May 2019 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Leena]

Hellebores are at their best now here. Weather has turned cooler and finally last night there was a little rain (but more is needed).
Many plants are two weeks ahead of more normal spring because of unusually warm April.

Hacquetia epipactis is flowering now. I have one bigger clump and some years ago I got seeds from it and now have planted some more with other woodland plants. In the second picture its companions are Anemone nemorosa 'Hilda' and Jeffersonia dubia (flowering for the first time, grown from seeds), and in the third picture Hacquetia is with Anemone nemorosa 'Dee Day' (and unnamed white Corydalis solida).

In the fourth picture  under the Hellebores there is a tiny Primula. I have got it in a plant swap about five years ago, and it just stays tiny, and doesn't spread. I don't even know what group of Primulas it belongs to. Any idea what it might be?

[ashley]

All beautiful Leena. 
Is your Hacquetia self-fertile?  I must check mine more carefully for seeds.
The primula looks like 'Tomato Red'; very nice but not so vigorous here either.

[Carolyn]

Ashley,
I think Hacquetia must be self fertile. I started out with just one plant and have several now. It likes to seed into a gravel path.
Leena,
Lovely selection of woodlanders!

[Leena]

Thanks Ashley and Carolyn.
I started with only one plant, and in the beginning it didn't produce seeds, but then one year I got a good amount of seeds, sowed them and after two winters they germinated. I have only one bigger self sown seedling close to the mother plant, but today I noticed two smaller ones more. The reason why I don't have more self sown seedlings must be because there isn't bare soil near, it is so crowded with plants.

[angie]

Years ago I had asked Ian Young how does he manage to get so much ground cover . His reply to me was I was to tidy so from that day on I stopped weeding till the first day of May and it’s working. Still have a long way to go to get the effect that Maggi and Ian have but I am getting so many plants seeding themselves around now  . Don’t have to buy so many plants now and don’t have to weed as much  😊

Angie 😊

[Gabriela]

Very nice pictures Leena!
Despite the never ending rain and cold weather the Helleborus are also flowering here and it's exciting to see H. purpurascens grown from wild coll. seeds flowering
The Corydalis grow slow with vivid colours and another surprise - few of the C. cava 'Alba; flowered - thank you! I was waiting for a white one to add its genes to the garden mixture.

H. x ericsmithii 'Winter Moonbeam', the beautiful foliage was badly affected this winter


Helleborus purpurascens (Carpathian Mts. coll.)




Corydalis cava 'Alba'


Flowering in the woods, the true sign of spring in many parts of North America - Claytonia virginica, the spring beauty.

[Gabriela]

Years ago I had asked Ian Young how does he manage to get so much ground cover . His reply to me was I was to tidy so from that day on I stopped weeding till the first day of May and it’s working. Still have a long way to go to get the effect that Maggi and Ian have but I am getting so many plants seeding themselves around now  . Don’t have to buy so many plants now and don’t have to weed as much  😊
Angie 😊

By the look of the pictures you are getting there Angie!
Mu garden is relatively 'young' but I'm going in the same direction. I can already see Corydalis seedlings showing everywhere, few Stylophorum, Brunnera... It will take time but it is the only way to achieve a naturalistic look.

[Gail]

Looking really good Angie - and I certainly don't mind having to bend my head 90^o to view.

Flowering in the woods, the true sign of spring in many parts of North America - Claytonia virginica, the spring beauty.

Beautiful image Gabriela - I was just looking up Claytonia, have you ever tried eating it?
https://www.bbg.org/gardening/article/spring_beauty_tasty_tubers

[Parsla]

Absolutely beautiful photos Angie and others

[angie]

Just love the beautiful ground cover that Ian and Maggi have managed to achieve and getting older means it’s harder to bend down so much so ground cover is needed. Thanks folks .

Angie   

[Leena]

The primula looks like 'Tomato Red'; very nice but not so vigorous here either.

Ashley, you might be right. It has a look of Wand but red, and the reason why it hasn't spread may be that the place is too dry. Perhaps I should move it, because it has a very distinct colour, and in spring all even very bright colours are welcome.

Angie, you have lovely beds!  I try for the same look, but I have still a way to go. Ian's Bulb Log is an inspiration to me.

The Corydalis grow slow with vivid colours and another surprise - few of the C. cava 'Alba; flowered - thank you! I was waiting for a white one to add its genes to the garden mixture.

Gabriela, I'm glad to see spring is also over there in spite of rain. I think many colours, especially in red Corydalis, are brighter in cool weather, hot temperatures seem to make their colours bleach out.
Hmm, my C.cava 'Alba' has distinctly yellowish flowers, not as white as in your picture..

Many years ago I sowed Claytonia virginica from Gardens North seeds. The original plants have died but they survive from self sown seedlings, not many but every year there are some flowering. Here it has sown itself among Polygonatum multiflorum and Geranium phaeum. My plant seems to have white flower than the ones in your picture, or the whiteness is a result of our warmer weather this year (not right now though, it is now +3C and cloudy)

[Leena]

Two pictures from May 1st when it was sunny.
I have one seed grown Helleborus which has very dark foliage when the flowers are opening. Now it is turning more green, but it still looks good among yellowish Corydalis (C.marschalliana 'Crimea' and C.bracteata) with it's smallish dark red flowers. Actually flowers are close to the colour of Trillium chloropeatalum 'Rubrum' on the right in the first picture. I love the soft green of tree leaves when they are just coming out.

[Carolyn]

Leena,
I have the same red hellebore. It is one of my favourites and came  from the seed exchange a few years ago as "Ashwood hybrids". I also got a lovely plain yellow from the same packet. Real gems!

[Leena]

Carolyn, you are right. Mine also originates from Ashwood seeds (second generation).

[Yann]

Flowering in the woods, the true sign of spring in many parts of North America - Claytonia virginica, the spring beauty.
(Attachment Link)

I hope your seeds will germinate, i guess my winter is too warm to break dormancy