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 ...

My Iris are blooming profusely in the garden right now. Their tall, slender stems emerging from wide, fan-like leaves and topped off with gorgeous pops of color. They remind me of popcorn that has suddenly burst open from it's kernel. They variety I have (below) is referred to as a Bearded Iris. Bearded Irises are the most popular type, but the Siberian and Japanese types are gaining in popularity and can be equally as stunning.  Bearded Iris in my Port Washington, NY garden So where is the beard? If you look closely on the lower petals which hang downward (these are called "falls," while the upright petals are called "standards") you'll see little fuzzy parts in the center. These are the beards. Bearded Irises are easy to grow, require full sun and will multiply over time. They come in a variety of colors including pink, blue, red, yellow and purple. The Siberian and Japanese Iris do not have the fuzzy beard and hence, are considered beardless. Most ...

Today is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! Here's a look at what's growing and blooming in my Long Island garden this month.  The pretty flowers of the Viburnum shrubs are starting to show.  More Rhododendrons continue to pop open every day.  A pretty, shady spot for the Columbine, Hostas and Ferns.  The red Azalea in the front yard is a show-stopper this year. And purple Iris are just starting to open up - so lovely! As always,  any thanks to Carol over at  May Dreams Gardens  for hosting the monthly  Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day .