Posted on by Donna

Many May Flowers

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 “The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”  Chinese proverb

 

 

This spring has certainly produced adverse conditions for my garden.  Cold, snow and floods not to mention the critters who have ravaged it.  And now it is a miracle to see what sweet blooms are brave enough to show.  Like the Leucojum above.  I was surprised to see this starting to bloom in the white garden.

The majority of flowers blooming are those usually seen at the end of April, not the middle of May, but I am grateful for each DSCN6468 and every leaf and bloom (like the sedum left and the Brunnera at the end of the post).  These plants born of difficult circumstances, are such an inspiration to me.  They act to encourage my creativity.

All of us need inspiration or a muse to keep our creativity flowing.  And today our muse can come from so many things:  people, places, books, quotes, animals and yes flowers.  These muses will touch us deeply and spark our imagination.  But how do you know you have found your muse?  It is something you know that deeply inspires you to your very soul.

So what was my muse?  For me it is nature, but more specifically it is my garden.  The critters who live and visit us, the dramas that play out there and the wonderful colors, sounds, plants and flowers.  Right now it is the flowers that encourage my creative juices.  And the posts, pictures and poetry that are conceived due to these muses give me inexplicable joy and bliss.

So what is growing and flowering now in my gardens?  I am linking in with Carol@May Dreams Gardens, where she hosts GBBD on the 15th of every month.  I am also linking in with Denise@An English Girl Rambles for her Today’s Flowers weekly meme.

 

 

daffs

Daffodils are everywhere now.  I have so many varieties.  Some bloom early or late, small or large, one color or multiple colors, small flowers or large.  But all are beautiful this time of year, and bloom from April through May.  Daffs are perfect for early spring bloom because they symbolize rebirth and new beginnings.  These are just some of the daffs blooming now.

 

 

 

hyacinth

Hyacinths are the quintessential spring bloom with magnificent colors and an intoxicating scent.  Yes I have every color under the sun and each has a specific meaning.  Hyacinths were said to be dedicated to Apollo, the Greek god of the sun who is the patron of the arts.  Don’t they inspire you to create beauty.

 

 

 

hellebores

I love when the hellebores finally bloom, and these are still blooming in May.  Mine are getting bigger and making a lovely display after a few years.  They are all Lenten Roses and I have no idea of their names.  Helleborus niger or the Christmas Rose was called an Oracle flower because it was thought it could predict the weather. 

 

 

 

english primrose

English primroses are so hardy they can withstand cold, snow and critters nibbling on them.  Look at how lovely these are. The flowers and leaves of Primula vulgaris are edible.  The leaves can also be used for tea while the flowers can be made into wine. 

 

 

 

grape hyacinths

The wonderful grape hyacinths are just beginning to spread their cheer around the garden.  It is said children enjoyed squashing these flowers as they made a squishing sound, giving them their name ‘squidgies’.

 

 

I also wanted to show you some of the foliage popping up that will soon produce flowers.  For now though I love to just look at the great shapes, colors and feel of the early spring foliage.  I am linking in with Pam@Digging for her Foliage Follow Up on the 16th, and Christina@Creating my own garden of the Hesperides for her Garden Bloggers Foliage Day on the 22nd.

 

 

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This is our native lupine starting to grow in the meadow.  The foliage starts as purple and then keeps growing to green.

 

 

 

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I love the daylilies growing with their spiky leaves.  Of course the deer love the foliage and flowers too.

 

 

 

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Hardy geraniums are greening up.  The foliage is so different depending on the type of geranium.

 

 

 

 

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Moss phlox or Phlox subulata has some buds forming as the plant forms a wonderful groundcover carpeting the garden.  The foliage is great as a backdrop after the flowers bloom.

 

 

 

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You can’t miss the unique foliage of yarrow.  This wonderful native seeds itself throughout the garden spreading its gorgeous foliage and flowers.

 

 

 

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This is Red Trillium or Trillium sessile.  I love the spotted foliage which looks stunning against the unusual red flower.  I was surprised to see so many of these as they are finally naturalizing.  They make a great mat of foliage in the early spring garden.

 

 

 

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This unusual foliage sends me screaming from the garden as it means the invasion is spreading.  The invasion is horsetail or Equisetum telmateia.  This weed is impossible to get rid of and spreads by spores.  I have finally decided to just pull up the foliage in the spring and spread the foliage as a mulch on the garden bed.  It is very good for the plants as it breaks down.  This plant is prehistoric and has been around since the dinosaurs.  Now you know why it is indestructible.

