Here it is the last Bloomin’ Tuesday of May and the garden is popping with color and life. Soon we will be saying goodbye to spring and summer will be upon us. I’m enjoying the cooler temps while I can and the garden is full of surprises at this time of the year. When one thing fades another begins to come into bloom.
(From upper L-R across and down: Achillea 'Summer Pastels', Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue', Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue', Lacecap Hydrangea and Scabiosa 'Pink Mist')
Shades of Pink and Lavender Blue continue to give the garden a springtime effect. This color palette is visually cooling on a hot and humid day. The Scabiosas were added this spring and are blooming nonstop.
(From upper L-R across & down: Hemerocallis 'Stella dora', Silene virginica 'Fire Pink', Rosa 'Glowing Peace', Gerbera Daisy and Cushion Spurge)
With June just around the corner the hot colors of summer are starting to shine in the garden. Something new this year is this little ‘Fire Pink’ which was picked up at the Learning Garden Plant Sale earlier this month.
(From L-R across & down: Dicentra formosa, Salvia 'East Friesland'?, Walking Iris, Verbena bonariensis and Penstemon digitalis)
The purples and whites give the eye a resting place amongst the bright colors at this time of the year. Whether they be in the shade or sun they blend nicely with other tones. To see more Bloomin’ Tuesday posts or to join in this week please visit Jean @ Ms Greenthumb.
Posted by greenwalks on May 26, 2009 at 1:04 am
Wow, you really are ready for summer there! No daylilies here yet but I do have a lot of Stella d’oro so I hope to be seeing them eventually. Did you know that the blossoms are edible? I sometimes chop them up for a bright garnish on salads or goat cheese along with other edible flowers. Love your hydrangeas, especially the lacecap. Do you know the name of that variety?
Yep the garden is preparing for the hot season ahead. Yeah I knew that daylilly blossoms were edible but I’ve never attempted to eat them. I’ll have to try picking a few for our salads.
Actually I lost the name of that Lacecap Hydrangea a long time ago unfortunately. It is a pretty reliable bloomer every spring.
Posted by Anne Fannie on May 26, 2009 at 2:13 am
I love all your blooms today! Your blue Hydrangea is just beautiful.
~Ann
Thanks Ann, Nikko really is shining this season in the garden.
Posted by Aiyana on May 26, 2009 at 3:13 am
Beautiful variety of flowers. I think the walking iris is quite unusual. I’ve never even heard of it. The coloration and stripes are so intricate.
Aiyana
Thanks Aiyana, that Walking Iris is something new to me this spring. Darla shared a clump of it with me this past week.
Posted by Liz on May 26, 2009 at 6:14 am
Wonderful photos, your garden is much more advanced than mine and a lovely insight into what I have yet to look forward to!
I love perennials too, most of my plants are perennials or bulbs (usually spring) with a few annuals that I cannot be without such as Cornflower and wild red poppies
Thanks Liz, I’m glad I could whet your appetite for what’s to come soon in your own garden.
There are a few annuals in my own garden that I couldn’t imagine not growing such as Angelonia and Sweet Alyssum. 
Posted by Janet on May 26, 2009 at 6:29 am
WOW Racquel, can’t believe your Verbena Bonariensis is blooming already!! My hydrangeas are just about at the same stage of bloom. Still think that Walking Iris is really neat.
This one self seeded in my garden about 3 or 4 years ago & always starts blooming in May every year. Thanks Janet!
Posted by Joy on May 26, 2009 at 6:50 am
Racquel ! You have so many flowers on the go right now .. they are wonderful : )
I have some regular orange geum, blue flowered ajuga and nepeta .. and white of course .. but my major flowers have a while to go yet.
Yours are very pretty indeed !
Thank you Joy, it is a good month for my garden soon the heat will drive some of these beauties away. I will get to enjoy some of my spent things all over again when yours bloom.
Posted by Linda at Meadowview Thymes on May 26, 2009 at 7:41 am
You really have lots blooming Racquel! I can’t believe you have gerber daisies–I don’t know anyone that has had much luck with them. It’s a shame too as they are so pretty!
Thanks for sharing all your wonderful flowers!
Thanks Linda! This particular Gerbera has been coming up in my garden for a few years now. My son picked it up at Lowe’s for me and he loves the color.
Posted by Susie on May 26, 2009 at 8:29 am
Your garden really is alive with blooms. Everything looks so nice Racquel. Mine has been slow to come into bloom this year but is now looking better.
Thanks Susie, it has been a nice spring, temperature wise & ample rainfall. Glad yours is doing better, you’ve had alot of rain this year right?
Posted by Marnie on May 26, 2009 at 9:11 am
Your walking iris is lovely. I wonder if they grow in my area. Have to google them and find out. Love the penstemon in the last photo.
Marnie
Thanks Marnie. The info I’ve gathered is that the Walking Iris is only hardy planted in the ground from zone 8-10. I’m in zone 7b so I have mine in a pot that I intend to let winter indoors. That Penstemon has really been a star this month!
Posted by Suzanne on May 26, 2009 at 9:57 am
Loved your photos and explanations today. Your garden is beautiful! So many pretty, vibrant colors and shapes!
Such nice compliments Suzanne! Thank you!
