Frost was on my list this year too & luckily I found it for 50% off as well. :) Looks like your Nelly Moser is just about to burst forth with blooms too. Happy Bloom Day!

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  11. Tina, I didn't get to plant today--still too wet here, and a trip to the doctor for this bronchitis took up most of the day. But I did manage to buy a few more plants before coming home:)

    Gail, Mine is definitely an early spring then summer garden, too. I'll have to think about that when buying new perennials.

    NellJean, I've been envying that Jack Frost for quite awhile; so glad I finally planted one. Thanks for stopping by!

    Joyce, Every bleeding heart I've planted from a small bareroot has not grown. This is one I purchased as a small potted plant last spring. Apparently, that's the only way I can get one to grow:)

    Nancy, Thank you; the iris bloomed just in time!

    Marnie, A "pot ghetto" is the perfect way to describe my driveway:) The sun is supposed to finally come out on Sunday; I hope it stays out!

    MMD, The pelargonium/geranium was the only one at a local garden center. I have to thank the helpful salesperson there who pointed me towards it. The tags on these were all pretty generic, but one of them said "Global Rose." I don't know if that's the right tag or not. I have to find my tag for the columbine--I thought they were supposed to be blue:)

    Cheryl, I do love the columbine, too. Thanks for the encouragement on the bleeding heart; I do hope mine gets bigger next year.

    Dirt Princess, Thanks, and thanks for stopping by!

    Racquel, I didn't have that kind of luck finding the Jack Frost, though it was cheaper than when I priced one last fall. I had decided I wanted one no matter what:) And guess what--this afternoon I noticed two clematis blooms!

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  12. Lovely blooms in your garden. Everything looks slightly ahead of ours. Mind you ours is shaded by scaffolding this past week. Seems to take up all the garden.
    Looking forward to getting back to normal.

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  13. Beautiful as always :-) I love it when the Iris's bloom, mum has so many different coloured ones, they are lovely to draw, which reminds me.............

    Sx

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  14. Rose ! I can't believe you didn't have a Bleeding Heart until now ? ... and you now also have Jack Frost ! Congratulations girl because these are plants you just keep loving more and more each year : )
    I have Black Barlow columbine and that is a showy one .. the flower structures can be so different from one and other .. they are amazing plants by their own right too !
    PS ... that is too funny about Tarzan ^..^ .. hehehehe

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  15. Gorgeous! I can't wait to see my irises now. Happy GBBD!

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  16. Oh Rose, what a wonderful surprise ending! And that is quite a beautiful blue too. You have chosen your plants well, thinking of bees and butterflies. May Night and Walker's Low are excellent additions to any garden. I seem to be seeing a blue theme here! :-)
    Frances
    BTW, my first photo is Salvia 'Eveline'.

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  17. Rose such a riot of color in your May garden! So far ahead of mine for sure!
    Enjoy the weekend in your garden of ~almosts~ perhaps a few will open!

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  18. There's lots of green here too Rose - green is wonderful after a long winter! I had to wash some windows so the green would look more vivid from inside!

    I'm glad your bleedhearts are surviving this time. They have been slow to establish here, but I think they're on their way now finally, after four years of struggling.

    Happy Bloom Day!

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  19. Wowie! So much in your garden already! I love your blues and pinks. But the iris is the best of all. So gorgeous!

    My bleeding heart is still trying to come up. It's very late this year. This is such a neat meme. I should join in one of these days. I guess I'll have to wait until next month.

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  20. The I see Irises all over the blogosphere and I'm lovin' it! Your blue one looks great! May is the best month, though I'm a fall person like Tina, as it's not so hot during autumn here in India as it is during Spring!

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  21. Bleeding Heart is amazing. I do hope that it does well for you. I have been tempted by Brunnera, but they are not easy to find around where I live. The Iris is beautiful. I bought my mother a pretty mug with a blue Iris on it, then designed a cross stitch pattern from the Iris and made a coaster to match. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it!

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  22. Rose, it's definitely an in-between time! My coral bells have buds, but aren't quite flowering yet and me "Walker's Low" doesn't yet have buds--but it's not in as sunny a location as it should be, plus two cats sit on it occasionally! (But that's why it's there.)

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  23. A delightful visit to your prolific garden, Rose. Isn't spring wonderful!

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  24. Maggie May, I do hope your garden can get back to normal soon after all the construction work is done.

    Suburbia, I would love to see some of your artwork again! I'm in awe of anyone who can draw.

    Joy, Bleeding hearts haven't seemed to like me thus far. Tarzan spends most of his time outside, and loves it when I dig in the garden, if you get my drift:)

    Sarah, I hope you'll show your irises in bloom. This is another plant I want to add more of around here.

    Frances, When I started gardening, I tried to find lots of blue plants, but most turned out to be purple. Now it's a predominant color in my garden. We will have to compare notes on Eveline!

    NatureGirl, More of the "almosts" are beginning to open; it's a great time to look around each morning and see what is new.

    Linda, Glad to hear I'm not the only one that has had a hard time getting bleeding hearts to establish; it's good to know they might make it now.

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  25. Wendy, Do join in next month! The winter months were pretty challenging--I think I showed my poinsettia several times:)

    Chandramouli, This is the time of year for irises and peonies here. Spring is definitely my favorite time of year after the long, cold winter. Autumn here is often warmer than the spring.

    Mean Mom, Irises are such a regal flower; I've come to really like them. I just wish they bloomed longer.

    Monica, My nepeta gets flatter as the summer progresses, for the same reason:)

    Joey, I think we Midwesterners probably appreciate spring more than anyone:)

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  26. It is 40 degrees this morning which is making the tulips and apple blossoms very happy but supposed to hit 80 by Wed. So my iris and clematis will be blooming by then. Right now they look like yours — all in bud. Nothing beats those old pass-along irises! Great blooms for GBBD!

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  27. I don't know if I liked the purple iris or the ivy geranium blooms the best. The colors of both are just wonderful Rose.

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  28. I adore that Brunnera. Loving the tinyness of the flowers.

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  29. Iris are in bud here and it is good to see your preview of that beautiful purple one. The bleeding heart is so satisfying isn't it? Glad you have one and with any luck, seedlings for next year as mine to reseed freely.

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  30. Ms. Wis, A warmer and sunnier week is predicted here, too; lots of "almosts" should be coming into bloom soon.

    Susie, These are two of my favorite colors in the garden, too.

    Salix Tree, Thanks for dropping by; the brunnera has enticed me for awhile until I had to buy one:)

    Layanee, Thanks for stopping, and I do hope the bleeding heart reseed themselves here!

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  31. Happy GBBD, Rose - what a fun post to read...your joy at having an end to winter and seeing your iris bloom and your baby plants start to fill out just shines through the monitor.

    Regular old brunnera used to thrill me every spring - if I still lived in the North there'd be a Jack Frost in my garden, too - what a cool plant.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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