 

 

 

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Astilbe is easy to spot as it begins growing.  Its hairy, reddish stems and foliage give way to bright green leaves.

 

 

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The first leaves emerging on the trees are these on the dwarf willows in the front garden.  I love how the pussy willows mix with the leaves just in time for nesting birds to take cover.

 

 

So what do you consider your creative muse?  What flowers or plants are currently making you swoon?

 

 

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A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. It just blooms.

from Zen Shin Talks

 

 

 

 

Just a Note:  Just wanted to let you all know that I will be offline from May 16th until at least Monday or later the week of the 19th.  My surgery is scheduled for the 16th and fingers crossed, I will be up and around within a few days.  I have many posts scheduled and ready to go, but I won’t get to comments right away.  And I will be a couple of weeks behind on reading posts too.  

Thank you for all your good wishes, and I hope to be out in the garden about 3 weeks after so I can plant my veggies and containers….my hubby has been a great help, and I know he will keep things going as I heal. 

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Next up on the blog:  Next Monday will be a Garden Book Review.  And then another native plant profile at the end of the month.

I am linking in with Michelle@Rambling Woods for her Nature Notes meme.  It is a great way to see what is happening in nature around the world every Tuesday.

I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden.  My most recent post is up already.  My next post is May 27th.

I can also be found blogging once a month at Vision and Verb.  I will be posting again on June 3rd.

As always, I’ll be joining Tootsie Time’s Fertilizer Friday.sharethelove

I am also joining in I Heart Macro with Laura@Shine The Divine that happens every Saturday.

All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2014.  Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.

 

90 Replies to “Many May Flowers”

  1. Lovely to see your beautiful spring flowers, it all seems so long ago already here so it is a joy to see yours now lengthening the season!

    1. I wanted to profile these as they would have been up for April Bloom Day normally and are just fading. Now we are getting a few others but I will show those at the end of the month in my garden review. It is nice to see these old friends isn’t it Christina….thanks.

  2. I will be sending you lots of good thoughts for the 16th Donna, and I wish you a speedy recovery.

    Your post here has amazing photos, all really beautiful. I studied each one and was delighted with such a great variety of eye catching plants and fauna. Thank you and I hope your week is a great one 🙂

    1. Thank you so much Denise for the good wishes and the kind praise….the beauty of those blooms has been sustaining me!!

  3. What lovely flowers, hyacinths and old roses win my heart because of their smell. Like you said, intoxicating.

    But gardenias are my ultimate weakness, I’d rather have a gardenia then a piece of cheesecake (And that’s saying a lot!)

    1. Thanks Laura…gardenias are beautiful but do not grow here except as an annual…I know what you mean about old roses too…heaven!!

  4. Will be sending you good thoughts and prayers on your upcoming surgery.
    I have to say your photo collages are masterpieces and I love them. All your photos are beautiful.
    I have a little horsetail, too, but I never knew the name of it until this post.
    Thanks for the information and sharing.

    1. My little bit turned into a whole yard full now, but it is impossible to get rid of horsetail without many applications of the strongest poisons…not worth it so we live with it.

      Thanks for the well wishes and the sweet praise…I have been getting used to my new camera this year outside in the garden. It seems to do a good job.

  6. Your garden blooms are looking lovely Donna. The hyacinths are particularly gorgeous with all the different colours. Yay, spring is here.

  7. Every good wish Donna for a speedy recovery, I did not know you could make tea or wine from Primulas, both sound interesting!

  8. The bleeding heart, celandine poppies, Virginia bluebells, and tulips are the most swoon-inducing in my garden right now.

    1. Jason it sounds just gorgeous….My bluebells are about to bloom too. I am excited to see all that is blooming and what i can divide and more about in the future.

  9. Your photos are lovely as always Donna, but I really like the collages this time. The centre daffodil is so pretty. I will have to look out for some different varieties to plant for next year. All the best with your surgery – will be thinking of you. 🙂

    1. Thank you Cathy. The daffs were only a small sampling as many more have opened in May…I am pleased with the many varieties that are blooming.

  10. I think your muse are memes! LOL. You get so inspired by them I think. So many of your beautiful images to post and link. I would agree on a muse, it is nature. My garden is not though, it is the result of nature’s inspiration, not what inspires me. I also don’t look at it as “nature” since it is artificially made by me to make nature come. Just a different perspective I guess.

    1. Those memes do seem to inspire posts. As I get to know my Nikon 510, it definitely has helped my picture taking….still getting used to all it has to offer in a camera.

