Gardening and Gardens

Dogwood trees and azalea bushes are in full bloom. Tulips are saying goodbye as iris are saying hello. Hostas, ferns and solomon's seal are speading their leaves and making themselves comfortable in the shade. Here are a few other things blooming in my Long Island, zone 7b garden this month. The allium are just about to pop open in front of a stunningly gorgeous azalea.  Clematis Claire de Lune just opened yesterday. It's peeking out above a nearby hosta which will contine to keep it's roots cool during the hot summer months.   These Anenome Madonna are enjoying their first year in my garden. I love the delicate wispy stems on these flowers and look forward to watching them continue to grow.  A lovely pink columbine is blooming happily next to the ferns and hostas. Under a blanket of pink petals from the fading Kwanzan cherry tree, the shade garden is coming to life. Taking center stage right now are the 2 magnificent bleeding hearts....

May is bursting with spring flowers, trees are a bright yellow-green and the grass is looking fuller each day. After such a long winter, it's wonderful to see everything coming into bloom. In addition, a few things I planted later in the year last year are finally pushing forth fuller growth now. Here's what's blooming around my Long Island garden this month.   Beautiful columbines in full bloom. I love the pink outside and the white flower inside.  Variegated red-twig dogwood looks stunning in front of the blooming viburnum in the background. Heuchera 'Miracle' is one of the beautifully leaved coral bells. The new growth is really coming out now and its dainty little flowers shouldn't be far behind. In the shade garden, the Kwansan cherry tree flowers are falling to the ground, creating a pink carpet. But through that, Phlox 'Home Fires', bleeding hearts, ferns, astillbe and anemone are living quite happily.  Here is a close up of ...