May Garden Flowers Around the Potting Shed

 Happy Wednesday!

Join me for a little stroll to see what’s in bloom around the Potting Shed. . . 

I have some flowers that would like to meet you!

Warning: Photo heavy post ahead, so grab a drink and get comfy!

An Amethyst Falls American Wisteria vine planted a couple of years ago is reaching new heights this spring!

 American wisteria is better suited for smaller spaces and grows at

about a third of the rate of Asian wisteria, which can be invasive in the Southern U.S.

The twining stems quickly reach 8 to 10 feet long and over time may reach 30 feet.

The lightly fragrant purple blooms are heaviest in late spring,

repeating lightly in summer in full to partial sun.

It grows in USDA zones 5 – 9 (we’re 7b here in North Carolina).

For new gardeners, a USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers

can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location.

 Salvia ‘May Night’ and ‘Caradonna’ Salvia are in the blue – violet color palette and are bee attracters.

 Bees actually see color in the blue-violet spectrum better than other hues

so growing blue flowers is an easy way to attract them.

These easy-to-grow perennials thrive in full sun!

The deep purple flower spikes attract bees and butterflies and are deer resistant.

Deadheading and a little extra watering help ensure re-blooming.

You can see the pollen basket on the female bumble bee in the above photo

which are exclusive to female / worker bees.

Workers and queens have two pollen baskets, one each on the outside surface of each hind leg.

The pollen basket when empty it is a large, flat shiny area with spiky hairs around the edge,

but appears yellow, orange or red, when filled with pollen.

There are more than 4,000 native bee species in the U.S. with over 500 species here in North Carolina.

Bees and other pollinators all need fresh water to drink.

Honey bees use water to regulate the temperature of the hive, feed young bees, and dilute stored honey.

A deep water source like a creek, lake or even birdbath puts bees at risk

of drowning or they serve as a food source for predators, as they can’t swim.

You can provide a safe water source for the bees and other pollinators

in the garden with a DIY Bee Watering Station.

It’s easy, can serve as a focal point and decorative garden ornament

 or *bee* as simple as you like!

This concludes my public service announcement on behalf of the bees :) 🐝🐝🐝

Silver Anouk Spanish Lavender is drought tolerant and is deer and rabbit resistant.

This silver foliage lavender can take the summer heat and makes a pretty and fragrant

addition to your landscape in borders, rock gardens, or patio containers.

This is the second year for Clematis ‘Diamantina’ to bloom.

I was smitten with the purple-blue, double flowers when I spied it at the garden center!

They start out more pinkish-purple in color, with the blooms unfurling from a tight central ball

to multi-layered pom-pom, fading to a bluish-purple.

I was amazed at the number of blooms and how long they have lasted. . .easily up to a month!

Clematis ‘Diamantina’ prefers full sun to part shade.

For best results keep consistently watered, especially during blooming.

‘Diamantina’ is a Group 2B clematis and can be pruned in late winter or early spring before

new growth begins. Deadhead after the first wave of blooms to help promote new blooms.

Popcorn Drift Rose starts out yellow and fades to creamy white, reminiscent of buttery popcorn.

It’s comparable to the family of Knock Out Roses in disease resistance and low-maintenance,

but smaller in size so ideal for small gardens or containers.

Common white and pink single petal peonies are the first varieties of peonies to bloom. . .

Single peonies are more open so bees can more easily access the pollen.

‘Sarah Bernhardt’ is one of my favorite peony varieties with pink

double blooms that resemble old-fashioned roses.

As well as ‘Festiva Maxima’ with white double flowers with crimson flecks.

The first flush of blooms of Earth Angel Rose is always a sight behold!

Earth Angel Rose is a fragrant old-fashioned rose

with blooms varying in color from white to soft pink.

It takes several bloom cycles to produce peony-shaped flowers.

This is our first bloom cycle for Tea Clipper Rose. 

Tea Clipper is a David Austin Rose that’s apricot in color and fragrant with 3 1/2″ flowers.

I was thrilled to see the first blooms but they were reduced to petal confetti

with our strong winds and heavy rain last week.

This is the first bloom cycle with Charles Darwin, another David Austin Rose, planted last year.

I thought it was yellow so I had to look it up to see if I remembered the color incorrectly.

 It has a reputation for being inconsistent in color, emerging as yellow, apricot,

or cream with a blush of pink, depending on the weather.

You can see the difference in color from the above photo and the one below.

The first blooms were beautiful, pale cream with a hint of apricot

and then deeper apricot, but a far cry from yellow.

We’ve had some beautiful spring weather recently with sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s . . .

my favorite weather. . .bird-chirping weather!

I’ve spent all my time outside gardening, planting window boxes and containers

and doing some long overdue touch up painting of the trim and stain on the shed.

Hope you’re enjoying some beautiful spring

weather and blooms where you are! ♥

“The kiss of the sun for pardon,

The song of the birds for mirth,

One is nearer God’s heart in a garden

Than anywhere else on earth.”

~ Dorothy Frances Gurney

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 Between Naps on the Porch