Shrubs in May

 

All around the garden at the moment are patches of hazy blue provided by the forget-me-nots and Spanish bluebells that crop up wherever it suits them.  To my delight, they are beginning to encroach into the lawn which has only been mown once in the last year. They provide a pretty backcloth to the more aggressively coloured shrubs out just now.

The spiraea (I think it's called 'Bridal Wreath') has long stems covered in tiny white flowers. It's nearing the end of its flowering but is balanced by the white-with-occasional red slashes Camellia 'Lady Van Sittart' in a large pot.  

Spiraea 'Bridal Wreath'

Camellia 'Lady Van Sittart'

The berberis, a bright yellow one I found when I moved in here and have been trying to get rid of ever since, is doing wonderfully well and I've given in and welcome it. It appears over the yew hedge -  really sunny and optimistic. Then there is the architectural spurge Euphorbia mellifera, or honey spurge which has curious heads of reddish brown flowers, loved by insects. It grows to around six foot and I prune it vigorously to keep it going. 

Berberis

Honey spurge with a greenbottle fly

But the pride of the garden just for a week or two in May, are the two Chinese tree peonies one a sharp pink and the other a very deep red. Both these have grown to a really good size and each has produced about 14 enormous blowsy flowers this year so you can't take your eyes off them. Chinese tree peonies are the most ancient of their tribe and have been hybridised for centuries in China where they were grown in the gardens of emperors. 

Tree peony 'Black Dragon'

Tree peonies are the Chinese national flower. They look quite like their herbaceous cousins but flower earlier and are generally larger and the woody stems  do not die back in winter.  They do not flower for long (well, what would you expect for such an exotic plant?) but manage to carry their huge flowers without hanging their heads. The cold winds we're having at the moment may blow the petals off early so I'm enjoying them greedily while I may. 

Tree peony 'Limpid Dews'

They do make good cut flowers. You have to pick them early in the morning at the bud stage. The buds should feel like marshmallows - a bit squishy,  if they feel  like marbles,  they are not ready. They should be put in water immediately and they will look gorgeous for days. 

Tree peonies at the marshmallow stage

And about two  days later

Incidentally, talking about forget-me-nots encroaching into the lawn,  Plantlife, the wild plant conservation charity is running a No Mow May campaign, asking people to lock their mowers away for the whole of the month. Apparently over 200 species of wild flowers have been found in lawns that are not mown too often, providing nectar for many species of insects including bees. (It is suggested that lawns should be mown only once a month anyway.) No Mow May will end in a survey of  unmown lawns called 'Every Flower Counts' in which gardeners can take part by counting the different wild flowers in their lawns and sending in the results. The survey lasts from 23 to 31 May. More information from plantlife.org.uk