In the Garden, 5/5/2012

Rabbit awaits halcyon days in the garden.

I love May in the garden–it’s an easy month to garden in, with no mosquitoes, plenty of rain, pretty flowers blooming left and right, and butterflies appearing from wherever it is they had gone. Jim just turned on our little fountain, and has hung up a hummingbird feeder. So we are all ready to welcome the blooming peonies and roses of late May and early June, the halcyon days in the garden.

Come down the path for a tour of the latest garden  events . . .

First stop is at this spurless columbine. Is it more beautiful than a regular old columbine? Can’t say, but its graceful simplicity is lovely.

Most of the giant purple alliums have opened fully now, like exploding fireworks.

I posted a picture of a thalictrum in bud (5-2-2012), now here it is open and fluffy.

The mayapples have emerged, with their blossoms hiding under the soft, umbrella-like leaves.

The Mrs. Cholmondeley clematis flowers have been turning blue, so her mystery is solved. She is both purple and blue, depending on when you are looking at her!

One of the common names for perennial geraniums is cranesbill, and you can see why when the petals have dropped.

The complex flower of the Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum). While my wild plant bible, Wild Plants and Natural Areas of Kane County, rates this plant highly, in the home garden, it’s a pest–a little too much of a good thing.

Lastly, a tiger swallowtail has glommed onto the just-opened dame’s rocket, and is thoroughly investigating each flower.

Please click on this image to read the poem.