Well, amazingly enough, it is already the middle of May and time for another Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. The garden is bursting with flowers, although until yesterday our weather was unseasonably hot and dry, with temperatures in the 80s. This is a very unusual weather pattern for us in the PNW, at least in my admittedly limited experience. Spring in the PNW is supposed to be a long, slow, cool ramp-up into summer. I remember when we first moved here, I heard that the rule of thumb was that it rained all spring (mostly a fine misty rain) and shut off like a faucet turning off on the day after the Fourth of July, like clockwork.
For our first handful of years here, that was true. But for maybe the last four or five, the weather has been very unsettled, with hot, dry stretches in the middle of spring. This year we had such a dry March many people were already watering. I didn't, but the first two weeks of May were so hot and dry that I finally set about getting some sprinklers set up. And then the rain and cool weather returned yesterday.
The damage may have been done, though. I've also read that the recent hot weather melted so much of the mountain snowpack that we rely on for our summer water, that our drought this summer and wildfire threat may be problematic.
Anyway, here's what's blooming right now in my Washington state garden.
Last year when I redid this bed I churned up the seeds that were banked in it. I've been pretty good about pulling the weeds, but I decided to let these Columbines with variegated foliage flower to see what I get. Unfortunately there seems to be an overabundance of aphids feeding on them, so it's hard to get a shot that isn't covered in their tiny, sesame-seed-looking bodies.
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| They are all this shade of blue in various states of frilliness. |
I have a handful of other columbines throughout the garden flowering now too.
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| This pastel pink and yellow Columbine reminds me of a frilly baby dress |
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| A bunch of Columbines bob and sway at various heights, all different colors |
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| Variegated Solomon's seal is flowering |
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| Lupine in the cutting garden, with my neighbor's garage in the background |
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| A slightly different Lupine in the cutting garden, my house in the background |
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| Viburnum plicatum var. mariesii, planted last fall and already flowering |
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| Thistly Cirsium rivulare |
The Pacific Coast Iris are flowering. I don't know their names, but they thrive here.
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| Saponaria officinalis self-sows and is flowering all over now |
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| Fluffy, airy flowers of Saxifraga 'London Pride' -- I really need to cut some of those rosettes and spread this around even more, they root so easily |
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| False Solomon's seal |
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| Purple flowering tobacco |
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| Stripey lily of the valley in the garden |
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| And in the pot ghetto, waiting to go into the garden |
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| Purple Disporum cantoniense flowering in the pot ghetto -- must get this into the ground soon |
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| Tiny divisions of Geranium renardii, dug and divided last summer and replanted (many given away at the recent Bloggers plant swap) |
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| Centaurea montana |
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| Crambe maritima |
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| Acid yellow flowers on red Sedum spathulifolium 'Carnea' -- I don't like this combination of colors but I'm not motivated enough to cut them off |
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| On the front steps where I've placed my tender plants an Echeveria flower stalk drapes itself over a golden rattail cactus |
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| Adenium obesum |
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| Monster Ceanothus -- the bees love it, but when I redo this bed I plan to take it out, or at least cut it down to the ground |
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| It makes a nice backdrop to this Lewisia in a colander |
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| A second Lewisia also planted in a colander, for its excellent drainage, has Alliums as its backdrop |
Chives and lavender are flowering in this little herbal parterre that I planted a year ago.
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| Allium in the front garden |
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| 'Ray's Golden Campion' has sown itslef into this area of the front bed, unfortunately most of the seedlings are just solid green rather than the nice golden color that it's named for |
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| Trachycarpus fortunei is getting ready to flower, an event I often miss -- not a bad thing since the flowers creep me out |
So that's what's flowering here right now. I hope your garden is looking good and giving you enjoyment. Mine does, despite its imperfections.
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens. You can find her blog
here.
