In My May Garden

If you ask what is the main color of my May garden, I'd say purple and blue,

especially in the second part of the month.

As for the first half, it's pink and red and peach.

Pictures are mostly in chronological order.

New in my garden is Geranium phaeum Samobor: haven't decided yet where to plant it, 

so it's growing in a container so far.

This Dicentra is blooming better after I moved it where there is more sun.

Spread, hosta, spread...

Gunnera m. is getting bigger and bigger...

Petasites japonicus 'Giganteus Variegatus'  (Japanese coltsfoot, Butterbur) 

and Petasites palmatus 'Golden Palms' (didn't get in the picture)

feel themselves at home and, without restriction, would take over the garden.

The very first blooms in the Terrace garden were Forget-me-nots.

You never forget them if you planted them once.

They will return, whether you want them or not.

Black currant is not very popular in the U.S.

I keep it not only for its berries, but also for its leaves to add to my tea.

Love these little treasures

Lamium is under my watchful eye: I'm removing its flowers to not let it spread.

Hosta in a big pot

Honey Butter Rhododendron was the only one available at the Dragonfly Farm Nursery where I bought it, and I've never seen it anywhere after that.

I know, I take a picture from this point every year...

This birdbath was one of the best purchases for this garden.

Above: it was a leftover pile of Tagro soil that we bought for our lawn.

Randomly planted, it became a mixed bed.

My little woodland garden

Trillium kurabayashii 'Giant Red'

Native Dicentra

Every time when I see this epimedium, I think about a mass of it seen several years ago at the University of Puget Sound campus in Tacoma, WA:

One of hostas from James King's garden. Getting bigger and more beautiful every year.

Lemon scented geranium

I do love geraniums! I usually save some from a previous season and buy several new ones, including those from a 'Last chance plants' rack.

Yucca, one of many from my friend's garden, grabbed from a truck as being prepared to be taken to a dump.

Fern Leaf Bleeding Heart 'Red Fountain'

Labrador violet - a thug, but lovely!

If you have extra Camassia bulbs, I'll take them!

Some changes to my potager (don't you like this fancy name for a kitchen garden?):

1 - This year, I didn't plant my Abyssinian banana trees here, moved them to the Terrace Garden;

2 - Moved here is a second boxwood cone in a terracotta pot.

If you think that a woven triangle is a piece of garden decor, you are wrong. 

It protects the hosta from bunnies.

They are causing big damage this season.

Behind primula-candelabra, is Korean lilac. I hope it'll stay short.

I'm wondering if my new intersectional peony, bought last year, will give me a bloom

Later in May, saxifrage blooms start floating in front of the rhododendron, adding more charm to it.
 I have them also in other parts of the garden. Love them.

Native Sword Fern is at its best when its leaves are young and fresh

Azalia, primula and grass which is planted here specifically for dogs. They love it!

Ligularia is hidden in a pot from slugs. Love its dark stems.

Rhododendron Rex settled down  and shows considerable new growth which looks like an opening bloom

Polygonatum multiflorum in my woodland garden

Squirrels. Do you see two of them?

They are the reason why I don't plant many bulbs. 

They dig them out, even daffodils which they don't eat.

Last year's buy from Joy Creek Nursery, Deutzia gracilis 

This clematis montana (probably, rubens) is providing a wow effect, climbing to 

a nearby fir tree, up to 20 feet high.

I see it first thing in the morning from our bathroom window and it makes me smile.

Libertia... Love it.

They say it self-seeds. Waiting... waiting...

Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red Strain'

You can see one of my Abyssinian banana trees moved here from the potager.
 I am curious if they like this location better. 

I know... too many pictures of the same section of the Terrace Garden.

But, this is my favorite part.

Silene dioica 'Clifford Moor' is having its best ever season in my garden.

It was sitting for years without my attention. Recently, I divided it and planted it in sunny spots.
It looks happy and adds lovely pink to the garden when not many plants are blooming.

I can't say that we have had a good harvest of grapes, but I'd keep grape plants just for their look.
I love their leaves and stems.

A piece of wood is one of a dozen slices left after removing a giant fir tree 

which grew in front of our house and died earlier this year.

I'm continuing to downsize the lawn.

A patch of it was removed to plant a new Blue Baron Rhododendron.

I still need to smooth the curves.

Behind it, is a narrow dry creek that we put in place to provide better drainage.

Emerald color of Pacific Northwest greenery keeps me in awe. 

This picture is not edited in any way.

Metal Cat was the very first garden ornament, it moved with us from the Midwest.

Green is king here.

I love to see multi-colorful, vibrant gardens, public and private, I admire them, 

but in my own garden, I am happy with the green of different shades and occasional splashes of color punctuating it here and there. I am a green person.

There is trouble brewing behind this columbine. Japanese anemone love 

the Sunken Garden. Fortunately, the plants are easy to pull up.

Alliums are my favorite plants, well, one of them.

The picture above was taken from the back porch early in the morning.

When I sit there before anyone else is up and listen to the birds and watch the first sun rays entering the garden, I feel happy, and I believe that gardens really improve the quality of our lives.

Whatever a new day brings, I have my portion of pure joy, calm and tranquility here.

***Copyright 2017 TatyanaS