Posted on by Donna

Flowering Successes In My Spring Garden

“Remember that children, marriages, and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get.”  

~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

 

Spring in May is glorious, even on the occasional cool day.  Flowers popping up almost as soon as the buds form.  A few anemones (pictured above) have survived, and remind me to plant some more this fall. And oh are the weeds just as prolific as the flowers.

With many years of injuries, work and illness, I have had to let my gardens go and the weedy over grown look of them shows the lack of care.  As the quote above says, we do have to give the things we love care if we want them to flourish.  So I am determined this year to start the process to slowly and methodically go through each garden and weed, weed and weed again before I add soil and mulch.  In particular I am focusing on the front and side gardens first.

 

 

And I am being careful not to overdo it and risk injury again.  Slow measured steps of an hour of work 4-5 days a week can get me to my goals faster than hours of work at one time, and not being able to move for days….or weeks.

I only began weeding the front gardens in May.  And in between raindrops, heat and resting my shoulder I have worked through these gardens…..and am weeding them again as the next wave of weeds has shown up.  

And even through the weeds as I look about, I am noticing so many flowering successes (like this perennial dwarf sweet pea above) in May despite the lack of any April warm up.

 

 

This is the early flowering front garden as it began to grow, and erupted in bloom in early May.  

 

 

Surprisingly Muscari were popping up everywhere in the front garden right on time in May, and looking lovely against the hyacinth.

 

 

Hyacinths, a favorite of mine, bloomed in the front and side garden and were gone within a week as May began hot.

 

 

I have not worked on the side garden, but it looked lovely as it started to bloom.  

 

 

The maple and ash trees in the back were beginning to leaf out pretty much on time as the first week in May ended.

 

 

Maple leaves…..

 

 

Ash tree flowers….

 

 

And the mailbox garden (after it was well weeded…phew) showing miniature daffs and Muscari growing in the first wave of bloom.

 

 

Pulmonaria was a great treat for me and the pollinators.

 

 

And my snapdragons, started from seed in early February indoors, were already blooming like crazy in their containers.

 

 

I snipped a few for a little May vase.  And added some of the Muscari still blooming.

 

 

I love using this little Polish pottery creamer as a vase.

 

 

It found a perfect spot in my living room near a window.

 

 

English primrose or Primula vulgaris has been blooming beautifully in our continued May warmth this past week.

 

 

These pinky-plum violet, I use as a ground cover, were fully leafed out and blooming not a week after May began. 

 

 

They started to fade, due to the unusual warmth, so I picked a bunch for a vase.

 

 

And added the reddish-purple primrose for a sweet little posy.

 

 

And I have to highlight the May blooming daffs that I love for their beauty and fragrance.

 

 

Most are white or almost white.

 

 

I picked several for an almost white vase.  And I had forgotten I had planted such a variety of white daffs in my garden until I was cutting them.

 

 

And blooming right on schedule was Leucojum aestivum or Summer Snowflake, a perfect addition to the white vase.

 

 

One white snapdragon and a bunch of Brunnera leaves were added for just the right touch.  

It has been an unusual spring, and a fabulous May even with everything flowering at the same time.  I don’t want to miss one bloom or plant.  I will add that our pollen count is over the top making me sneeze a lot more than usual.  But I don’t care…..it is such a beautiful, blissful time in the garden.

What is bringing you bliss in May?  Is there a special flower you look forward to seeing each May?

 

I am joining Cathy@Rambling in the Garden for her wonderful In A Vase on Monday meme. The pictures shared here were created with my iPod Touch camera and two free apps, Pixlr and Prisma.

I am posting poetry, almost weekly on Sundays, on my other blog, Living From Happiness.  You can read my latest poem here.

All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2018.  Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.

36 Replies to “Flowering Successes In My Spring Garden”

    1. Yes I think the white daffs have become a favorite….and it is wonderful having the flowers popping up finally!

  2. Thanks for sharing Donna, hope your shoulder continues to feel good. Love the photo art!

  3. Stunning May vases all! You’re right, slow and steady wins the race every time. On the other hand you could just claim that you’re embracing a new style of gardening, channeling Piet Oudolf, and creating a flowering meadow. Happy May and may your shoulder continue to heal.

