The Lovely Month of May: GBBD, May 2014
After months of below-normal temperatures, it has suddenly become summer-like in southern Pennsylvania, and my Gettysburg garden has burst into bloom.
Some flowers, like those of Viburnum x Burkwoodii, came and went so quickly that I barely had time to enjoy their spicy fragrance before they began to fade.
The pink and mauve volunteer columbines (Aquilegia) that spring up by the patio each May are particularly glorious this year.
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Bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) are also at the height of their bloom. I always enjoy the tranquil beauty of this combination of white bleeding hearts with Hosta ‘Francee’.
The garden at the front of my rented townhouse is a vision of pink and blue. In the half barrel, pink and blue petunias bloom with osteospermum. At this time of year, a large pink bleeding heart dominates the front flower bed, with blue accents provided by flowers of Pulmonaria on one side and Brunnera ‘Looking Glass’ on the other.
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Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day is hosted on the 15th of each month by Carol at May Dreams Gardens. Since May is her favorite garden month, this is a particularly good time to visit her blog to see what’s in bloom in gardens around the world.
Jean's Garden 
Wow Jean, spring has certainly sprung! Those little bleeding hearts with the white bits are just so sweet! Enjoy your garden. You’ve waiting a while!
Diane, My Maine garden is now almost at the stage of development that my Gettysburg garden was at when I posted this. I bet spring has even sprung in your garden!
Happy GBBD, Jean. Your columbines are so pretty! Enjoy the remaining time in Gettysburg – I imagine you’re getting excited about starting the next phase of your life in Maine.
Kris, These volunteer columbines — descendents of some long-ago garden escapee — grow everywhere in Gettysburg. A friend has them in these pink and mauve shades, but also in a deep blue-violet. I will miss them.
A lovely time of year, your May blooms are beautiful.
Chloris, It’s hard not to love May in the US mid-Atlantic region; so many beautiful blooms.
Hello Jean, i always get excited to see flowers from the temperate countries. I want to see the blues and the violets that seems to be forbidden to grow here dictated by the natural laws. We have a lot of flowers but mostly oranges and reds, few yellows. You can’t blame me for looking for the cool colors. If only i can get even just those minute forget-me-not!
Andrea, While I love to have hot red and orange colored flowers in my garden, it is those cool blues and yellows that have captured my heart. I’m glad you can enjoy them in our temperate climate blogs.
So nice to see spring again, I think we really deserved it this year. For some reason my own bleeding hearts have nearly disappeared this year and I’m hoping they recover.
Bittster,
I’ve had mixed results with bleeding hearts. This one is exceptionally happy, but another in the back flower bed has almost disappeared. In my Maine garden, I was unsuccessful in getting a plant of the white variety established, and the original pink one is barely hanging on. On the other hand, the “Gold heart” cultivar that I added to my serenity garden in Maine a few years ago, is thriving.
Hi Jean, while you’re enjoying spring, we’re forging ahead with the season at the moment as the Iris Sibirica is out and the first roses have opened too. As always the Iris flowers are beautifully elegant and so good that they appear to feature in many of the designer gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show too!
Sunil, Iris sibirica is a favorite of mine. The two clumps of them in my Gettysburg garden were just beginning to show buds when I left there a few days ago. Although I’ve sometimes had some in bloom in my Maine garden at the end of May, I don’t think I will see them until mid-June this year.
Jean I am just seeing your May blooms and what a beautiful display…I do hope your garden in Maine is welcoming you with bloom now.
Jeanne, your bleeding heart is just lovely. I have a good friend who lives in Orono and I might be visiting her this summer. I’ll let you know if I’m in Maine. Perhaps we can meet for coffee!
Nancy