Funny, nhbabs - I was thinking how Pixie Lou is a bit BEHIND me, lol.

Pixie, I think those white daffs look fabulous with the white bleeding hearts. Looks like you planned it and it looks beautiful!

I'm thinking the green leaves in the veggie garden look a lot like skunk cabbage, but I would guess your veggie garden isn't wet enough for that! How big are they? I'm having a bit of difficulty putting them into perspective. I'm guessing they are probably smaller than I think they are....

Dee

This post was edited by diggerdee on Sat, May 3, 14 at 17:06

The first unidentified plant (with the blue muscari and iris) kind of looks like hollyhock, too, although it's a bit hard to tell. The other "UGO" (Unidentified Growing Object) does look like skunk cabbage, but again, doesn't seem like a wet enough spot for it.

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nekobus: Now you've got me thinking about sanguinaria, although I'd probably go for the single flowers so they might naturalize. I think the doubles are sterile but I'm not positive of that. Does yours spread at all?

pixie_lou: I agree that the daffodils look great with the dicentra, and all of the other white flowers, but if you're being a purist with an all white garden then I guess they have to go.

Looks like it could be a chipmunk hole to me, although everything looks like a chipmunk hole to me unless it's big enough to be a woodchuck hole.

Claire

Claire, my double bloodroot has been spreading but at a slow clip and the voles really slowed it down one year. I just planted a single last year and I can't believe how much bigger it is in just one year. Definitely more robust than the double, or at least in my garden.
Pixie Lou, you need a double bloodroot for your white garden! It is the purest white flower I've ever seen. One of my spring favorites by far.

Are there any tracks going through the grass to the hole? I agree it looks like a chipmunk hole, but I found out I had been blaming chimpunks for many of the holes in my garden that were actually from voles.

Claire, I bought and planted the sanguinaria just last year, after it had bloomed, so I have no idea yet whether it will spread. (It's in a bed that gets shade most of the day, but pretty strong late afternoon sun, and I was convinced I'd cooked and killed it until I saw it coming up this spring.) I'm just psyched I was around the afternoon it bloomed.

I'm still smack in the middle of daffodil season here, with some of the late daffodils not blooming yet. There's a few non-daffodils though, like epimediums which are just beginning to bloom.

Epimedium Sulphureum

E. Warlayense

And a lily-flowered tulip that appeared in the Phlox Protection Zone even though I didn't plant it there.

The view from my kitchen window shows pierises and daffodils and crew-cut ornamental grasses.

The pierises are still blooming, with daffodils and scilla in the background.

Background daffodils and scilla. N. 'Toby the First' and N. 'Geranium' and maybe a N. 'Lemon Glow'.

Some of my favorite late daffodils - N. 'Thalia', which seems to belong in a woodland setting.

There's all sorts of buds out there, peonies and tulips and viburnums and wisteria and dicentra, and lilies and hosta are rising. it's going to be a great month (no frosts please).

Claire

Claire, those Epimedium sulphureum are lovely. What's directly behind them?

Stuff's blooming fast and furious now for me. First time my Stylophorum has ever bloomed:

My creeping phlox is a little behind some of the neighbors here, but finally starting off:

Looks like my crabapples, anemones, the dogwood, dicentra, and mertensia are all going to pop this week. Everything seems to be happening quickly to make up for the slow start to spring.

nekobus: That's a hosta emerging behind the E. Sulphureum. They seem to coexist quite well.

Your Stylophorum/ celandine poppy is pretty, and I didn't realize they're native to Eastern North America. That makes my ears prick up, but I can't give it damp soil here and it wouldn't be happy.

Claire

Well... it's mostly just the bulbs blooming here in zone 5 Iowa - but my god they are putting on a show. Let's hope they make it through the brutal wind and heat of the next few days.

Here's parrot tulip Rai with gold dust behind.

The ornamental Almond is just beginning to open up.

