Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up May 2019: Blooms Everywhere!

Welcome to my Garden!
Welcome to my garden! Out of all the gardening months, I must say that May is one of my favorites. In the past couple of weeks with temperatures in the upper 50's to mid-upper 60's and frequent rain, the garden has come to life once again with bright new foliage emerging and blooms everywhere. Come along and stroll with me in my Long Island May garden.
Hellebore
One of the most exciting and unexpected blooms in the garden right now are the blooms of this Hellebore I planted two years ago. It was small when I got it and it never really did anything but struggle to stay alive. While all the other Hellebores bloomed during the winter months, I was surprised to see this one just producing its first blooms!
Garden Gal with Kitty
Strolling around the corner to the side pool garden are the Girard's Fuchsia Azalea with their brilliant blooms right on schedule. They provide a colorful backdrop behind Garden Gal and her kitty.
Kwanzan Cherry 
Here is the the maturing Kwanzan Cheery tree which is going on its third year in the garden. I cannot get over just how beautiful and magnificent the blooms are on this tree, and could gaze at them forever. I just wish the flowers would last longer, but I'll enjoy the show for now!

Kwanzan Cherry Blossom
Here are the delicate pink blooms up close.
South Garden
In the south garden with the Kwanzan, you can see the Rhododendron are forming their buds and that there are more Gerard's Fuschia Azaleas blooming. The Nepeta is expanding by the day with all the rainfall and should be blooming soon. 
Allium Globemaster in Pool Garden
I enjoy seeing the Allium Globemaster getting taller by the day and forming their buds, which will open in late May to early June. 'Limemound' Spirea, Weeping Japanese Maple and 'Stella D Oro' Daylily can be seen in the backdrop with all their new foliage!
West Garden
As we stroll around the backside of the pool garden you can view the Golden Skyland's Spruce going on its third year with Rhododendron and Azalea.
Azalea Girard's 'Fuschia;
Here are the Azalea up close!
Ajuga, Heuchera and Sedum Foliage and Bloom Combo
If you have visited my gardens before, you are familiar with this combo of Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow', Heuchera 'Caramel' and Sedum 'Brilliant', which is prominent every spring. Salvia 'May Night' is also in the planting, which provides the purple touch later on once the Ajuga is done.
Perennial Border
It wouldn't be Bloom Day without visiting the Perennial Border. Here it is in spring mode with Peony, Salvia, Lamb's Ear, Astilbe, Daylily, Hosta and Echinacea, Next month the blooms will be at their peak!
Heuchera and Sedum
Here is another look at the foliage of Heuchera 'Caramel' and Sedum 'Brilliant' together.
Driveway Border
Heading towards the driveway border on the southeastern side of the property is the mature Skyland's Golden Oriental Spruce, now eleven years on the property since it was planted back in 2008 in memory of my mom.
Pier Garden
Next to the spruce is Coral Bark Maple 'Sango Kaku' with Nepeta, Coreopsis, Golden Dwarf Hinoki Cypress and Boxwood. I love the brand new foliage on the Maple!
Weeping Norway Spruce, Spirea, Garden Juniper and Heuchera
On the other side of the driveway planting is Weeping Norway Spruce with Spirea 'Magic Carpet', Japanese Garden Juniper, 'Purple Palace' Coral Bells and Variegated Iris. Follow along to the eastern area of the front yard. Here are the two weeping Japanese Maples that are each over twenty years old.
Front Lawn: Weeping Japanese Maples
The green variety is 'Viridis' and spans fifteen feet in diameter and reaches about eight feet in height. The red variety is smaller at about ten feet in diameter and six feet tall. I realize their true size when they tower above me while standing next to them!
Back North Garden
As we come full circle to the back gardens, you can get a glimpse of another Weeping Norway Spruce along with a Dwarf White Pine and Blue Globe Spruce. I am known to be a huge fan of dwarf and ornamental evergreens as stables in the design of the garden.
Back Garden Island
Here is a Dwarf Compact Hinoki Cypress (Hinoki Compacta 'Nana') in the back raised island bed. You can now get a full view the entire area we visited before with the combination of Ajuga, Heuchera and Sedum.
Strawberries in Herb Garden
Last, but not least is a new variety of strawberry from Proven Winners, known as 'Berried Treasure'. It displays these lovely reddish-pink blooms before the strawberries. I get just as much enjoyment from the flowers as I do from the delicious fruit!
Thanks for stopping by!
May Garden

I hope you enjoyed your stroll through my May garden. Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who has hosted Foliage Follow-Up for all these years, a meme I will still continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling WoodsDishing It & Digging It on Sunday with Angie the Freckled RoseImage-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Homestead Blog Hop on Wednesdays.

