May 2010 in the Northern Hemisphere

[pehe]

Flowering in my garden now. Nothing rare, but nice colours.

Poul

[Lvandelft]

some perennials flowering here:

Aquilegia viridiflora
Iris Stockholm                                   
Melittis melissophyllum Rosea                                 
Cypripedium calceolus                             
Smilacina racemosa                           
Trollius Maigold
Triosteum pinnatifidum
Aurinia sax. Citrina                           
Aurinia sax. Flore Pleno                           
Ramonda nathaliae

[WimB]

Some plants flowering here today:

Echinocereus viridiflorus
Primula chungensis
Ramonda myconi
Silene argaea

[Olga Bondareva]

Cypripedium macranthum Alboroseum


Cypripedium ventricosum


Dwarf phloxes

[Gerdk]

Some flowers from this week

1. Calceolaria tenella - nearly hardy here
2. Dodecatheon dentatum
3. Freesia species - from escaped plants, found in Eastern Spain
4. Tropaeolum hookerianum ssp. austropurpureum with T.beuthii
5. Viola hispida - one of the few violets of the pansy type which stay
       in the garden by self seeding
6. Streptocarpus rexii - the original species from South Africa

Gerd

[Diane Clement]

28^oC here yesterday, I think that may be the highest temperature for at least two years. 
Here's a few pictures from yesterday

Seed pod on Erathis hyemalis
Rhododendron campylogynum Myrtilloides
Lewisia cotyledon in the garden
ditto, smaller plant
Anemone sylvestris
Paeonia obovata alba

[Diane Clement]

And the real star of the show ....  I have waited years for this.  I know it's no big deal to those of you in northern climes, but I have never before had a BIG BLUE POPPY  in flower in the garden.  Every year I have sowed seed, usually had it germinate, then watched it damp off, and I have many times bought plants and got them through the winter, to then see them die in the spring.  Mec x cookei does quite well for me, but the big ones don't like it here.  This one I had completely forgotten about, (and I am not absolutely sure what it is) suddenly a couple of days ago it was in flower, looking rather out of place.  There's a couple more species in my jungle so I'm hopeful for more later.  

Meconopsis 'Lingholm' (I think)
and Meconopsis x cookei

[arisaema]

Is spring much later that usual, Diane? I thought it was late here, but it seems you're just a week ahead of me.

Some pics from the last 5 days below;

Primula limbata
P. maximowiczii
Trollium dzhungaricus still flowering
Primula (not?) 'Garryarde Guinevere'
Fritillaria raddeana
F. pallidiflora
Meconopsis cf. impedita
Tulipa 'Black Jewel'
Anemonella 'Oscar Shoaf'
and Paeonia obovata alba

[Diane Clement]

Is spring much later that usual, Diane? I thought it was late here, but it seems you're just a week ahead of me.

I've just checked back to pictures from this time last year, and the plants are at exactly the same stage, strangely.
Of course, some plants that have in recent years been flowering in February and March this year waited until April, but I think everything has caught up now.

I think your season is more compressed than ours, so Anemonella and Fritillaria pallidiflora have finished flowering here, but that's normal.

[arisaema]

I just did the same, and curiously a lot of those pictured above were flowering at the exact same time last year, when I thought spring was early... Maybe I'm using the wrong plants as a reference, Paeonia mairei was two weeks later than usual, but Fritillaria pallidiflora and the Anemonellas are right on schedule.

[David Nicholson]

Beautiful spring colour folks, thanks for posting them.

[fredg]

The Sarracenia are now starting to get into full stride.

The wonderful greeting " l'Odour de Tom Cat' as you enter the greenhouse is unfortunate.

[Maggi Young]

Could they not go outdoors at this time of year, Fred?

[fredg]

They sit in special water trays (lagoons) Maggi.

They'd fill up a patio if I put them out and the pigeons would have a field day.

[Graham Catlow]

Some from today

Pinguicula grandiflora
Lewisia 'Johns Special'
Penstemon serratus
Allium karataviense, Pulsatilla with seed heads, Tulip 'Queen of the night' and in the background almost ready Iris 'Black Swan'
Allium karataviense and Pulsatilla 'Blaue Glocke' seed heads

Graham