Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up May: Rainy Days and a Bounty of Blooms!

Welcome!

Welcome to my zone 7b Long Island garden! May is a busy month for blooms as the temperatures gradually warm up into the 70's by day, with frequent rain in the forecast, which now has us pretty much caught up from the lack of rain and drought conditions from last summer. Every day there is something new to explore in the garden, which makes May one of my favorite months for gardening and dreaming of what future blooms are in store. Join me for a tour!

Patio Border

As we pass by the patio border, new candles of growth can be seen on the Japanese Red Pine, along with the bright red new foliage on Rhode Island Red Japanese Maple. Juniper 'Gold Strike' is in the foreground and Osmanthus 'Goshiki' can be seen in the backdrop.

Perimeter Garden

In the perimeter garden, Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar is joined by Heuchera (Coral Bells) 'Caramel'...

Pool Border

and on the shadier side of the pool border is Golden Sweet Flag, Sky Pencil Holly and Leucothoe 'Axillaris'. Added just last summer is a new dwarf form of Nepeta called the 'Cat's Meow'.

Pool Border-Dwarf Nepeta 'Cat's Meow'

This variety has striking, long-lasting blooms and grows to seventeen to twenty inches tall, which is a little more compact when compared to other forms of catmint.

Backyard Island Berm

Along the back island berm, Hinoki Cypress 'Compacta' is joined by Mugo Pine, Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime' and  Weigela 'My Monet', which is now blooming.

Back yard Island Berm-Weigela 'My Monet'

Weigela 'My Monet' is a dwarf  form of Weigela growing to just one in a half to two feet tall by two and half feet wide with beautiful variegated foliage and pinkish-purple trumpet-shaped blooms in spring. This plant is beautiful for both its foliage and blooms. 

Patio Border

Upright Japanese Maple Twombly's Red Sentinel is going on its third season along the patio border and is joined by Spirea 'Candy Corn' and Stachys (Lamb's Ear).

Patio Border-Spirea 'Candy Corn' and Stachys (Lamb's Ear)

Here is the Spirea and Lamb's Ear up close!

Island Berm-Heuchera 'Caramel and Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow'

Here 'Caramel' Coral Bells are joined by Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow'... 

Pool Border-Encore Azalea

and Encore Azalea is blooming away!

Back "Secret Garden"

If you follow along a path behind the pool, you will find what I refer to as the "secret" garden. It is hidden around the bend and is a place where Azalea are in full bloom this time of year, along with the white blooms of Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake'.

Back Shade Garden-Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake'

Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake' is a more compact form of Viburnum which displays star-like white blooms in spring followed by a rebloom in late summer. 

Back Pool Border-Shade Garden

Also around the bend in the "secret garden" is this statue of two children playing a game of piggyback.

Allium 'Globemaster'

Here is Allium 'Globemaster' along the pool border, which will be in full bloom by June with flowers up to five inches in diameter...

Pool Border-Cherry Laurel 'Otto Luyken'

while Cherry Laurel 'Otto Luyken' produces its spring blooms.

Shade Garden-Jacob's Ladder ‘Golden Feathers’

In the shade border on the northwestern side of the property is Jacob’s Ladder ‘Golden Feathers’ with its golden variegated foliage and lavender blooms. I am enjoying this new addition from last summer.

Shade Garden-Pulmonaria 'Leopard'

Along with Jacob’s Ladder is Pulmonaria (Lungwort) with its leaves speckled in while and bluish-purple blooms that appear during the end of April and through the month of May.

Hellebore 'Champion'

Even the Hellebores are still chiming in. Although their peak time is over, their colorful bracts still add a touch to a shady spot beneath the Weeping White Pine. 

Front Main Lawn

As we approach the end of our tour for this month, here is a view of the front lawn with Weeping Japanese Maple ‘Viridis’ and Blue Atlas Cedar in the background…

Driveway Border

with Coral Bark Maple with Boxwood and Hinoki Cypress along the driveway border. 

Thanks for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my May garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and enjoy seeing what you have growing in your 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 had hosted Foliage Follow-Up, a meme I will continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday, Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden. 

IN THE NEWS! Celebrating four months since The Houseplant Guide: How to Easily Select & Maintain Indoor Plants came to be! If you are into houseplants, this may be the book for you! I cover over 120 plant selections with full color photographs of each one and detailed descriptions on care and maintenance.

Other Places to Find Me:

You can visit my Author Page to learn about and Purchase My Books, each one focusing on different aspects of gardening, including landscape ideas, design principles, gardening by month for all-season interest, gardening tips and maintenance, shade gardening, gardening inspiration and more. And also be sure to check out my newest publication, The Houseplant Guide, to guide you on your houseplant journey!

Check out my newsletter Northeastern Gardening News for monthly updates all to do with gardening! It's free to subscribe and receive monthly updates right into your inbox!

Find me on Instagram at Northeastern Gardening and Facebook at A Guide to Northeastern Gardening Blog & Author Page.

Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2025. All rights reserved.