Carol's been hosting GBBD for years over at May Dreams Garden, and now I'm a monthly participant after years of observing. What a difference a month makes! I just looked back at my April post and there were only hints of plants poking up through leaves and marsh marigolds everywhere. Heck, even the spinach has bolted and will soon flower:
There's purple phlox in bloom:
And pink too:
The Purple Gem rhododendrons flanking the front door have a few flowers:
But the strawberries are doing great:
I love this photo. I have so much fun photographing the chive blossoms and this one is poised to burst:
The azalea SS2 got me for Mother's Day is more flowers than anything else:
Technically this patio tomato is cheating, but at least it was grown in a CT greenhouse. I don't know if the husky cherry tomatoes were CT grown, but they've also got flowers. Unlike this plant they've already got little tiny tomatoes too:
Still have vinca blooming and still have marsh marigolds everywhere we haven't weeded or mowed, but they won't last much longer...too dry for them:
The bleeding hearts in a container in the perennial shade garden put on a show:
This self-sown lamium is the first to bloom by far:
This astilbe is the first to have buds although they all look good:
The pansies in the hanging baskets are not wowing me. They're pretty, but I don't know, I think they're just not right:
Hopefully I will have irises to share next month. And I wonder what else?!
Your Phlox is just gorgeous and I loved the shot of the Chive bloom. It looks like there's quite a bit happening in your garden right now. BTW, I didn't mind the pansies!
Posted by: Bernieh | May 15, 2011 at 12:18 AM
Lovely Blooms! I especially like the strawberries and phlox.
Posted by: Christine @ The Gardening Blog | May 15, 2011 at 04:19 AM
Your phlox and bleeding heart are beautiful!
Happy Garden Blogger's Bloom Day and Happy Gardening!
Posted by: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening | May 15, 2011 at 06:23 AM
Nice photos. It's not often one shares a photo of spinach ready to bloom. Don't you just love May flowers?!
Posted by: joene | May 15, 2011 at 07:47 AM
I love the shot of the Chive. I need to let mine get to the blooming point. I always harvest long before they show any signs of blooms.
Posted by: Melissa (irishgardenlady) | May 15, 2011 at 08:51 AM
I love the photo of the tomato blooms with all their fur. Your strawberry pot collections is fun.
Posted by: Carolyn @ Carolyn's Shade Gardens | May 15, 2011 at 08:56 AM
Your garden is just beautiful this month. I love bleeding hearts and wish I had just a little shade.
Posted by: commonweeder | May 15, 2011 at 10:56 AM
Bernieh -- Thanks! I don't mind the pansies either, I just don't love them.
Christine -- Thank you, both are making me very happy right now.
Lee -- The same to you!
Joene -- I do love May flowers and since the spinach was a surprise (I still can't believe it overwintered under feet of snow/ice), I'm enjoying every minute of it.
Melissa -- I have chives all over the garden and we seldom actually use them. Do you have any suggestions for recipes/dishes?
Carolyn -- Thanks! I love the strawberry pots too.
Commonweeder -- Please come take my shade and give me some of your sun.
Posted by: Heather's Garden | May 15, 2011 at 11:21 AM
Beautiful blooms1 I love the bleeding heart. :) I may have to get one now.
Posted by: Gardening4Life | May 15, 2011 at 01:50 PM
I do like your self seeded Lamium, it looks like a real beeauty with that amazing leaf colour. Like everyone else I think the chive photo is brilliant! Christina
Posted by: Christina | May 15, 2011 at 04:04 PM
Love the shot of the little lamium. It's like he has some personality: "Are you looking at ME?!" :)
Posted by: Blackswampgirl Kim | May 15, 2011 at 05:20 PM
Lovely blooms! I also enjoy the chives at this time of year...such a surprising bonus. Happy GBBD Day!
Posted by: The Sage Butterfly | May 15, 2011 at 08:10 PM
Chive blooms about to burst are as much fun as poppy buds. That silk-like case splits just so.
Posted by: Nell Jean | May 15, 2011 at 10:28 PM
You certainly do have a lot happening this GBBD! Love the azalea! Larry
Posted by: Larry | May 15, 2011 at 10:52 PM
Hey, I have nearly that exact same blue terracotta pot that you have coleus in (photo 3). It's weird to see it in someone else's garden.
Posted by: Kelly (The Sorry Gardener) | May 15, 2011 at 11:11 PM
Gardening4Life -- Do get a bleeding heart. They go away too early (fading in the heat of the summer), but make up for it by showing up earliest in the spring and blooming beautifully.
Christina -- Thank you! I may print and frame that chive photo.
Kim -- Love it! I looked at the photo again and it does look like the lamium is wagging his eyebrow.
Sage Butterfly -- Thank you!
Nell Jean -- Good allusion. I love poppies too, but I'm not currently growing any in my garden.
Larry -- I love that azalea too. My next post shows it planted.
Kelly -- The pot is more green in real life than it appears in the photo, but it could well be the same one. I've seen some of my pots in other people's gardens while I walk or drive around and it always throws me.
Posted by: Heather's Garden | May 15, 2011 at 11:38 PM
Your plants are just beautiful! I just discovered the May Dreams blog hop, and I'm loving visiting all these beautiful gardens! Tons of talent out there. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Beth@unskinny boppy | May 16, 2011 at 12:15 AM
You and I have a bunch of the same plants blooming- I guess that comes from being so close on the map! I love your lavender rhodo, and the fact that you included all the edibles in bloom too!
Posted by: Kate/ Beyond the Brambles | May 16, 2011 at 07:04 AM
beautiful photos, great work.
Posted by: geos | May 16, 2011 at 09:16 AM
Beth -- You can lose days following all the links from May Dreams Garden, have fun!
Kate -- We do have a lot of the same plants blooming. I saw your tomato blossom too!
Geos -- Thank you!
Posted by: Heather's Garden | May 16, 2011 at 01:28 PM
I agree, that's a pretty phlox and I too like the chive shot. Happy Bloom Day from Scotland :-)
Posted by: shirl | May 16, 2011 at 02:15 PM
Beautiful blooms AND photos!
Posted by: Marissa | May 16, 2011 at 03:48 PM