Casa grande (monster blooms! with lovely purple variegated leaves... well what the rabbits didn't eat anyway), Purple Parrot Rai, Sensual Touch, and Gold dust trying to steal the show....

Gold Dust... You know, just being... Stunning.

Bouquet of Apple, Pear, and Almond blossoms.

(the fragrance is bordering on intoxicating. That's a jalapeno cheddar foccacia by the way...)

Apricot Blooms

New beds planted this past Sunday - Looking a tad sloppy without mulch and edging... but that's a project for another day. At the bottom right you can see my new own root Munstead Wood rose from DA.

The tulip bed - just planted the sides as well - Oriental poppies - Drama Queen, Danish Flag, Double Black, Double Purple, Red Fringed. Tavor Artichoke, Verbascum mix, Scented Stock, Flowering Kales, Silver Dichondra, Creeping Artisimia, my lovely eremerus poking their alien like heads up, and a bunch of other things I can scarcely remember planting.

jjstatz29: That Gold Dust tulip is amazing - it jumps out of the computer screen at you looking hungry like a Venus fly trap.

And then you show the jalapeno cheddar foccacia which made me hungry too...

Claire

I'll take another photo of it today... It's fully open now and even more gigantic.

As for the foccacia.... it's long gone.

Fully open Gold Dust with Cum Laude in the background.

Sensual Touch (fringed) and casa grande

Finally have daffodils blooming!

jjstatz, where roughly are you located? Just curious, as many of your photos seem to place you in a suburban neighborhood, and then your photo of the apricot blossoms looks like you are in the middle of nowhere! Intriguing location! Is that huge area your back yard? And are you going to put a garden in there? ;)

My tulips, which I always plant in pots, are complete and total duds this year. Out of about 6 or 7 pots, I've got two scrawny leaves coming up in one pot. And that's it. VERY disappointed.

Came home from work today to see my first purple dwarf iris in bloom. Also, some remnants of creeping phlox - I tried to establish it on a slope and it just would not take, so I gave up after many years and even more dollars. But I still have two small (about a foot or so in diameter) swatches of it that I truly enjoy, one a hot pink and the other a pale purple. The pale purple is right along a clump of grape hyacinths and I always enjoy the combination and think of what might have been along the 50 foot slope if it had gone as planned! Sigh...

Hellebores still looking good, some daffs still going strong, especially my faves, Quail. Violets starting up. Also, my veronica Georgia Blue, which I so love and which I think I may use in place of my planned creeping phlox. That's about it in bloom, but things are finally starting to pop up and turn green... especially the weeds....

Dee

Dee, I'm so glad to hear you love the Georgia blue because my local nursery is holding 6 of them for me that I've already paid for. Have you found they spread much?

We have tulips and daffodils, Lenten rose, bloodroot, trillium, corydalis, thalictrum thalictroides, epimedium is just starting, perennial sweet pea which is a perennial and not the vine whose Latin name escapes me, forsythia, dwarf flowering almond is just starting, and I was so surprised to see Geum blooming already. Very excited about that. Didn't remember it being so early.
A very fat, happy woodchuck is in full bloom too! And a lone turkey who is around many times per day.

Thyme, I find the veronica spreads nicely but not aggressively. I got it as a small clump at a swap years ago and it's maybe 3 feet in diameter now. I actually wish it would spread a bit more quickly, as I have a slope that is about 6 to 8 feet high and 100 feet long which I need to cover. Was thinking of using this on part of it. It really has a beautiful color bloom!

Dee
Forgot to mention above that my Virgina bluebells are starting to bloom as well!

T2D - I really like my V. Georgia Blue, enough that I bought a couple more pots of it last summer. My previous plant has spread, but in the best way possible, weaving around other plants, but not over whelming any of them, including a wooly thyme. The first plant is in mostly shade, and the new ones seem to be doing well in full sun and have just started to bloom this week, though I haven't yet taken a photo. I don't know if they will spread or not. I did have a V. Waterperry Blue (very similar, but a lighter blue) that disappeared, but whether it was shaded out by more aggressive perennials or eaten by the voles, I am not sure.

