May 2107 Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day/ In A Vase On Monday

I ran out between showers to snap pictures for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, the meme hosted on the fifteenth of each month by Carol at May Dreams Gardens to celebrate blooms in gardens all over the world.  By the time that was done and I'd decided what to pick for today's vase, rain started pouring down.  In A Vase On Monday is hosted each week by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  The idea is to bring something inside from our gardens or scavenged nearby to brighten our spirits during the week.  Click on the links above to join in the fun.

All this rain

is making us all a little crabby.

I'm spending more time outside than in these days and since the weather wasn't cooperating (the sun is shining again, mocking me as I type this.) I decided to scavenge some glass daffodils that came from Glass Eye Studio's recent sidewalk sale (post to come later.)

The cool Italian-looking vase was made by a local artist and the plan was originally to put lilacs, orange pansies and something white in it to echo the vase colors.  Oh well maybe another Monday.

So, what's blooming outside? Too much to show so here are some highlights:

Embothrium coccineum 

Paulownia tomentosa

Meconopsis cambrica and Myosotis scorpioides

First begonia blooms are a bit of a cheat as they came already blooming.

Rosa sericea var. pteracantha

Paeonia delavayi needs to be in someone else's garden.  If you're in the area and want it, let me know and I'll dig it for you.

Paeonia delavayi ludlowii  

 Ceanothus

Ribes speciosum

Matthiola arborescens, the perennial tall fragrant stock. 

Euphorbia wulfenii after which I lusted for years has now become a bit of a weed. 

Berberis darwinii

Some geranium or other. 

Buddleja globosa

Euphorbia that's been close to winter death in my parking strip for five years.  I remember the tag saying that it was not totally hardy here but might make it in a sheltered area. The fragrance of the blooms is distinctly that of honey which makes me think that it might actually be Euphorbia mellifera.  Perhaps the bamboo and tetrapanax leaves hanging over and thirsty roots beneath have kept it dry and sheltered enough to be happy.

Lilacs and Kerria japonica

Honeysuckle is taking over but it's pretty.  

 Polygonatum multiflorum

Almost in bloom is Magnolia laevifolia.

Inherited camellia.

Rhododendron rescued from the neighbor's yard waste bin.  don't know the variety.

Rhododendron 'Nancy Evans'

Rhododendron 'Kabarett'

Rhododendron 'Candy Corn'

Another inherited camellia.

Crinodendron hookerianum

I planted this rhododendron years ago and lost the tag but I love the orange/pink bi-color flowers.

Gentian is much darker than the picture suggests. 

Deciduous azalea.  I keep threatening to remove this but maybe cutting it back would be a better idea. The fragrance is wonderful.

The paw-paws are blooming, both male and female at the same time.  Come on polinators, I'd love to see some fruit for the first time this year.

Grevillea 'Ivanhoe'

A bit of a cheat as the hardy fuchsias in the ground won't be blooming for another month.  This one came this way but there are a couple of others that I wintered over in the greenhouse that are also blooming.

Our thuggish native bleeding heart is battling it out with the damned Spanish Bluebells for world domination.  I rip out/dig up buckets full every year.

Alliums are just starting.