Wednesday 15 May 2013

garden bloggers bloom day!

It's bloom day once again! And for all the joy of spring over the last bloom days, the May bloom day marks the beginning of summer or summer-like bloom day magic! How exciting is that!?

I'm still swooning over the tubular red flowers of russelia. I have not noticed any hummers yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before they flock to this beauty.

One of the happiest things at this time of year is the trachycarpus blooms! The males are always ahead of the females and tend to droop downward.

Chamaerops humilis are also blooming...

In the soon to be blooming category I have olea arbequina and olea leccino.

Of course it wouldn't be spring in the PNW without some rhodo blooms. This particular rhodos future is in limbo. Thoughts have been percolating about planting a large teddy bear magnolia.

While its not always my fav, this year the heuchera are looking quite swell.

 Chives are blooming and looking wonderful as well as this beautiful iris. Each year I threaten to get rid of the iris and then I'm reminded of how beautiful it is in bloom. It's almost orchid like!

Happy bloom day everyone. For more, check out May Dreams blog.


9 comments:

  1. That is a very pretty iris, I would have a hard time tossing that one out of the garden too. I don't see any sign of flowers on my two Trachycarpus yet, I hope they are doing ok. They were just planted last year, some of the lower leaves are looking rather droopy and yellowing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thats normal for the trachycarpus. I have a few really big ones that are as happy as can be that have never flowered - yet. A note about that would be that males always flower a week or two ahead. If your palm was planted last year I wouldnt worry about droopy fronds or yellowing. Give them some fish fertilizer too. They love that!

      Delete
  2. Hey Louis, your blooms look great! Did the Cordyline beneath your Trachycarpus live there all winter? Beautiful!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks!!! The cordyline was dug out and potted - not that I would have had to worry this last winter. But I've had massive purple cordys croak over the last couple of years and so I'm less brave.

      Delete
  3. Of course there are palm blooms in your garden! How wonderful. Still coveting your russelia...so much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Palm blooms are the best!!! I think you need a russelia!!

      Delete
  4. I always envy those Rhododendrons you in the PNW can grow. Thanks for sharing your May blooms.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The rhodos have some remarkable colors. It's certainly a show at this time of the year.

      Delete
  5. WOW!I had NO IDEA that Trachycarpus have male and female plants!! Now I'm wondering which sex my older one is. It doesn't seem very droopy, but it's ahead of yours. Ideas??

    Louis, you perfectly articulate my dilemma with a plant (like your Iris) that tempts me to remove it, but that annually saves itself by some spectacular show of flower or foliage at some point during the year. Reprieved, yet again!

    And yes, Loree and I BOTH need a russelia!

    ReplyDelete