Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up May 2018: The Garden Comes to Life!

Welcome to My May Garden!

May has arrived and it's time for another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Foliage Follow-Up! The garden has come alive with a succession of new growth, buds and blooms daily. After one of the coldest April's on record, the month of May is bursting out all over with temperatures in the 70's and blue skies, accompanied by occasional spring showers to help the flowers grow. Come along for a walk in my Long Island May garden.

Perennial Border May

The tour starts with the perennial garden bordering the patio in the backyard. There is a variety of new growth to be seen as the new silvery-white foliage of Stachys (Lamb's Ear) and white trim of variegated hosta emerge. Along with Lamb's Ear and Hosta, Astilbe, Daylily, Salvia, Echinacea, Balloon Flower, Mont Blanc Allium and Peony Itoh 'Bartella' are making their appearance.

Itoh Peony 'Bartella' May

The foliage of the Peony is amazing at this time of year with burgundy hue and green undertones, which will eventually turn to a deep green. Buds are forming and will start to open in a few weeks.

Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' May Blooms

Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' forms a mat of purplish-blue blooms in May. I use them as a ground cover around boulders in the raised garden bed. The pop of color is always amazing!

Garden Gal with Black Mondo Grass

Garden Gal is displaying her Black Mondo Grass in planter. Behind the statue is Peony 'Karl Rosenfeld' getting ready to bloom.

May Foliage Combination

Here is one of my favorite foliage trios. Try mixing the foliage of Heuchera 'Caramel' (backdrop), Sedum 'Brilliant' (center) and Heuchera 'Palace Purple' (front). The colors complement each other and are especially vibrant in spring. I talk a lot about foliage combinations in my newest book Landscape Design Combinations! 

Weeping Evergreens in Pool Garden

In the pool garden is Weeping Norway Spruce (center) with Weeping White Pine (backdrop) and Golden Hinoki Cypress (center). 'Stella D'Oro' Daylily and 'Globemaster' Allium are along with the evergreens for some spring and summer blooms, and you will also notice some grasses and azalea in the distance. We will get a closer look in a bit as we walk to the other side of the garden.

Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms May

This is the second year for the Kwanzan Cherry I planted last year. It has already gotten even more magnificent and will continue to get better each year as it matures. I think it has some of the most beautiful blooms out of all the flowering trees. It's sad that the old maple tree that once existed in the space had finally reached its time, but I am so happy with its replacement!

Kwanzan Cherry Tree in its Second Season (Planted 2017)

Here is a full view of the tree as seen from the back corner garden.

Fragrant Viburnum 'Carlesii'

Back around the other side of the garden is Viburnum 'Carlesii' with its highly fragrant blooms that adorn the shrub in spring. When there is a breeze, you can smell its sweetness  across the property. 

Japanese Forest Grass

When it comes to foliage, Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass) displays wispy golden fronds with green stripes on a rounded plant, which adds brightness to a shady spot.

Patio Garden 

Along the patio garden, compact Hosta 'Golden Tiara' emerges in front of Caramel Coral Bells and alongside ornamental grasses, Juniperus 'Blue Star', ornamental onion and lilies. A mature grafted Montgomery Globe Spruce towers over the perennials. I enjoy when it gets all its new "candles" of growth in springtime.

Azalea 'Girard Fuchsia'

In the back garden is Azalea 'Girard Fuchsia' with its colorful blooms. Azaleas are short flowering, but I do love their brilliant color, which is a sure sign of spring!

Limemound Spirea and Allium Globemaster Buds

Soon Ornamental onion 'Globemaster' will put on its show. The buds are forming now and will be in bloom next month. Behind the bulbs is Spirea 'Limemound'. It's all about the foliage right now, but pink blooms will follow.

Pool Garden

As we pass by the pool garden once again, you can now get a long view of the space. The garden is starting to come into its element.

Front Entrance Garden

Now its time to take a stroll up to the front of the property. As we approach the front walkway, there are weeping trees, Japanese Garden Juniper and 'Caramel' Coral Bells.

Weeping Japanese Maples on Front Lawn

On the front lawn are two Weeping Japanese Maples that were planted over twenty years ago. The green 'Viridis' variety to the right towers above me at about eight feet tall while the red variety stands at about six feet. The twisted trunks bring interest to the garden in winter, but the new spring foliage is breathtaking!

Lamp post Garden

Here is Weeping Norway Spruce with Heuchera 'Palace Purple'. Also in this lamp post bed is Japanese Garden Juniper, 'Magic Carpet' Spirea, Salvia 'Caradonna' and Variegated Iris.  

Spirea 'Magic Carpet' and Variegated Iris

Here is the Spirea and Variegated Iris at a closer view. I noticed the iris has formed its first bud for Bloom Day!

Weeping Japanese Maple 'Viridis'

As we circle back around, here is another view of the larger of the two Weeping Japanese Maples with a closer view of its twisted trunk.

Fernspray Hinoki Cypress and Spirea Double Play 'Big Bang'

Walking towards the corner raised garden is Spirea Big Bang 'Double Play' with its vibrant foliage and soon to be large pink blooms...while Salvia 'May Night' is getting ready for its magnificent purple blooms at the end of May.

Salvia 'May Night'

There is always something to look forward to in the garden, which is why it is such a passion for me. Now that the gardening season has begun, I look forward to new blooms daily and time well spent nurturing the garden. 

May 2018 Garden: Hope You Enjoyed the Visit!

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoyed this month's tour. Special thanks go out to our hostesses 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 and Pam at Digging for hosting Foliage Follow-Up. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Macro Monday 2, and Nature Notes at Rambling Woods. Also check out Garden Bloggers' Foliage Day at Creating my own garden of the Hesperides, Wednesday Around the World, Dishing It & Digging It and Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday.

Sharing my passion with my two books: (Available on Amazon!)

 A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9
Landscape Design Combinations

~As Always...Happy Gardening!~

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.