After the Rain

It rained heavily during the night and part of the garden flooded; the part where the water in the basement pumps out. It's a good thing the sump pump works well, but the high water level at the corner of Strawberry Fields reinforces the need to create a rain garden there. I made a start on this venture by researching plants for a rain garden and making a couple of purchases. Before I do too much more, I plan on attending some upcoming master gardener classes on the topic. That's one of the joys of gardening: there's always something new to learn. One thing I know, I must move the stand of phlox that doesn't like wet feet: No wonder powdery mildew attacks them every year.

Phlox in the flooded area needs moving

Joe Pye Weed is on my list of rain-garden plants. I tried growing it from seed but had no luck. I'm glad I purchased one of these 'native' beauties. Ironically, it's too wet to plant anything today.

Joe Pye Weed (in the blue pot) waiting to be planted in the rain garden.

Near the rain garden, in a less wet area, Goat's Beard is shooting up. I love this giant astilbe-like plant. In the bare earth that you can see in front of Goat's Beard I sowed wild lupine seeds that my friend, Katharine, gave me. I do hope they germinate, but it seems we have an enormous number of sparrows nesting here this year, and I suspect they are checking out all my seeds.

Goats Beard Arucus dioicus

I covered the beans and red beets with row covers to prevent the birds from eating the seeds. I'm glad to see some of the bush beans made it. I'm not so sure about the beets.

Bushbeans, snow peas and lettuce.

By June I've often harvested all the cool-season crops like lettuce, but I was late planting this year. In last week's extreme heat I shaded them from the hot sun for several hours each day. They are almost ready to harvest.

Some fresh healthy salads in the making.

Let's take a walk around the garden and see what else is blooming today.

Good Morning, Morning Glory!

I took a similar picture of Allium 'Globe Master' last May. I see there are more blooms this year.

Peach irises in bloom and red peonies about to pop.

The first roses.

The viburnum stole the May show. The flowers are arranged horizontally along the branches -- very striking. Must say this is one of my favorite shrubs.

Vibernum plicatum

As the vibermum blooms fade, the mock orange comes into its own. I featured it in the first picture of this posting, growing at the corner of the picket fence at the front of the house. Another favorite, I love it for its pretty flowers, but most of all for its fabulous scent.

Mock orange Philadelphus coronarius

Mock orange blossoms

 As always, I brought branches into the house.

Mock orange is my choice for June's Dozen for Diana. I'm participation early due to the early blooming of the shrub. Diana at Elephant's Eye on False Bay in South Africa asks that you choose a 'must have' plant in your garden each month. Do go to her wonderful blog -- her May garden is stunning -- and join in the fun!


Continuing our walk around my garden, let's see what other plants are in bloom ...

Spiderwort Tradescantia in the shade garden

Do you see the first bearded iris flower along Bluebell Creek?

The heavy rain filled the pond and turned the water to mud...

... but the frog doesn't mind

The rain dashed down a lot of plants including the rhododendrum at the front of the house. This is another shrub that bloomed early and its blossoms are fading already.

Rhododendron 'Roseum Elegans' blossoms dashed down by the rain.

While many parts of the US are being deluged by relentless, devastating storms with tornadoes and flooding, Pennsylvania welcomed the rain after an unusually hot, dry May. This morning was a little misty; the air felt good after the rain.

And in the morning when the sun returned

to claim the earth the mist surprises, rising

unabashed and clean again to grace the

nascent waiting skies after rain.

After the Rain by Ivan Donn Carswell

I enjoyed looking back at my May blog postings of the last several years to see how each year is different in some way: weather, temperature, plants blooming at different times. The difference, a yearly phenomenon, makes gardening so interesting.

I hope your May was wonderful!
Pamela x

Calibrachoa on the front porch.

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