Posted by OhioMom on May 26, 2009 at 11:29 am
Lots of blooms going on in your yard … and all fantastic!
Thank you Mom!
Posted by Darla on May 26, 2009 at 11:52 am
You have plenty of color around you right now. Beautiful as always!!
Thank you Darla, it is my favorite time of the year with all this color!
Posted by Kathleen on May 26, 2009 at 11:56 am
I agree it looks like summer is in full swing in your garden. I just started Verbena bonariensis from seed so I hope it will bloom in my garden by the end of the season too.
Thanks Kathleen, the ample rain we’ve had this spring has contributed to all these blooms I’m sure plus that compost last fall.
I wish you the best with your Verbena bonariensis, mine was a volunteer.
Posted by Balisha on May 26, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Beautiful colors in your yard. Our lilies are budded, but none open yet. Fun to see your pictures to see what we have coming.
Thank you Balisha. I’m glad my garden gives you a preview of what’s to come in your garden!
Posted by tina on May 26, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Your penstemon is awesome! Everything looks so good. Now to get ready for the hot dry summer (just kidding-it’ll be purrrfect weather:)
Thanks Tina, I am so pleased with this Penstemon that I am definitely going to let it reseed a bit and try spreading it elsewhere. Hopefully our summer is not too dry so we can be done with the drought period of years past.
Posted by Chris and Laurie on May 26, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Wow your garden is really blooming. I love the Hydrangeas. We used to have love in the mist. I should still have seeds some where. I will have to go look for them.
Thanks Chris & Laurie. The Hydrangeas remind me of my grandmother’s gardens in the past.
Love in a Mist is a very pretty annual, hope you find the seeds.
Posted by fairegarden on May 26, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Hi Racquel, so many nice things blooming together! Your hydrangeas are looking great. We are loving the cooler temps and nice rain here too. That walking iris is spectacular!
Frances
Thanks Frances, it’s my favorite time of the year right now in the garden.
Isn’t that Walking Iris something? Darla (bless her heart) sent that to me.
Posted by Dawn on May 26, 2009 at 7:16 pm
All your blooms look wonderful!
Thank you so much Dawn!
Posted by Jean on May 26, 2009 at 7:40 pm
I love all the colors of the seasons and believe they are all beautiful together. All your blooms are amazing. I can’t wait until my 3 new hydrangea bloom, especially the limelight. Still no MR L! Jean
Me to Jean. Thanks! I’m sure you won’t have to wait too much longer for Mr L, lol. He normally starts blooming for me in June.
Posted by ~~Rhonda on May 26, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Your blossoms are beautiful. I enjoyed the “tour.” The hardest part of touring “Bloomin’ Tuesday” is seeing all the lovely things I can’t grow in zone 6! ~~Rhonda
Thanks Rhonda. I know what you mean, there are some things that aren’t even hardy in my zone 7b garden.
Posted by cindeesgarden on May 27, 2009 at 1:14 am
Summer is here! It was 95 today! It won’t be long before things are fading away here. The heat just doesn’t like my flowers to much!
Your flowers look beautiful!!!!!
Ouch that is definite summertime weather Cindee! The things that really seem to thrive on the heat here are the Daylillies, Rubeckias, Coneflowers, Buddleia & Liatris.
Thanks!
Posted by Monica the Garden Faerie on May 27, 2009 at 7:51 am
I love all the colors in your garden… always a preview of what’s to come in mine!
What a sweet compliment Monica.
Thanks!
Posted by Rose on May 27, 2009 at 9:07 am
Pinks and lavender blues are definitely my favorite colors in the garden! You have so many lovely blooms already, Racquel. I can see that you are several weeks ahead of us–my hydrangeas and daylilies are just beginning to bud. And even the yarrow hasn’t put out any blooms yet.
For some reason, I thought that you were coming to Spring Fling, Racquel. I’m sorry you won’t be coming–do have a great weekend!
Mine too Rose, those colors just speak spring to me! I look forward to enjoying a second flush of blooms when yours start blooming.
Nope sorry I can’t attend this year what with family obligations here. Maybe next year, have a great weekend!
Posted by skeeter on May 27, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Everything looks so happy in your gardens! The foundation beds are so nice and full and remind me that I must get some foundations beds started…. So you are ready for summer are you? I am not so ready for the heat but the blooms to come! We are getting so much rain that I fear we may loose some stuff to root rot. Oh, well, more for me to plant next spring….
Thanks Skeeter. Nope not ready for summer, the heat tends to drive me indoors during the brunt of the daylight hours. But like you I am ready for what’s to come in the garden, the produce & the blooms.
I hope the rains stop soon so your soil will get a chance to dry out some. That makes for a mess I’m sure.
Posted by mothernaturesgarden on May 27, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Your blooms all look spectacular, Racquel. Fire pinks grow wild here.
Donna
Thanks Donna. I picked this little Fire Pink up at a Native Plant Sale. Hope it happily spreads it’s fire red blooms throughout the woodland garden.
Posted by Sue on May 27, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Those are lovely blooms! I am noticing what you said about plants starting their bloom times as others are finishing, and am grieving a little, because it seems like spring just started, and now, the cycle has started that means the end of the season.
Thanks Sue. I know what you mean, it does feel like spring had just arrived and now Summer is fast upon us.