This time of year I mostly seem to have white, pink, and yellow flowers.

Magnolia Leonard Messel

Daffodils and bleeding heart Dicentra eximia, my earliest blooming perennial

Native trout lily, Erythronium americanum, grows wild in the woods

Bluets, Houstonia caerulea, will grow and seed in any well-drained sunny area without too much competition.

One morning there was a lovely contrast between the sun streaming in from the east and the dark clouds moving in from the west.

vermontgirl: The first daffodil is special - it says that there really is a Spring on the way here, in my yard!, even if Spring is already there in the more southern regions.

And then there's the case where nhbabs, in NH, has dicentra in full bloom far to the north of me here in SE MA, where dicentra is just starting. That's a very pretty bed with the daffodils, looking very full of new growth unlike the usual sparse early spring beds.

I like the picture of the sun trying to beat back the dark clouds, although I'll bet the clouds won, for now.

Claire

diggerdee

I live a in small rural town. The apricot blooms aren't in my yard, but rather in the orchard that I run (that is actually in Town... We're surrounded by fields out here, and middle of nowhere is... well fairly accurate haha.)

The tulips and things are in my yard, the orchard I run is a few blocks away on 2 acres.

Babs - what a gorgeous landscape view with the bright sun and dark clouds.

And I must disagree with you regarding bluets. I have tried and tried and tried to get them to grow in my yard. No luck. I've transplanted them from my parents house. I've bought them from different nurseries. No luck.

Also - I have no idea what type of magnolia it is. It was a sucker off my moms tree that she so nicely potted up for me.

Dee - in her first post jjstatz said she lives in Iowa. So not the typical landscape we see here in New England.

Claire - thanks for posting that photo of Thalia. Made me realize that my Thalia is nowhere to be seen this spring.

Based on the unanimous response, I've decided the green leaves in my veggie bed is skunk cabbage. There is a ton of it growing down by the stream and in my neighbors wetland woods adjacent to the pond. Still not sure what the big leaf plant by the muscati is. I think I'll take some better photos and head over to Name That Plant.

Jjstatz29 is a he. Ha.

I just realized this is part of the new england garden forum... Better go start one in the midwest section. oops.

You had the right spirit, jjstatz29, just in a very different region. I hope you do start a thread like this in your section.
......................................................................................................
I was blind-sided by something unexpected blooming in my yard.

I was out yesterday trying to reclaim part of the back yard from the wild blackberries and wild grapes encroaching from the neighbor's yard, when I noticed white flowers on one of the shrubs/small trees that have seeded there. Lots of white flowers on a ten foot tall tree hiding behind the tool shed. No other trees are flowering and only one crabapple has unopened buds.

I did a little searching and found that there are native Amelanchier species that could fit, but I have a history of misidentifying volunteer plants which always turn out to be invasive. I posted on the Name That Plant Forum expecting to be told it was some awful invasive tree that I should immediately destroy. Instead, for once, an expert agreed with me, it's probably an Amelanchier AKA serviceberry.

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I can even see it from the house if look up over the top of the tool shed

I'm really pleased, the Amelanchier flowers should appeal to hummingbirds and insects (and me) and the birds and critters will like the fruit (I won't fight them for it).

Claire

Claire, I love amaelanchier. Great early spring flowering tree. I have one in heavy shade and it is finally putting out some really nice blooms this year. I have one in full sun that is much shrubbier, multi-stemmed and quite short. Such a great tree for our friends in the garden.

Claire - could there be a better volunteer? Lovely. The blossoms on my two were beaten down by the rain, but I really like this little tree. Good luck beating the birds to the berries.

nhbabs- that morning view of your field is spectacular. I'm still sayin', make that calendar.

Jane

To jjstatz - I would like to welcome HIM to the forum, lol! I can't help but think you stumbled here into New England with us because of the new thing on GW where they post active threads to the right. I have to to admit I've ventured into a few new forums because of that feature! Please feel free to stick around if you'd like, jjstatz!

