It’s not ideal using the phone camera, but it handles the light much better than I can manage on overcast rainy days like today, the 15th of May, aka Bloom Day.
This lively orange number is Geum ‘Queen of Orange.’ It’s been the earliest geum to bloom, and because the flowers are double it’s not as self-supporting as ‘Totally Tangerine.’ TT has the reputation for the longest period of bloom, and the Queen may not be able to compete in that regard but it is a citrusy blast very early in the season. Chartreuse foam is from Euphorbia ‘Miner’s Merlot,’ so good early in spring that I keeping adding more for a current total of three.
Another really good plant early in spring is Penstemon ‘Dark Towers.’ Nothing eats it, the leaves come through winter flawlessly. It is just now beginning to bloom, but really it’s the early rich dark leaves that make it invaluable. ‘Blackbeard’ is another dark-leaved penstemon added last fall, and between the two varieties there are now five clumps.
Polemoniums are another group of plants like geum that love these conditions and make a strong early appearance. Another plant worthy of multiples for spring here and I’m trying several varieties.
Another plant I’ve spread into three clumps is this thistle that loves the rich deep moisture-retentive soil. Blooms heavy in spring and continues through summer.
Verbascum ‘Letitia’ from High Country Gardens is as charming as the catologue claims. New this spring. It is sterile and I wish it wasn’t. If it doesn’t make it through next winter, that’s the end of it. Vegetative propagation of such a young plant may not be feasible — we’ll see.
Narrow beds against the east side of the house have acted as hodge-podge holding beds. Protected against the house, this Nicotiana mutabilis surprisingly made it through the mild winter and burst into early bloom. It’s a 3×3 arching mass of dainty trumpets and still growing in size.
Bloom Day posts can be deceptive as far as the amount of flowers at one time. There’s a lot of nonflowering evergreens for ballast.
The east side I’ve been referring to is where the “boardwalk” is under construction, temporarily halted due to rain and mud.
Many years ago Carol at May Dreams Gardens devised the idea of Bloom Day to keep track of what’s blooming when all over the world. It is an invaluable record to keep. Have a great weekend! More soon, AGO