Gardening and Gardens

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 ...

Today is my birthday. I always loved my birthday but also loved that it was in May. There is something magical about this month. The air smells fresh and still feels cool, the leaves in the trees are a brilliant yellow-green and the spashes of color made from the spring flowers decorate the landscape.  Outside my house right now, the Kwanzan cherry tree (Prunus  serrulata) i s in full bloom. For as long as I can remember, my family always called this tree my birthday tree because it bloomed on or near my birthday. True to it's given name, there it was, smiling in the sunshine for me this morning.  A few other flowers opened up to say happy birthday too: So to them, and all of you, thanks for the birthday wishes!

The tulips are in full bloom all over my town. I think the best looking tulips are ones planted in clusters rather than a single line of them. In landscape design, you often read about the rule of sticking to one color or color family when planting in groups. But I think this unofficial rule can be broken when it comes to tulips. Look at this grouping I found along a local parking lot the other day.  The mass of colors from tulips of the same form are simply show stopping.  I wish I had this much space to plant this many all together!