Dee

My first rhododendron to bloom, 'Mary Fleming', has started to open!

The green cage to the right of 'Mary' is the protection for Rhododendron 'Percy Wiseman'. Squirrels eat 'Percy's' buds if I don't cage the rhododendron. 'Percy' will bloom later on.

The earlier pierises are showing new red foliage now, while the later pierises still have flowers.

The daffodils just keep on blooming.

I have a border of 'Sir Winston Churchill' daffodils along the front bed and they're just beginning to open.

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Fri, May 9, 14 at 15:06

Great photos, all! We're a little behind the rest of you down here on the Cape.

Fritillaria meleagris, the checkered lily:

Fern-leaf bleeding heart - it's a dicentra, but I don't know which one:

Epimedium (probably E. rubrum):

Tulipa 'tarda'

Perennial alyssum, Basket of Gold (it's everywhere!)

Hellebores are still going:

Epimedium ÃÂ versicolor 'Sulphureum':

Hyacinths

Tulips slowing coming around

Tiger lilies won't bloom for awhile, but they're looking good.

I don't remember what this is.. Cheddar Pinks? Doesn't look good.

I'm not sure what this is. Could be daylily bulbs I planted? I planted them a year ago and have never seen them pop up. Could be a weeds for all I know.

Forget what this is called

Creeping phlox. snow flake something or other.

My dogwood started to turn pink this week. It's the time for flowering trees in Eastern Mass -- I've been dying to get out to Mt Auburn Cemetery to take some pictures.

Not quite Hosta time yet, but some that wintered over on my 3 season porch have come up early. It rained this morning so I thought it was a good time to take a few pics.

Bluets growing in a patch of moss

Fagus 'Red Obelisk' just opening up

Red Trillium

Pulmonaria Trevi Fountain

Heuchera Pinot Gris

Variegated Solomon's Seal

Tulip Pink Impression

Viburnum Mohawk

Hosta Fascination

Hosta Purple Haze

Hosta Sagae

Hosta Guardian Angel

Steve

Such lovely pictures all. Pixie Lou, I agree with Bill, your large leafed plant in the rocks is Holly Hock, and the lt green new shoots in a different picture is skunk cabbage. Leave them both alone, please. They're great! Here's my magnolia. Hope you like it.

I am dying to get home and photograph my garden as it's coming up along with the rest of yours.

Interesting to see somebody else with "that weedy looking plant with bright yellow flowers". Golden Alyssum!

And Steve, your hostas are looking amazing. We have one that's already about done leafing out because it's planted in such a warm location on our property. Where do you find your hosta varieties, or, would you be interested in trading sharing bulbs come August? I'll be sure to photograph all of my hostas to give you an idea of my interest.

Persimmon,

Thanks. The best place to buy Hosta in MA is Cochato Nursery, in Holbrook. They have well over 300 varieties for sale. It may be close to you. LInk below. Their display garden is one of my favorite gardens anywhere.

Steve

Here is a link that might be useful: Cochato Nursery

That trillium is so beautiful - I have one out in my little woods, I"ll have to go see how it's doing. The competition from garlic mustard (what a scourge!) is pretty bad, although I try to keep after it.

Steve, beautiful Viburnum.

Over the last few days I've got:

Waldsteinia:

Crabapple:

Geranium:

Phlox stolonifera:

and Mertensia:

Claire - that service berry is a great volunteer to find! And that Mary Fleming rhododendron is gorgeous as well.

Kellycrash- your unidentified plant looks like a day lily to me. And the one with pink flowers looks like a ground phlox.

Steve - every time you post photos I actually start considering hosta for my garden. With the amount of shade I have they would definitely fit in.

Walking home from the bus stop this morning I noticed my Azaleas in full bloom.

Well - it wasn't very popular over in the midwest forum so I think I will. Thanks.

jjstatz - give it time. I've been doing these threads on New England gardening for over 3 years. The first month there were only 15 posts. And I think half of them were mine! Now we are easily over 100 posts in the prime gardening months.

