Blog: Such a wet spring has led to lush plant growth!
May has been a month of contrasts – cool and soaking wet at the beginning, followed by a sunny end, with plants racing each other to catch up. Here are my best plants for May gardens.
This new blog, at the end of every month, will show what’s performed well in my garden that month. It replaces the ‘My Garden in Pictures’ posts. This will be much easier as a reference if you want to find a shrub for May interest, etc. With that in mind, I’ve divided my pictures up into plant categories. These are all plants growing in my garden, in North-East England. If you live further north or south, adjust the flowering times as appropriate.
Trees, shrubs, hardy climbers and sub-shrubs
May is the month when new buds break on many of our woody deciduous plants. The evergreens fade into the background as the good weather plants start their show. Some evergreens, like Pieris Forest Flame, have a blast for new red foliage before flowering. My two Acers, purple-red Trompenburg and yellow/lime Jordan, are resplendent in new leaves.
As the sub-shrub Euphorbia characias wulfenii’s long display ends, it is replaced by Euphorbia griffithii Fireglow, with its burnt-orange flowers. It dies back every winter, so is more of a herbaceous perennial, and it is a border bully! The heavily cut-back Sorbaria sem’s wonderful pinky-yellow foliage is out. Another spreader, keep it under control by cutting out excess runners.
This time is when the rampant climbers get into their stride. The golden hop (Humulus lupulus aureus) reaches the top of the conservatory on the first floor each year! Clematis montana is flowering too, making a lovely (if unintended) combination with the Weigela Bristol Ruby. Last of the trees to blossom is the crab apple, John Downie, a good choice for a small garden.
Best plants for May gardens: Herbaceous perennials
I love herbaceous perennials. They’re the flesh on the bare bones of your garden and keep you in touch with the seasons. The Astrantias are first out of the blocks. I have the pink/white Buckland and the deep purple-red Claret. Both are so easy and will tolerate a fair bit of shade.
An all-round star is Brunnera Looking Glass, with silver leaves and intense blue forget-me-not flowers. Partnered with Cheerfulness daffodils followed by Astrantia Claret, it looks amazing.
‘Big leaf corner’ beside the pond has never looked so good, due to the wet spring. Its key players are an ornamental rhubarb (Rheum palmatum), Rodgersia, Bergenia Admiral, gardener’s garters, and the new Astilboides tabularis. You can see the amount of growth between May 12 and 22.
Another giant rhubarb lives in the tropical bed, underplanted with Heuchera Lime Marmalade. Another top Heuchera is Marmalade, which is everywhere in my garden! In a shady spot in the long border is the new Ajuga Burgundy Glow. I had Catlin’s Giant in the same place, but all but one died; Burgundy Glow is thriving.
Exotics and half-hardy perennials
The echiums are showing signs of flowering! If you’re not familiar with these plants, after three (sometimes four) years, the raggy winter plants start to lengthen rapidly. Echium pininana reaches extreme heights – 4m is not unusual and is a complete bee magnet. The shorter Red Rocket is also lengthening, the sole survivor of several. They’ll put up with -5oC occasionally. I cover mine in winter.
The ancient Opuntia cactus has developed new pads and flower buds, and the ‘Easter’ flowering cactus is in bloom. With difficulty, the huge Aloe vera and Echeveria pot has been moved downstairs to the greenhouse. New this year, the Colocasia (elephant ear) have all sprouted and are developing their huge leaves. Trial climbing pelargonium Tall Dark and Handsome from Thompson & Morgan has developed its first deep pinky-red flowers. I’ve been growing exotics from seed, and first to flower are a white morning glory and a cardinal climber.
Spring bulbs
Normally, the bulbs would be virtually over in May, but the cold spring held them back. We’ve had the late daffodils, Sundisc joined by the newly planted Cheerfulness in the long border. The big pots were filled with a bag of free daffodils, plus tulips Golden Apeldoorn and Purple Dream. Still blooming into June are the trusty bluebells, brought from a patch in my mam’s garden many years ago.
Best plants for May gardens: Edibles
Now’s the time to dig up your giant Italian parsley for a final crop before it flowers. Simply wash, lightly dry and freeze leaves. The first stems have been harvested from the rhubarb, and there are loads of strawberries forming. The autumn-planted garlic is plodding, as it does. Hope my Best plants for May gardens have been of help to you!
