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
It’s great to see Billie! Your May garden is quite dramatic, Denise. I think only overlap between us is the Lagurus ovatus. I couldn’t pass on putting together my own GBBD post myself this week, however, even though it took me forever under current circumstances.
So many blooms! You’re closing in on Kris for sheer number of flowers in a Bloomday post. I love that boardwalk!
@Kris, I like that descriptor “dramatic,” I’ll take it! Billie is hanging in there, one back leg with hardware, the other back leg having good days/bad days, but such a pleasure. I’d like to grow lots more of that bunny grass from seed if it doesn’t reseed on its own. Good job on your GBBD post, you are a determined woman!
@Loree, I could never approach Kris in number of flowers! I had a sense it looks like a lot in this post, but only because that’s where the camera is pointed. Thanks for encouragement on the boardwalk!
Wow! so much happening and so much colour. I love the first couple of photos with the orange Geum. Spring is so often all about pastels. Nice to see the bold colours. The Polemonium is pretty sweet too. Will look for that one. The board walk will be a nice addition. So nice when yous shoes can keep dry and clean.
Oh my gosh, I love the explosion of color – the first few photos make me ache to plant things with orange and/or yellows petals. Beautiful. And the dark foliaged penstemon is a great break. The boardwalk! Yes, you have to do a dance across – I immediately thought of the movie Dirty Dancing when she’s practicing across the boards!
@Elaine, another good thing about the boardwalk is how it warms up so quickly — it’s Billie’s favorite place to lounge now.
@Tracy, I guess my love of orange can be traced to the aloes. Jeez, hate to date myself but I’ve yet to see that movie! (Ted Danson in Body Heat was probably my influence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piypunZitE8)
oh, Ted is better!
The Euphorbia ‘Merlot’ and Geum ‘Queen of Orange’ backed up by all the green foliage is stunning. I’ve been very happy with my Polemonium ‘Golden Feathers’. Three years and growing. Now I want more.
@Jerry, the euphorb and geum are both good early plants, and that’s as far as my planning went, the result was serendipity!
The abundance of May is unmatched (at least till June rolls around). I’ve never succeeded with Euphorbias but seeing your Miner’s Merlot just now makes me want to get one and try again. Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’ is just fantastic and has been my favorite, but as you said, scary in a small garden.
I’ve never tried Polemonium; your ‘Golden Feathers’ definitely gets my attention. I noticed a Polemonoim hybrid ‘Heaven Scent’ in my local nursery. Did you try that one?
Chavli, seems I’ve always grown one euphorbia or another, usually several at a time. Two I’m looking for are E. ceratocarpa and E. palustris, the latter which should appreciate the wet heavy soil here. Haven’t tried that polemonium yet, but I would if it was available — they’ve been uniformly good here.