May Days

I've always been overly fond of the month of May, mostly because my birthday starts it off. But I also love it because it's just so darned pretty. It's such a lush and flowery month in the garden, full of gorgeous blossoms and fragrant scents. How can you not love it?

Here in central Ohio, May brings roses and peonies into bloom that tickle your nose with sweet scents as you walk by.

As the frost free date passes, it's time to fill containers.

The birds continue to frequent my yard. They especially love the branches of my climbing rose, and I often find them posing there. It sure makes for some fun photos. Soon I'll see more butterflies. They're just starting to show up here.

We've been lucky so far, with frequent rains to keep everything watered. Hubby and I both dislike the garden hose rodeo, so any time that rain does our work for us is a good day.

That leaves more time to simply enjoy the view. Really, isn't that the whole point of it all?

I sit outside most evenings with camera in hand, just waiting for something to catch my eye. I can feel my breathing slow, and my blood pressure go down.

These May Days are precious indeed.

May Bursts Into Bloom!

Of all the months of the year in the garden, May is the most vibrant. Every day, new flowers burst into bloom. I can barely keep up. If I miss even one day of garden inspection, I might not see that one special bloom.

It's not just that all the perennials pop up in May, but other garden excitement is going on too. Well, I suppose the word "excitement" would only apply to garden nuts who get all worked up about flowers blooming. May means starting the vegetable garden, filling up the containers and window boxes, putting out my water garden full of fish, planting flower seeds, filling in the empty spaces left by winter, and the myriad tasks that need to be done.

 To say it's a busy time of year would be an understatement. In addition to all of the garden chores, there are graduations, first communions, concerts, recitals, and so many other activities. It can get a bit stressful.

 Luckily, the garden chores are actually relaxing to me. Yes, it can be physically taxing. But isn't it worth it?

I must admit that I'm not fond of the garden hose rodeo that I have to perform every day once the plants and seeds go in. It only takes a couple of weeks of daily watering till the plants "grab hold", and then I can ease off dragging that crazy hose around my yard. I've tried purchasing a lighter hose, and it does help a bit. But I still have to keep it from smashing all the plants, wrestle it around corners, wind the thing up and down, try to keep from it getting caught on something, hoping it doesn't kink, you name it! Is it any wonder that I pray for rain?

Despite the stresses involved, May is a beloved month to me, as it is to many gardeners here in the north. I do have a birthday in May, that makes it extra special! But mostly, it's about the flowers. I've waited all winter for them to show up, and I plan to enjoy each and every one.

If you need me, I'll be out wrestling with the hose. Again. And loving every minute of it. May only comes once a year, and I don't want to miss it.

May Wrap-Up

It's hard to believe that June starts tomorrow. It took so long for the month of May to get rolling enough to  actually feel like spring, but now it's over already. Once it truly warmed up, it was a banner month. You see, even though the winter tried to knock us down, the spring rains tried to build us right back up. Despite the losses, the surviving plants look better than ever.

Chinese Fringe Tree

As with most gardeners, I have been hard at work this month. I can't believe how many plants I have put into the ground! Some were replacements for those done in by winter, and some were new perennials. But most of the hard work involved the summer annuals and vegetables. I don't really mind all the work, really. It would just be so much easier if I could neglect all my other obligations when this was going on.

Amsonia Hubrichtii

Amsonia Blue Ice

And even though I enjoy the work, that doesn't mean that I'm not exhausted! I work and I work, but I never seem to get done. Plant, prune, fertilize, deadhead, water, mulch, weed, and on and on it goes. Funny, but most avid gardeners seem to be from the older generations, like me. But for the energy it takes, you'd think it would be more for the younger folks.

Columbine Winky Double

Cornus kousa Heart Throb

 And before you think that I don't take time to enjoy the fruits of my labors, I need to clarify. Every evening after dinner, I go out to sit on the "veranda" and admire it all. My camera is always close at hand, in case I see something that begs to be captured.

Dragonwing begonia

Shade container with Reiger begonias and other fillers

Container with begonias, fiber optic grass, and other fillers

Still, it will be nice when summer wears on, and I don't have so much work staring me in the face all the time. That's when I do more fun projects like making garden art, or less fun projects like cleaning out my garden mess in the garage.

Yarrow Tutti Frutti Apricot Delight

Bearded iris Blue Suede Shoes or Best Bet

Allium Mediterranean Bells

May is usually the month of the roses, but not quite this year. I'm just happy some of them showed up at all, even though it was May 28 by the time the first one bloomed. This is about a month behind schedule. I'm just glad they are here at all.

Sunny Knockout Rose

Funny Face rose

Zepherine Drouhin rose

 

May also seems to be incredibly busy in the non garden world too. Graduations, proms, year end parties, Mother's Day, you name it, there's always a special occasion to celebrate. I say, let's celebrate the fact that it's time to garden again.

Moonshine Yarrow

Peony unknown

Celosia

Sunny container featuring Petunia Crazytunia Pulse

Glamoflauge Grape petunia

Violet tubeflower

So onward to June, may it be just as lovely as the fair month of May!

Heuchera Circus

Heuchera Coral bells