Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - May 2014

Happy Bloom Day and thank you for dropping by my garden this month. Here are some of the things in bloom in my garden in the month of May.

May is the month of the magnolia. The Southern magnolias are in bloom for most of the month. That's the good news. The bad news is that it is the month that they get new leaves and drop their old ones. The thick leathery leaves make a bit of a mess in the garden, but this, too, shall pass.



This is also the month when many of the early blooming daylilies are in flower, always a happy sight.




The oakleaf hydrangea is really the only member of the hydrangea family that seems to like my garden, so , of course, it is a favorite of mine.


The time of the bluebonnets and pink bonnets would seem to be long past, but a few blossoms still linger.





In the vegetable garden, the eggplants are blooming.






















As are the green beans.

And the squash plants.



The blossoms of the African blue basil are favorites with butterflies of all kinds.

Among the wildflowers, the tickseeds are in full bloom.

While the blanket flowers are just getting started.

The little marigolds in the tomato bed continue to bloom profusely.

The milkweed has been in bloom for a while. That is 'Silky gold' on the left and 'Silky red' in the middle. And on the right is one of the milkweed customers, a Monarch butterfly caterpillar which had completely denuded the plant he was on. Never mind. The leaves will grow back. 



Autumn sage is welcome at any season.

This is 'Mystic Spires' salvia, another favorite of mine.

'Hot Lips' salvia blooms almost continuously throughout the spring, summer, and fall. 

The crossvine, 'Tangerine Beauty,' has a big flush of bloom in early spring, but it continues to put out a few blooms right through the rest of the year.


By the patio, the gerbera daisies continue to brighten my days.


I like this red kalanchoe.

The fragrant old petunias continue their bloom.

The yucca, too, has a very long bloom cycle.

Gazania daisies are another day-brightener.

My favorite yellow rose, 'Graham Thomas,' has begun its bloom.

The canna 'Lucifer' certainly brings the light to its corner of the garden.

White yarrow is very attractive to many pollinators. 

Purple oxalis with its dainty pink blooms. The green plant in the middle is firespike which will bloom in late summer or autumn.

So, even though we never got our looked-for April showers, May flowers came just the same.

Thank you, Carol, for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I look forward to visiting May Dreams Gardens to see what is blooming in other gardens around the world this month.

Comments

  1. Great post... and inspiring for us in Canada. Looking at blogs is like time travelling, eh? From Nova Scotia I view what will be blooming here in a couple months time, as I enjoy your post today. Rosebushes here are just budding out - the leaves that is!

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    1. That's one of the reasons that I so enjoy Bloom Day and being able to see what's blooming around the world. I look forward to seeing Nova Scotia in May!

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  2. What a beautiful garden. I love seeing gardens that actually have a variety of glamorous flowers at this time of the year.

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    Replies
    1. Variety is the spice of gardening! Thanks for visiting.

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  3. Wow ~ such a variety in your garden! Thanks for sharing ~ Happy Bloom Day!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. I enjoyed visiting your "sand" garden!

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  4. You are a month or two ahead of me, and way ahead of the east coast. It is such a nostalgia trip to see your beautiful flowers I used to know in Houston, but can't grow outside here, like your sumptuous beautiful purple oxalis, whose blooms like to press their faces here to the window glass. Your garden is looking very lovely, and I wish I could see Monarch caterpillars in mine. I grew a milkweed last year but no signs of it coming back. The Crossvine always makes me think of the hummingbirds that love it. Great photos!

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    1. Blooms have been a bit slow in the garden this spring as cool weather has lingered, but, as you see, things have picked up in May - certainly one of the best months of the year in the garden.

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  5. So much color in your garden! Love the tickseed stand. And my magnolia just started blooming, too: nothing beats that scent on a rainy day.

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    1. It is lovely, isn't it? Almost makes it worth the mess!

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  6. You saved the best for last. That oxalis is a show stopper
    Ray

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    1. Thank you. I'm quite fond of that purple oxalis myself.

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  7. You have so many wonderful blooms and the Magnolia photo is spectacular! I love the color of the Purple oxalis and the yellow roses too....such a wonderful garden! Happy Bloom Day!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Lee. That yellow rose, the 'Graham Thomas,' is a particular favorite of mine - glad you like it.

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  8. Wow, Dorothy, you have so much going on in your garden! Magnolias may be messy, but those gorgeous blooms are worth it. As much as I enjoy all your flowers, I'm just amazed at all that is blooming already in your vegetable garden--I haven't even planted mine yet!

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    1. We have to get our veggies planted early - generally in March - in order to beat the heat of our early summers. I now have ripe patio tomatoes!

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  9. just Lovely :)
    and do not miss

    SATURDAY SHOW OFF

    it is FUN :
    Welcome
    The Roseman

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  10. Even though we're in completely different areas of the country and both have something of a focus on native plants and habitat gardening, we have a surprising number of the same plants. Southern magnolia, oakleaf hydrangea, yarrow, squash, roses . . . along with different sage, different lupines, different milkweeds. It looks like you're keeping your butterflies happy!

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    1. That is interesting, isn't it? So many of these are really tough plants and I can see how they would do well in environments as widely diverse as southeast Texas and California.

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  11. Wow! That is one gorgeous garden, Dorothy! I hope this season will do your garden well. The daylilies are absolutely beautiful. I can tell you've put a lot of work and effort on raising them. Keep up the good job! I love it! :)

    Darrell Gardner @ LivingColourGardens

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    1. Thank you, Darrell. Gardening is hard work, as you no doubt know, but it is ultimately rewarding, isn't it? Especially when we see those blooms.

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