May '12 Bloom Day

Cornus alternifolia

Happy Bloom Day, everyone! I almost didn't get this post done on time. I had been so busy putting together the presentation for the talk I gave last night at the library about the art of garden photography. In any event, here's a sample of what's happening at Squirrelhaven. A lot of the same plants that were blooming for April Bloom Day are still blooming. The cool weather helped to get the plants back on schedule.

For the first time ever, the Smilacina racemosa a/k/a Maianthemum racemosum or Solomon's plume is in full bloom for Bloom Day.

Usually it blooms after the 15th.

The wonderful little Phlox pilosa 'Eco Happy Traveler' is in full bloom

at the feet of Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' in the Nanoprairie. Across the walk, the yellowwood tree, Cladrastis kentukea, is in glorious bloom.

Never before has it looked so good, with so many fragrant blossoms. Between this and the phlox, it's an olfactory delight to walk down my front walk.

At the opposite end of the Nanoprairie, the Geum triflorum are just beginning to "smoke."

The seedheads always appear to me like someone having a very bad hair day.

A very welcome bloom is Aquilegia canadensis.

There were three plants, now there is only one, and it hasn't bloomed in a couple of years because the wild ginger (Asarum canadensis) was over-running it. Last summer, I yanked out a bunch of the ginger, and the little columbine has rewarded me for my efforts.

There is something that all of the above photos have in common. They are all of native plants. But native plants have to share the spotlight with well-behaved exotics in May, such as peonies

Paeonia 'Fen Yu Nu'

and Clematis.

The native Geranium maculatum shares a space with Clematis Bonanza.

Clematis season is in full swing, with nearly all of the early-flowered hybrids in bloom, including the weak-stemmed but huge flowered 'Henryi',

the always dependable 'Silver Moon',

and 'Crystal Fountain', seen here blooming with Calycanthus floridus 'Athens'.

At their feet are columbines in full bloom. All the Squirrelhaven columbines are doing their thing now, but I thought I should show one that usually gets over-looked.

These are seedlings from Aquilegia vulgaris  'Woodside Strain', with the same chartreuse and green variegated foliage as the parent and soft blue blooms.

This plant has been MIA from Bloom Day for a couple of years.

Heucherella 'Sunspot'

It wasn't happy where it was and with the squirrels digging it up constantly. Last fall I moved it, and it spent the winter under a wire basket.

I'm pleased with this new pairing of Narcissus 'Baby Moon' with Phlox divaricata 'Lemon Slice'.

I'll need to divide the phlox in the fall and put the division on the other side of the daffodils.

Here are a couple of random images of other things in bloom now.

Thalictrum 'Thundercloud'

Corydalis 'ex Dufu Temple'

Finally, it wouldn't be May without mayapples.

the native Podophyllum peltatum

If you haven't already, please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens for all this month's Bloom Day posts.

Also blooming:
Allium 'Purple Sensation'
Anemonella thalictroides a/k/a Thalictrum thalictroides
Anemonella thalictroides a/k/a Thalictrum thalictroides 'Cameo'
Anemonella thalictroides a/k/a Thalictrum thalictroides 'Oscar Shoaf'
Anemonella thalictroides a/k/a Thalictrum thalictroides var rosea
Aquilegia 'Leprechaun Gold'
Aquilegia 'Sunburst Ruby'
Astrantia 'Roma'
Baptisia 'Twilight Prairieblues'
Brunnera 'Diane's Gold'
Brunnera 'Hadspen Cream'
Brunnera 'Looking Glass'
Campanula persicifolia 'Telham Blue'
Clematis 'Asao'
Clematis 'Betty Corning'
Clematis 'Natascha'
Clematis 'Rhapsody'
Cornus kousa 'Beni-fuji'
Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine'
Dianthus 'Cranberry Ice'
Dicentra 'Bountiful'
Dicentra 'King of Hearts'
Dodecatheon media
Geranium macrorhyzum
Helleborus x hybridus
Heuchera 'Fire Chief'
Heuchera 'Vesuvius'
Heucherella 'Burnished Bronze'
Iris sibirica
various bearded Iris
Phlox divaricata 'Clouds of Perfume'
Phlox divaricata 'Plum Perfect'
Phuopsis
Polemium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven'
Rosa 'Carefree Beauty'
Tiarella 'Iron Butterfly'
Tiarella 'Pink Brushes'
Tiarella wherryi
Violas
Wisteria macrostachys 'Blue Moon'