      And I like the perspective you have about nature. I would say my garden is definitely inspired by the nature that was lost when the house was built. We are lucky in that we are surrounded by “green” areas that are still left wild and undeveloped so I seem to have the best of both worlds here…but definitely nature inspires!!

    1. You have much more blooming than I do..landscaper come to put down mulch and compost and clean up. They get confused as to what is weed or native flower so I leave the weeding to my husband. Did get some seeds in but it is going to get cold again…sigh…sigh…Michelle

  14. Oh Donna there’s a lot now, they are competing with each other to grow faster. I love that angle of the snowdrop, may i save it for my screensaver? Those lupines with darker margins are also amazing, so beautiful. I am waiting for your wide angle shot, haha!

    1. The wide shot would show so many weeds…the snowdrop is actually what is called a spring snowflake…similar look but a different bulb….much taller. Absolutely you may use it for your screensaver…I would be honored.

  16. Wow, your garden really brightened up nicely. Love the variety of daffodils and Hyacinths. I must remember to buy Hyacinths for next year. Didn’t know there was a native lupine. Heal quickly Donna.

    1. Thanks for your well wishes…Hyacinths would be wonderful in your beautiful garden and they have such a beautiful scent.

  17. Donna: You have an incredible collection of Daffodils! And Hellebores! And Primroses! And Grape Hyacinths! This post is so bright and colorful that I’m imagining your garden must be lovely right now. Best wishes with the surgery and recovery. Your rest and recuperation will be your priority, and gardening and blogging and blogging friends will always be here when you get back. Take care!

    1. Beth I will have to do another collage of the later daffs that are just finishing as well.

      With the fading of early bulbs, the weeds are taking over again so not as lovely as I would like if I could get out there…I will be following the doctor’s orders…I don’t think my body will give me much choice!

      Thanks Beth.

  18. Donna, yours garden and flowers always amaze me.. So Lovely.. I would love to plant some of the Hellebores, they are beautiful.. I wish you a quick recovery from your surgery, take care and have a happy week!

    1. Thanks Eileen. I planted many hellebores a few years ago and they are growing in beautifully now and lasting a long time.

  20. My favorite May flowers are the violets this year. Every thing seems to be coming into bloom at once. I expect the columbines to open any second. I love them too.

    The most *interesting* flowers in my neighborhood are the gentrifiers. Every year these folk are up to something. This year, my next door neighbor had her lawn killed, so an inground sprinkler system could be added. Baffling. Noisy and fascinating in a roadkill kind of way.

    1. Columbines are going to open here soon too…lovely violets in the beds and lawns this year so I agree with you Denise.

  21. Nature is my muse too and it helps me melt all the stress from a day’s work. I’m glad these survived. They’re all so lovely and relaxing to look at.

  22. Donna – It is such a joy to see all your beautiful blossoms. Very few here so far – but they will come. The rose bushes at least have visible leaf buds.
    Keep well and strong!

    1. My roses were killed to the base so they will take a long time to grow back. Great to hear things are picking up for you!!

  23. It is so good to see spring blooms in your garden! Your daffodils are delightful! I really enjoyed your collages. I also wish you a very speedy recovery from your surgery! Take care, Deb

  25. awesome pics! i’m in central indiana and have blue and purple columbines blooming as of late last week! with the seemingly endless winter we had, i never thought i’d see such color in the garden again. My lupines have developed flower buds in a matter of 3 days (lots of spring showers right now—perfect for all the babies in the yard) and i am hyped about their almost magical progress. I too have horsetail running amock and usually just pick it out of paths and such where i dont want it and leave the rest as a lovely groundcover under planting. its also an easy garden task for my children to do for me (unlike weeding beds of baby plants)! I personally think it fits in the ‘naturalized’ garden i am consistantly working to achieve. best of luck in recovery!

    1. Sounds lovely Sophia…I agree that horsetail can be a lovely groundcover but we are being overrun in many areas so we need a good balance…so glad you enjoyed the garden.

  26. So glad to see that Spring has arrived in your neck of the woods! I have been looking back at your postings and enjoying all the beautiful photos of your blooming beauties as well as the critters in your life. Good Luck with the Surgery and Happy Healing….

    1. Thanks Diana! I have several posts ready, but I look forward to returning to my garden soon. I have been weeding even with all the rain we keep getting. It actually keeps me feeling better.

  28. May you heal rapidly from this unexpected surgery. I was going to say, the garden will wait. But that’s not true. The garden–and the weeds–will march on. You may or may not get things back under control this year. The garden won’t wait, but in another sense, it will, because it is the process of gardening, and not the end result, that is healing. I wish for you the grace to accept the things you cannot change. How well I remember the year I had surgery, and had to watch the garden get swallowed up by weeds. It survived and so did I. It only kills your pride to have an ugly garden.

