The Garden in May
After the Rain
It rained enough in April, so I'm looking forward to lots of flowers this month.
It's finally warm enough to plant the annuals, and my visit to the plant nursery is long overdue.
While the perennial flower borders developed by leaps and bounds, the kitchen garden is a month behind schedule, and it's definitely too late to start anything from seed now, even herbs.
The peonies and roses are getting ready for bloom, but the clematis just started leafing out, a month behind schedule.
The weather was strange, two weeks of summer weather followed by night frosts and chilling rains; the vegetation is confused and taking a break to figure out which way things are going from here.
The snakeroot finally took to its site, to my great delight, and seems to thrive there, even though it's not yet mature enough to bloom.
I finally got the right variety for the growing conditions, and I'm looking forward to their delightful fuzzy wands that smell like vanilla and grape soda.
Summer Bulbs
The garden wouldn't be complete without its beautiful summer bulbs, and if you haven't already, it's not too late to plant some.
Dahlias, lilies, gladioli and irises are always on the list, but why not give some less common bulbs a try this year?
The spectacular red hot poker, whose incandescent flowers look like they were just removed red hot from a forge.
The Italian arum, or orange candle flower, whose bright colored fruit is said to forecast the harvest.
The queen of flowers, the tuberose, with its purest white flowers and intoxicating perfume.
The pineapple lilies, which look like floral miniatures of the aforementioned fruit, but are actually relatives of asparagus.
Butterfly ginger, with weird tall and spiky flowers that are often fragrant.
Bright yellow foxtail lilies growing six feet tall, a bold choice for the back of the border.
Imposing yuccas, which make great specimen plantings for Xeriscape settings.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit, or cobra lilies, with their elegant brown and white striped hooded flowers, for woodland settings.
Lily of the Nile, a stately plant whose tall stems bear a profusion of white or light blue flowers.
Dividing Perennials
Divide summer and fall perennials in May to give the plants enough time to get settled in their new spots before the weather turns hot.
For warmer climate zones, spring perennials that finished blooming can be divided now as well.