A Tour of the May Garden

June begins in a couple of hours. It will be the beginning of hurricane season and the start of summer. (I know summer doesn't officially arrive for twenty more days, but by then we will be hunkering inside our air conditioned spaces and dreaming of fall.) Today I watched the gnats swirl above the front lawn, flying up and down and around in circles. One can barely see them, but there's thousands of them and it's easy to inadvertently walk through the middle of their dance. It's not too bad unless they fly into facial orifices, and that is annoying.

Here is a quick tour of the May garden, beginning in front of the house, where Japanese maples are featured:

Hydrangeas are blooming along the hydrangea walk:

The common daylily grows in abundance near the patio. These enduring flowers are sometimes called ditch lilies. They have been growing on our property for over half a century.

The garden is permeated with the fragrance of gardenias. I have two large shrubs on opposite sides of the property, one in the woodland garden and one down from the patio. It seems that wherever I am, I can get a whiff of them.

Zantedeshia is blooming in the sunnier part of the woodland garden. I did not think it was hardy in my area, but it keeps returning, larger and with more blooms each year:

Here are more assorted May flowers:

I am still in love with my red banana plant, featured in my last post. Here is another look at its outstanding foliage:

Other plants with tropical foliage:Top: Caladium. The insect is a lightning bug. Clockwise from middle left: Stromanthe tricolor; Canna 'Tropicana'; Dracaena Massangeana, also called Corn plant; Coleus.

Dogwood  'Cherokee Sunset' and hostas 'Wedgwood Blue' and 'Sum and Substance' are also great foliage plants:

Finally, a tour of my gardens is not complete without a peek into the woodlands. The large vine is a wild muscadine:

I hope you have enjoyed the tour. Happy gardening!

Cheating the Deep Shadows

The deep greening of the woodland garden has begun. The light, ephemeral shades of spring have faded, and already summer's heavier presence hovers over the moss path and the planting beds. May is a month of transition. Trees provide a thick canopy, and the woodlands become a sheltering cave out of the white glare of the sun. Walk in, and you are lost in the verdancy.
A recent photo of the entrance to the woodland garden

A few more recent images take in the woodland gardenSo what can a gardener do with all that green?

I cheat. At least it feels like cheating, for little horticultural skill is needed on my part. In a few spots I plant impatiens, and, even easier, in other places I just plop a pot of shade-loving annuals down. Instantly a gratifying splash of color lights up the darkest corner. With some water and fertilizer, colorful flowers and foliage will add interest to the green woodlands all the way into fall.Begonia 'Bonfire' highlights a purple pot.

Adding variegated foliage is another way to brighten the shadows. I don't think I have ever seen a variegated plant I did not love. I could easily be carried away to the point of gaudiness, but then, a touch of gaudiness is needed to make the world smile.
Top: A pot of colorful caladiums. Clockwise from above left: Another view of the caladiums; Variegated Liriope; Variegated Joseph's Coat; Zantedeshia albomaculata, spotted Calla Lily.
Angel wing begonia adds interesting foliage as well as pretty flowers.

Fatsia Japonica is a recent addition to the woodlands. It is another green, but the huge leaves make a bold statement.

And finally, cooler tones, as seen in Deodar Cedar 'Feelin' Blue' and the mondo grass beneath it, prevent the greens from becoming oppressive:

Spring was very good this year. It started early, in January, and lasted through April, so I should not begrudge its ending. Soon cicadas will sing, and lightning bugs will flicker in the twilight. Sweat will run down the neck. Clothing will stick to the body. Hot and wild, the jungle will grow, and there is nothing quite like deep green in the summertime.