What's been blooming lately?

As they say, April showers bring May flowers.  The age-old saying has never been so true as in the case of May 2012 which has seen a near-perfect mix of precipitation, sunshine, favorable temperatures, and no late frost!  Entering the last week of May, us here in SW Ohio have recently witnessed the "seasons" of roses, iris, columbine, & azalea/rhododendron and are currently witnessing the blossoms of viburnum, itea, dianthus, and truly magnificent displays of peonies.  While I am not a big fan of peonies (I have eliminated all but two peonies in my gardens), a man would have to be utterly blind not to recognize the truly dramatic peony blooms over the past two weeks.  To be honest, I cannot remember seeing a better peony season in my life!

Over the next two to three weeks, lower Midwest gardens will "bust out all over" in blooms of hydrangea, lily, daisy, lavender, spirea, coreopsis, and echinacea.  A handful of my hydrangeas either:  a) situated in hot spots or b) grown in pots and thus quicker to de-acclimate from the winter, are only about one week shy of "peaking" which is surpremely exciting.  Hydrangeas for Memorial Day!

Below are some pictures of my garden over the past three weeks, up to just yesterday evening!  Lots of roses and lots of hydrangeas soon to come!

Pink Knock Out rose

Columbine, unknown cultivar

Weigela 'Wine and Roses'

Rosa rugosa 'Crimson King'

Rosa rugosa 'Crimson King'

Sunny Knock Out rose

'Chicago Peace' rose

Spiderwort, unknown cultivar

'Chicago Peace' rose

'Chicago Peace' rose, which interestingly enough, smells like cheap beer in the a.m. hours

'Chicago Peace' rose

A container combination of which I am quite proud!  Back row, l to r:  pink coleus and wandflower; middle row:  eurphorbia and double pink impatiens; front:  licorice vine.  Some white impatiens are hidden in the back.

The intoxicatingly fragrant Rosa rugosa 'Moje Hammarberg'

These little beauties were not planted in our yard, but seem to be a post-digestion "present" from a squirrel or other small mammal!  At any rate, it doesn't matter--these little yellow irises are loaded with flowers each year.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nachitgall' -- "my plant"

Peony

Peony.  I think all flowers look extra attractive when they are cascading through a fence or over a wall or hillside.  These beautiful flowers greet you as you walk up to the front door.

Early blooms on Hydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nachtigall'

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen' gearing up for a good show!  I am really happy with this plant and the direction in which the flowers are pointing--I think she will look really stunning once in bloom (probably for Memorial Day)!