GardenTrip

May is certainly the month Longview Ranch bursts into flower. In addition to some long-blooming shrubs, many perennials are now doing their spring thing, adding eclectic color and texture to the mix.

I love Ceanothus, but for space reasons I had only one for years. Recently, I found Ceanothus 'Joan Mirov', a lower-growing smaller-leaved variety with deep blue flowers. It's still in its nursery pot, but lovely in bloom!

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus 'Victoria' is much closer to bloom, but right now it still looks about like I showed it in April, with a couple of open blossoms sprinkled here and there.

Regular readers of this blog know I am not a big fan of the hybrid tea roses I inherited with the garden. But to document, and for the Mulch Man, who is quite fond of them, here are two just coming into bloom along our sidewalk.


I'm more enthusiastic about several other roses I actively grow.  A semi-climber, 'Sally Holmes' is just beginning to bloom across our wide brick chimney.



My other sentimental rose is 'Perle d'Or', a polyantha rose given to us years ago as a cutting by Great Aunt Jenny. It's a pretty peachy-pink color, with slim, strappy center petals.


The story goes that Great Uncle Carleton would tuck one of its perfect little rosebuds in his lapel each morning on his way to work as a railway conductor.


We're awash in a sea of Helianthemum. The dark orange flowers are 'Henfield Brilliant' and the apricot-colored flowers are 'Cheviot'.

Trachycarpus fortunei has six blooms this year. Later, when they have completely unfolded, I'm planning a separate post on these strange and unearthly flowers.

Potentilla 'McKay's White has popped.



Lewisia cotyledon, a sweet PNW native.


Helianthemum 'Ben Nevis'.


Sedum spathulifolium 'Cape Blanco'.


Sedum spurium 'Tricolor'.


The inherited Camellia japonicas are still in bloom. This is their second Bloom Day appearance this year. They can't last much longer, especially with the hot, dry weather we have this week.


Enjoying an even longer run are Vaccinium ovatum 'Thunderbird', the evergreen huckleberries. This is their third consecutive Bloom Day in full flower.


The last few fresh flowers on the Cornus 'Eddies White Wonder'.

In the rain earlier this month, it was a frothy little wedding cake of blossoms.


I love the way the Calla lilies peek over the window so I can even see them when I'm sitting inside.

Penstemon subserratus (Fine-tooth Penstemon), a Pacific Northwest native adding welcome color to the mostly green "Northwest Territory" area of our garden.

Cistus x obtusifolius, loving the sun.

After four long years in the garden, I was getting a little cranky about lack of bloom on the Acanthus mollis. Finally this year, flower spikes! All is forgiven.

And last, in anticipation of fresh snap peas, I show some quiet but deliciously promising pea flowers.

Click over to visit our host Carol, at May Dreams Gardens, to see what else is blooming this lovely May day.

Happy Bloom Day!

Of blooms this month

I have but two.

One is white,

the other, blue.

There's a lot of "almost!" in the GardenTrip's garden this February 15th, and a few out-and-out actual bloomers. First up this month, the ones that are trying harder.

Ribes sanguinium is nearly there and already showing gorgeous color.

Mahonia aquifolium has never been this late (not) to bloom. Although blossom trusses are forming, it's holding on fast to winter.

The big fat buds of our inherited Camellia japonica will be a few more weeks at least.

And now for the few that are actually in bloom this month.

Daphne odora 'marginata' smells intoxicating.

This young Arctostaphylos x 'Austin Griffiths' is blooming! I felt awful after killing my three-year-old Austin Griffiths last year by moving it, so I'm thrilled to see this baby plant has made it safely through winter.


Grevilla juniperina 'Low Red' is off to a running start on 2011 blooming. The firecracker blooms on this plant lasted an amazing eight months last year. These blooms are small, but they're spunky!

Sarcococca hookeriana var. 'Humilis' is perfuming the front of our home with its pungent scent. Although the intensity of the smell is a bit too much for some, it apparently attracts certain nectar feeders.

This big moth (who wouldn't hold still long enough for a clear shot) was intent on covering every flower he (she?) could find. I'm delighted to know I'm supporting the local insect life, as long as it manages to stay outside!

Visit Carol at May Dreams Garden to enjoy blossoms all over the nation and the world. Happy Bloom Day!