May Flowers

It is so energizing to watch the ravine green in May. The tree's leaves fill and create a beautiful private haven. 

Ferns proliferate and blue flowers make a carpet from forget-me-nots, lamiium, brunera, and pulmonaria. Tulips and alliums in a graceful dance. I particularly liked the yellow tulips in the front - they were especially long lasting and ended up fading to white.

Always happy to give Alex transplants, too. This year it was hellebores and brunera, plus a fern. His garden is thriving! I also brought several plants over to Amita's backyard to make a new home.

When we came back from Chicago the peonies were in full bloom. I actually pulled up a chair one day so I could sit and enjoy every petal and take in the fragrance. The blossoms were so heavy one of the branches snapped off, so we created a beautiful indoor arrangement to enjoy the rescued flowers. The scent permeated the house for days and fallen petals made a potpourri. 

I've ordered a Japanese hori hori knife so I can properly prune the tree peony branches.

Bladderwort native is such a gem, with its exotic flowers. And the Mayapple blooms seemed especially large this year. A Jack came back, which was good to see, along with a red trillium. I'd pre-ordered some native plants from the North American Native Plant society and was especially disappointed by the two trout lilies and Dutchman's breeches. The specimens were dead within a day of me picking them up. When I followed up with NAAPs to complain they explained that these ephemerals were just dormant and should be back next spring. I'll put a note in my calendar to follow up with them next year. The plants weren't cheap and the breeches were as small as the moon on my fingernail. I'm not so sure I will pre-order plants unseen next year. 

I did get another red trillium and a few more Jacks that are in the ground, although when I was looking out the upstairs back window I saw a squirrel digging up one of the younger Jacks. The brat!  I now have a cover protecting them as they get established. I would love to have a colony of Jacks in the backyard to admire throughout the season.

Barrenwort