Paeonia suffruticosa 'Ofuji Nishiki'
I really could stop right here, who needs anything more? After the precocious growth of April, the wacky, cool, wet May weather sent everything into a holding pattern. Things are opening up at a pace best described as glacial. It's also meant that many plants are blooming longer than usual. Sadly, the crabapple bloomed between Bloom Days, as did the Uvularia perfoliata and the purple bearded Iris.
The first Clematis of the year
'Asao.'
Clematises 'Fairy Blue' a/k/a 'Evipo 038' (Crystal Fountain) and 'Vyvyan Pennell' (below in bud) are opening at a sloth's pace, but Clematis 'Natasha' surprised me this morning by blooming.
To the right of the raised bed, beneath the Hydrangea, Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine,' Thalictrum/Anemonella thalictroides 'Oscar Shoaf,' and Tiarella 'Oakleaf' continue to bloom.
Across the lawn, the Geranium macrorrhizum are in full bloom,
along with the Polemium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven.'
Closer:
in pot, Oxalis and Lamium 'White Nancy,' Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum), Aquilegia vulgaris 'Woodside Blue,' Geranium maculatum, Phlox divaricata 'Clouds of Perfume.'
Further to the right:
behind the Tree Peony, are visible the pink of Geranium maculatum, the white Thalictrum/Anemonella thalictroides and Brunnera 'Jack Frost.' Not visible are some Aquilegias and the Corydalis 'ex Dufu Temple' featured in this post.
Let's go through the arch into the Woodland Garden.
The native Geranium maculatum lines the path, while the blue Phlox divaricata 'Clouds of Perfume' lives up to its name. Solomon's plume (Maianthemum racemosum, f/k/a Smilacina racemosa)
is just coming into bloom.
Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon media), with Trilllium species and Dicentra 'Bountiful.
A different species of Trillium blooms with Brunnera 'Hadspen Cream' and Phlox 'Plum Perfect' (not pictured).
Here's another view of that little group
with Zizia aurea in the foreground. There's also a jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) in there by the Brunnera. Looking back the other way:
on the right side of the path, Thalictrum/Anemonella thalictroides rosea and Aquilegia seedling, on the left Aquilegia 'Leprechaun's Gold,' more Arisaema triphyllum, more Phlox divaricata, Heucheralla 'Sunspot,' Geranium nodosum 'Svelte Lilac' just starting, and Stylophorum diphyllum, still sporting a few blooms.
The pagoda dogwoods (Cornus alternifolia) are coming into full bloom.
Under the dogwood, Tiarella 'Pink Brushes' is doing its thing.
Leaving the Woodland Garden,
the Hellebores are winding down. From top, Heucherella 'Burnished Bronze,' Aquilegia 'Sunburst Ruby,' Dicentra 'King of Hearts,' and Iris siberica in bud. Just beyond the Hellebores, but out of the frame, Thalictrum aquilegifolium 'Thundercloud' has just started blooming.
Under the crabapple, Allium aflatuense 'Purple Sensation' is in full bloom.
I moved it last fall. It looks much better growing up through the Hosta plantaginea than where I had it last year.
I had to show this container planting on the patio because I'm just so pleased with it.
Ranunculus, 'Ultimo Morpho' blue pansies, and the overwintered yellow Viola, with Sedum kamshaticum at the edge of the patio.
The rest of the Violas are at the foot of the Calycanthus floridus 'Athens,'
whose flowers fill the air with the scent of Juicy Fruit™ gum (thanks, Gail, for identifying the scent). To the right of the Calycanthus, the Clematis (Crystal Fountain) and Peony 'Mons. Jules Elie' are in bud, and several Aquilegia seedlings are in bloom.
There's no time to include a shot of the Lady Hellebores, more Smilacina and Aquilegia and more Anemonella rosea, we need to see what's happening out front. After taking a break last year,
Cornus kousa possibly 'Beni Fuji' is "blooming' It looks better than ever.
Across the driveway,
it's Phlox pilosa 'Eco Happy Traveler' brightening the mini-prairie garden, with the seedheads of Pulsatilla vulgaris providing a much longer display than the blooms this year.
The prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) is just starting to smoke (see photo here ), and across the walk, a new Aquilegia 'Sunburst' seedling is blooming that can't seem to decide if it's pink or lavender purple.
The color still looks good with the chartreuse foliage.
I put the overwintered Fuschia into a hanging basket on the front porch.
I can't decide if I like it there, or if it is happy there. It may be coming down and going into one of the front porch containers.
Finally, around the corner is a very special bloom. This is a passalong-passalong-passalong Iris with a history.
I'm trying to track down its identity. My late sister, when she worked as a journalist, was given this Iris by a lady she was writing a feature about. My sister gave the Iris to my mom to plant in her garden. Two years ago, I rescued it from being overrun by other plants, and it's finally blooming for me. For now, I'm calling it "Diane's Iris."
And now, a gratuitous shot of an Anemonella, just because it's my signature plant.
Thanks goes to Carol, of May Dreams Gardens, for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Visit her and see what's going on in gardens around the world.
And, what the heck, a closeup of the Tree Peony.
Did I mention it has a light, lemony fragrance?
Also in bloom:
Alchemilla mollis Aubretia
Baptisia 'Purple Smoke'
Brunnera 'Looking Glass'
Epimedium grandiflorum 'Lilafee'
Geranium sylvaticum 'Mayflower' Lobularia maritima (sweet alyssum)
Muscari
Pulmonaria 'Roy Davidson'
Thalictrum/Anemonella thalictroides 'Cameo'
Tiarella possibly 'Iron Butterfly'
Veronica 'prostrata "Goldwell'
Viola labradorica