May blooms

I'm joining in Carol's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - even if it is a bit late! It's been a crazy week at work for me (exam week!), so I'm behind in gardening and posting. Here's what's been popping in the garden:

Dicentra spectabilis with Narcissus 'Thalia'

I love the foliage on bleeding hearts as well as the flowers. The foliage remains fresh and attractive in this cool, shady spot all summer in my northern garden. In a hot, dry area the foliage would probably die back in summer. This picture is from about a week ago - the narcissus blooms are gone now, but the bleeding hearts are still going strong. It's really a long bloomer!

Geranium sanguineum var. striatum

This geranium is common and ordinary, but I like it a lot. The foliage is nice, the plant grows vigorously, and the soft shell pink of the flowers complements but does not clash with any of its neighbors. Bloom is strongest in spring, but it continues to bloom all summer.

Bergenia 'Winterglow' with Dryopteris felix-mas, Narcissus 'Thalia', Polygonatum odoratum

This bergenia has shockingly bright pink flowers when it first opens, which gradually fade to a softer, more lavender shade (above). I enjoy the color transition. The polygonatum is also blooming now.

Phlox subulata NOID

I inherited this little pink phlox with the yard, so I don't know its name. It's a rather scruffy-looking little thing which will probably get the ax once I find something to replace it. Perhaps it just needs to be divided or moved to a better spot to restore it to its former glory.

Dianthus

 This unknown dianthus is also an inherited plant. I find the color of the flowers too strident, and it has no fragrance! Now what is the point of a dianthus with no fragrance, I ask you? He is certainly in line for the shovel-prune.

Nepeta 'Dropmore Hybrid'

My catmint is still blooming - I love this plant! The foliage makes me want to pet it - I don't usually do that though, because of the many bees who like to visit the flowers.

Blooming: Allium 'Globemaster' and 'Purple Sensation', tree peonies

Allium are also still going, although they are beginning to fade. I was surprised at how long they last! The foliage looks awful, of course. I need to add more bushy neighbors to mask this. The above is a picture from about a week ago, when the tree peonies were still at it.

Heuchera 'Snow Angel'

 Some of my heucheras are starting to bloom. My favorite for flowers so far is this one - 'Snow Angel'. And the foliage is attractive too.

Tradescantia 'Bluestone'

The tradescantia (spiderwort) are just barely getting started. It's not a big showcase plant, but I do love that deep blue color.

Aquilegia 'McKana Giants'

This poor columbine has been almost entirely stripped of its foliage by rabbits... yet it still manages to bloom. Despite its tenacity, I'll have to replace it at some point with something that doesn't look like skewered flower on a stick.

Aquilegia

Now this inherited columbine the bunnies leave alone, maybe because it's more mature, or maybe because it's not new. You can see that the foliage is already starting to decline. It looks a wreck after blooming, although I am enjoying it at present.