    1. I think that will be my line for the back gardens as they look like meadows. So glad you liked the vases Peter.

  4. Your garden and vases show how the season is racing along now it has got started! Lovely arrangements. I look forward to Lily of the Valley in May. Mine are in a very shady spot and have only just started to flower. Take care of the shoulder and enjoy watching spring unfold! 🙂

    1. Thanks Cathy…..I am finally getting smarter about my shoulder. Looking forward to seeing my LoV soon.

  5. So many wonderful blooms in your garden! I really do need to get more spring bulbs in this year.

    I totally agree with your “spend a bit of time more often” philosophy. I’m easily distracted so I also find that being methodical – and focusing on one area/task at a time – is the best way for me to get things done when there is a LOT to do (as there always is at this time of year).

    In the past couple of days, my goal was to edge & weed two of our front garden beds. Today, I’ll be mulching…then on to the next bed (which I purposefully have to ignore while I work on the first two, hard as that may be).

    1. Oh boy do I get the distracted part…..and yes it is hard to ignore all the weeds right next to the bed I am weeding and not want to get them right away. Enjoy your garden my friend!

  6. You’re smart to pace yourself on the garden chores, Donna – that’s a lesson I need to learn. I’m happy to see so many flowers in bloom in your garden at last! Your vases are delightful and left me with primrose envy. As to your question, May usually brings in a mass of Achillea ‘Moonshine’ and a stampede of Agapanthus. Both have started to bloom but they aren’t ready to hold a parade yet.

    1. Thanks Kris and happy you enjoyed the vases…..I can’t wait for your Agapanthus to hold their parade and see them in your garden and vases since I cant grow them!

  8. The vases are delightful Donna. Love the daffodils–funny how we can find surprises in our own gardens.

    Good luck to you with the weeding. I think you have the right idea to take time, be steady and keep moving forward a little at a time and it will get done. That’s the approach I’ve taken this spring and though there’s so much to do, I’ve enjoyed the work more knowing I could stop when I needed to without feeling guilty.

  9. Loving your garden.
    I am in manic weeding (and planting) mode here.
    And sadly know what you mean about overdoing it. Blood, sweat and tears fertilise my garden (with a generous helping of stupidity.

  10. I am so glad spring has really arrived for you Donna – it is wonderful to see our gardens waking up, even if it involves a proliferation of weeds too! I really enjoyed seeing all your different vases today – you must be thrilled to have so much choice for the contentss!

  11. Well I think it looks as though your garden and vase has got plenty of care and attention. Love all your flowers – the pulmonaria, pretty snapdragons and Muscari are just right in your Polish vase. We have a Polish pottery shop called Baltica near to us and I never tire of their beautiful designs.

  12. Nice to see your garden all abloom again, Donna. Your arrangements are all charming, but the white one stole my heart – so lovely!
    I am thrilled that the leaves have all unfolded and I get to hear them whisper in the breeze once again – bliss!
    Have a great week!

    1. Yes it is so amazing to see the landscaped transformed all at once with the blanket of green surrounding all as the leaves unfurl! Enjoy your spring Eliza….

  13. It does seem like our gardens are right about at the same stage! Your garden looks great and doesn’t appear to have been neglected at all! 🙂

    1. Oh you are so kind…..the next wave of weeds has swallowed all, but the front gardens I can rescue….the back gardens not so much as they are so big and I am but one…we shall see what it looks like as the season moves on….

  14. Slow and steady sounds like a good idea to get things done. Your photographs are beautiful as usual. It must take you ages to do them.

    1. Actually I have gotten pretty quick with the apps now but I love to experiment which may take time. Glad you enjoy them.

  15. You have so many beautiful flowers to work with here. It is lovely to see violets and primroses together again. Ours are just a memory now. In spite of those (inevitable) weeds, your garden is looking great.

    1. That is the view I have of them in my mind…..my favorite! Especially when they start to move and sprawl.

  17. May is my favourite month of the year Donna where everything is so fresh and full of promise. I think that the adage of little and often is well applied to weeding. Try as hard as I could I couldn’t see any weeds in your photos. Two lovely vases but my favourite has to be the daffodils. I can’t pick a favourite May flower – too many contenders for that title 🙂

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