For gardening and design inspiration along with personal musings...

~As Always...Happy Gardening!~


Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2019. All rights reserved.

20 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous garden. So much variety and color. I am jealous of your climate. My kwanza cherry which I loved so dearly drowned last year because our garden was flooded. Several times. Right now we are waiting to see what else besides the pagoda dogwood has not made it through the rains.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Pat. I enjoyed your recent post. Seeds of Solidarity is a great role model and reminder of how community should work together.

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  2. Beautiful, one and all!
    The Cherry Tree is amazing!
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

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    1. Thank you Lea! I enjoyed your latest post. The banner is wonderful!

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  3. What an astonishing taste of foliage plants ...I adore those landscape arrangements which unfolds palettes of Garden simultaneously ...What beautiful blooms of Cherry plant blooms . Happy Spring days .

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    1. I am glad you enjoyed the visit Arun! I love all your blooms. The capture of the White Rain lily is my favorite!

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  4. Your cherry tree is incredible! And your Japanese maples had me catching my breath. A stroll through your garden in person would be a job and I appreciate the virtual tour. Happy GBBD!

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    1. Thank you Kris. I am so glad I planted the Kwanzan Cherry back a few years ago and the Maples are over twenty years old. I enjoyed your beautiful arrangements...you have so much talent!

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    1. Thank you Louca. I enjoyed visiting your latest post with the beautiful painting! Have a great week!

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  6. Lee, as always your garden is excellent!
    Your Garden Gal with Kitty is pretty, I also love Kwanzan Cherry flowers, Weeping Norway Spruce and funny frogs.
    Happy GBBD, dear!

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    1. Thank you Nadezda! I love your Fritillaria and Mahonia. I am very familiar with Mahonia. We plant it here in zone 7 in areas of partial shade and the blooms in spring add a nice touch to a dark area. I have not planted Fritillaria and will need to look into it. Have a great week!

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  7. I thoroughly enjoyed this stroll around your garden. I love all of your big specimen trees shrubs. Some are not so big but bi for their smallness. :) That Cherry tree is a stunner. Happy GBBD.

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    1. I am glad you enjoyed the stroll Lisa. Your garden is so lush and full of life and the Iris virginica sheveri blooms are especially beautiful!

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  8. Lee, your gardens are spectacular! I am in love with your meticulous grooming, all the specimens, and this month of blooms. I can't wait to see future posts, especially your June recap.
    We have officially downsized, and as I leave my garden, it is in full May bloom. I will not be going through the chores I normally would at this time of year, even though the new owners won't arrive until July. I will thin out my iris and transplant them into my daughter's garden, though. They are generations old. It's a bittersweet parting, but I am ready. I will enjoy your posts even more in the future!
    Rita C at Panoply

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Rita. Wishing you the best of luck in your new home!

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  9. Thank you for the stroll among your flowers! The flowers are amazing and the frog couple are just adorable :)
    My Corner of the World

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    1. Thank you Betty and thank you for hosting. Have a wonderful week!

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  10. Ciao! Bellissime fotografie e bellissime piante come sempre :D Le tue conifere mi piacciono particolarmente ma il ciliegio è perfetto! Sembra disegnato!

    Ti auguro un buon fine settimana!

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    1. Thank you Gabriele! I enjoyed visiting your gardens as well. Have a great week!

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Thank you for visiting. I love reading your comments and knowing you have been here, and will try to reciprocate on your blog. If you have any questions I will try my very best to answer them. As always...HAPPY GARDENING!