Make it a point to go out weekly and take photos of new things in your garden. Not just the blooms, but the sprouts, seed pods, etc. and post your photos weekly. Hopefully others on your forum will follow suit. If not, you still end up with your own private record of what is blooming in your garden!

The pace is really picking up (it must be spring, although today felt more like mid-summer). So many beautiful pictures and well-grown plants.

I have another volunteer that's been delighting me for a couple of years. It's a shrub that I left because I wasn't sure what it was and it wasn't in the way. It finally flowered last year and it's a crabapple, probably a seedling from a crabapple up the street. I have at least three of them, although only one is of flowering size. I moved two little ones so I have a grove of three now.

It's right in the middle of a sour cherry patch (Prunus cerasus) which is just starting to bloom now too.

I'm hoping that in a few years this will be a lovely spring show. The Amelanchier is right nearby too.

In a different spot by some peonies is a tulip, 'Carneval de Nice' which has been coming back for years.

Otherwise, I'm in late daffodil season.
N. 'Thalia Sun'

N. 'Hawera'

and a daffodil I haven't seen for years, N. 'Manly'. I removed a big Miscanthus that was getting swamped by the winterberry and I guess 'Manly' was lurking under or behind the grass and just came back this year.

Claire

Gosh Claire, I think that pretty ruffle yellow daffodil is a little too feminine to be called "manly".

You seriously get the best volunteers. 3 crabapples! Wow!

Actually, pixie_lou, there's a fourth crabapple that's as big or bigger than the first one, but it hasn't got its blooming act quite together yet and I think it may be a different plant (or maybe not even a crabapple). I'll wait and see what it does next.

This is what it was doing today, just at the top of the shrub/tree.

Having all these volunteers is a great excuse to minimize weeding. I remove everything I know I don't want, but if it looks interesting I'll leave it for a while.

Claire

First Columbine to open. Little Lanterns.

Pixie_lou, you're in zone 5? My columbines are just about to open here in zone 6, in a sheltered spot where they get a good amount of sun. I'm surprised yours came first!

Trillium luteum (opened this weekend, but I've been slow):

Woodland phlox, from Monday:

Lilac:

And then yesterday, Iris cristata, for the first time:

Nekobus - technically I'm in zone 6, but I won't plant anything unless it is hardy to zone 5. This is a "dwarf" columbine - it's only 6" tall at most. The rest of my columbines barely have blossoms on them yet!

(Oh - we need 2 or 3 more posts on this thread by the end of today so that we meet my rule of 50 posts to get a May Part II thread. You can vote for a Part II thread - all those in favor, Post a Reply. All those opposed, stay silent!)

The camassia - wild hyacinth - decided to open today.

Pretty columbine, pixie_lou (none open here either) and I love that Trillium luteum, nekobus.

I vote for part II - I've been holding off on posting even though I have a few pics, because I'm trying to wait until the bloom is just a little bit further along. I always post as soon as the first bud opens and then kick myself because it looks so much better three days later.

I suppose I could post a little something....

Claire

I'm still holding off on the azalea-fothergilla combination, but here's

Dicentra 'Goldheart'

And my little 'Hopi' Crape Myrtle survived its first winter in Plymouth, all bundled up like a little kid in a snowsuit! I realize it's not technically blooming, but there are pretty little red buds all over the stems.

Claire

One more:

'Sir Winston Churchill' daffodils taking over for the line of crocuses in front of the house.

edited to add this photo of the left side of the above view

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Fri, May 16, 14 at 10:03

May Part II is now open

Here is a link that might be useful: May 2014 Part II

I know there's a part two, but I wanted to post this here in case folks wanted to scroll back to take a peek - nekobus, your photos are just gorgeous! Are you using a "real" cameras as opposed to a phone to take them? The lilac andn crabapple buds are beautiful!

:)
Dee