    1. Thank you so much Kathy….it seems every year my job would leave the garden to its own devices. Now hopefully it will just be a few weeks…I think it is pride that creates the angst for me right now.

    1. Thanks Tina…I think the cold weather benefited the early flowers and has kept the perennials from blooming by about 3 weeks….many trees and bushes lost too, but that just means some new plants and designs!! 🙂

  30. LOVE your daffodil collection Donna! I am jealous of those hellebores. Mine never seem to take off but this year I actually see a big leaf on one of them so maybe maybe maybe they will take off one day. I can’t wait to get out into my own garden on Sunday! Oh, happy blooms!

    1. Great news then Kathy that your hellebores have leaves…they will come around…enjoy your time in the garden….I have been getting my fill all week so it will last for a few weeks until I get back out there myself.

  32. Hello Donna
    I enjoyed the little tour around your spring blooms, you have lots to be thankful for, despite the weather and critters. (I’m trying to be as thankful myself for the same reasons 🙂
    Good luck with your surgery, hopefully you can sit outside afterwards and let the sun, birds and critters speed the healing process along.

  34. Donna- my thoughts and prayers go with you on your upcoming surgery, and for a quick recovery. It’s wonderful to see your flowers bursting forth after such a harsh winter, your daffodils are beautiful, many of mine have the orange trumpets too. Your hellebores are gorgeous, I’ve been wanting some doubles but haven’t found the right deal on them yet. I have horsetail reeds coming up in a big area too, but this year I cut down a lot of overgrown shrubs and planted grass in that area so hope to conquer them through mowing. It’s strange how east coast deer like to eat daylilies but west coast deer leave them alone and go after roses and even bother my geraniums. I also have major vole and mole problems. It’s a struggle.

    1. Thanks Hannah for your well wishes…sounds like we all have critters and weeds to deal with but I learn so much from everyone.

  35. Donna, so pleased for you that you have all this beautiful flower and foliage now, you have a beautiful range of daffodils and hyacinths, I too have horsetails and pull the leaves up, I didn’t know they are good, I usually put them in the recycle bin but now I will start using them like a mulch,

    wishing you well with your surgery today, look forward to hearing from you when you are well enough, take care, Frances x

  36. Donna, now that spring is here fully, and completely, well for at least a week before we get summer. I feel I can be generous towards her, and say how thankful I am for each spring bloom she shares with us.

    It’s that hard winter that makes me grateful, each blossom was earned this year, May or not, the garden is slowly catching up.

    Jen

    1. I agree Jen…so thankful for each bloom and so sad when i see some plants are gone…but they have given their place to allow the garden to change and grow…

  38. Donna, Your spring flowers are are lovely! You have a nice variety of blooms. I can’t believe that I, too, still have hellebores in bloom! I love the leucojum flowers. I like to imagine that the garden fairies painted on the little green spots! I am sending positive thoughts your way for a quick recovery. Hoping that you will soon be back in your garden!

    1. Oh Dorothy I love your fairy story!! Thanks for the well wishes. It is going to be a longer recovery than I thought but I am behaving.

  39. Donna, it’s been great revisiting spring by reading your blog. It’s onwards and upwards from here on in.
    You’ve a marvellous selection of spring flowers, of course, I’d expect no less from you beautiful garden.
    All the best with your procedure and wishing you a speedy recover 🙂

    1. Thanks Angie and I am pleased you enjoyed the spring flowers!! Trying to catch glimpses from the house of what is blooming now.

  41. So sweet to see a second Spring
    through your thoughtful eyes….thank you.
    Also know that I’m holding you close to heart
    with mending prayers
    and love:)
    -Jennifer

  42. Donna, I hope everything went well and you’ll be back soon!
    As you, I appreciate plants which are strong and can survive through tough weather conditions.
    I am impressed with your daffodil variety!

  43. I am not sure I have a specific muse. I love passionate people. Their enthusiasm is infectious. And I love philosophy. Interesting ideas always inspire me.
    It is too bad about the invasion of horsetail. I can appreciate how frustrating it must be.
    How wonderful to have trilliums naturalizing in your garden! They have such neat foliage and flowers. I love your rainbow of hyacinths especially the peach color which you don’t often see.

  44. Thanks Jennifer…I love your muse!! It can be infectious…..the peach hyacinth is right up there as one of my top 3!! And you are right it is rare.

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