I knew I wasn't going to have time to work on my May Bloom Day post over the weekend so I put it together ahead of schedule. Rather than hold it until Sunday, May 15th, I also decided to go ahead and publish it on my regular post timetable. So here you are. It's another long one. It's still spring after all, even if summer is showing signs of mounting a takeover sooner rather than later.
Plants making the biggest splash include the following:
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Years ago, I planted Achillea 'Moonshine' on both sides of the flagstone path that bisects the main level of my back garden. Regardless of what the calendar says, the bright yellow blooms signify the arrival of summer in my view. |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Centranthus ruber has been blooming on a small scale in the north side garden for over 2 months but the flowers on the back slope took longer to take off this year |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| I inherited this Distictis buccinatoria (red trumpet vine) with the garden. It was planted decades ago by a neighbor when she gardened our back slope area (before a previous owner of our property clarified the property line). It's a thug but it became an integral part of the gardens of 2 of our neighbors so I live with it. |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Gaura lindheimeri moves around on its own in my front garden |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Pandorea jasminoides blooms most of the year but this month it's been joined by Trachelospermum jasminoides |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Psoralea pinnata (aka Kool-aid bush because of its scent) always manages to surprise me with its blooms. Unfortunately, it doesn't photograph all that well. |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Despite a hard pruning in late winter, Salvia canariensis var candidissima is taller than ever |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Based on comparisons with my 2019-2021 posts, it appears that Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman' is a full month ahead of schedule this year |
There are a host of other plants providing floral color on a smaller scale.
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Alstroemeria, clockwise from the upper left: 'Claire', 'Inca Sundance', 'Indian Summer', noID, and 'Inca Vienna' |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Perennial favorite Arctotis Pink Sugar' |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Argyranthemum frutescens 'White Butterfly' and 'Yellow Butterfly' |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Dorycnium hirsutum, aka hairy Canary clover (syn Lotus hirsutus) |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Globularia x indubia, aka globe daisy |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' and G. 'Superb' (top row) bloom year-round. Grevillea 'Scarlet Sprite' and G. sericea (bottom row) bloom for months but not quite year-round. |
There are some of the newest arrivals.
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Although their numbers are somewhat reduced since a mass of Agapanthus bulbs in the back garden were pulled when the dying mimosa tree was cut down, the flowers will still make a good showing over the next month |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| The graceful stems of Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga lily) are popping up in dry shade areas throughout my garden |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| This new plant, Helichrysum amorginum 'Ruby Cluster', deserves an honorable mention. If it does well this summer, I'll plant more. |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Hemerocallis 'Spanish Harlem' is the first of my daylilies to bloom |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Lilium 'Royal Sunset', a recent gift, is the first of my Asiatic lily hybrids to bloom but I'm hopeful that those I planted last year are on their way |
Other plants that played starring roles in prior months are preparing to exit the scene.
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Aeonium haworthii 'Kiwi Verde' over-achieved again this year, flowering all over the garden. The heavy flower stalks tend to flop over neighboring plants and the rosettes that produce the flowers die back as the flowers fade so they're a mixed blessing. |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Prompted by a series of brief heat spells, Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' bloomed ahead of schedule and the flowers all too quickly turned from peachy-pink to a buff color |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Echium webbii is usually at its peak in May but warmer-than-usual temperatures have faded the flowers. That hasn't put off the bees, though. |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| The Hippeastrum bulbs I grew in pots bloomed from February through April but some of those I planted in the ground last year produced flowers in May. 'Aphrodite' may be the last of these but we'll see. |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| The Leucospermum ('Royal Hawaiian Brandi', 'Goldie', and 'Sunrise') flowers are fading but they haven't dropped yet - and the squirrels haven't eaten any of 'Goldie's' flowers this year either |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Osteospermum prefers cooler temperatures so those shown here may disappear soon, hopefully to return in the fall. Clockwise from the upper left are'4D Pink', '4D Silver', 'Berry White', and 'Violet Ice'. |
After a slow start, the cutting garden has lots of flowers but most of these are cool season blooms. Warmer temperatures are likely to put an end to most of these within the next month.
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Antirrhinum majus, Consolida ajacis, Delphinium elatum 'Morning Light' Digitalis purpurea, Nigella papillosa, and Orlaya grandiflora |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Lathyrus odoratus, most of which I can't identify by cultivar name as they were grown from seed mixes |
I'll end with the best of the rest collected in collages organized by color.
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Top: Gaillardia 'Copper Sun'and Lobelia laxiflora Middle: Lotus berthelotii 'Amazon Sunset', Melinus nerviglumis, and Penstemon mexicali 'Mini-bells Red' Bottom: Pelargonium peltatum and Salvia lanceolata |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Top: Abelia grandiflora 'Edward Goucher', Arbutus 'Marina', and Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' Middle: Callistemon 'Hot Pink', Cistus 'Sunset', and Hebe 'Wiri Blush' Bottom: Oenothera speciosa and Rosa 'Pink Meidiland' |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Top: Allium Violet Beauty', Polygala fruticosa, and Verbena bonariensis Middle: Felicia aethiopica, Scabiosa columbaria 'Deep Blue', and Teucrium aroanium Bottom: Limonium perezii, Nierembergia caerulea, and Trichostemma 'Midnight Magic' |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Top: Eustoma grandiflorum, Fuchsia magellanica 'Hawkshead', and Nandina domestica Middle: Arctotis 'Large Marge', Didelta 'Silver Strand', and mixed Gazania Bottom: Hymenolepis crithmifolia, Phlomis fruticosa, and Tagetes lemmonii |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Clockwise from upper left: Aloe striata x maculata, Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin', Cuphea 'Vermillionaire', noID Gazania, Lantana camara 'Irene', and Leonotis leonurus |
Visit Carol of May Dreams Gardens for more Garden Bloggers Bloom Day post on May 15th. Meanwhile, best wishes for a pleasant weekend.
All material © 2012-2022by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party