There’s so much going on in the garden at the moment. My husband is convinced that the trees just wait until our backs are turned then churn out a few more leaves and blossom. It seems that every time we look things are more voluptuous and gorgeous. Here’s a collage of some star plants for May here in Lancashire, North West England.
Top row – Cherry Blossom and Magnolias
Second row – Clematis alpina
Third row – Apple Blossom and Lunaria annua (Honesty)
Bottom row – Wisteria and Camassia
Below – Lilac and Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’ syn Sterile
I love these soft pastel shades of spring. Although soft lilac and creamy white flowers are common in summer too I find that they are often over-shadowed by blooms with much brighter colours. I enjoy them more right now in May when their chalky pastel colours sing out with the fresh lime green leaves of spring.
I’m joining in with Garden Bloggers Bloom Day today (which was actually yesterday!)
Why not pop over to Carol’s blog May Dreams Gardens for a peep at some beautiful May gardens around the world.
ALSO… Cathy at Garden Dreaming at Chatillon has just reminded me that over at Rambling in the Garden there are some vases full of lovely cut flowers to enjoy too.
Have a lovely day & Happy Gardening! Gillian 🙂
Lovely vase, Gillian – you should be putting it in Cathy’s Vase on Monday as well – colours just sumptious (like lilacs). Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the reminder Cathy… will do that right now!
What a gorgeous arrangement Gillian. The flowers are fresh and lush and the vase suits them perfectly.
Thanks very much! Nothing nicer than growing your own and nothing fresher that newly picked garden flowers is there?
OMG! Lilacs and Hydrangea!!!!!!!!!!!! I can smell the lilacs from here in the States! You have no idea how those photos touched me and brought back memories.
Growing up, we had a lilac bush in our backyard. My mother, and her love of lilacs, would cut those flowers, place in a vase and set it on the dining room table and the scent was lovely. She had a lilac hat and one of my favorite books was “Under the Lilacs”.
And the Hydrangea. When I had the house in New Jersey, one side of my home was festooned with white Annabelle hydrangea and they were beautiful. The other side with my favorite flower of all time–Peonies. The scent drove me crazy with delight.
Thanks for giving me a lovely Monday morning!
You are so welcome Catherine. I am truly delighted that it brought back memories for you. Thanks for your lovely comment and wishing you a fantastic week.
Your collage of subtle pastel shades are just gorgeous Gillian.
Thank you very much Christina. Nice of you to say so!
Gillian that is one of the most beautiful vases I have seen with my favorite lilacs…and oh your garden blooms are stunning…perfect spring blooms. Here we are not seeing anything quite so lovely yet as our weather has been too crazy and cool.
Thanks so much. Lovely of you to send me such a nice comment. It all happens so fast Donna. It was the same here not long ago but everything changes with a little sunshine and a few warm showers.
Gosh – doesn’t it make such an opulent vase? Lovely – thanks for thinking of sharing it with us
Lilac is amazing isn’t it? Garden shrubs are lovely when freshly cut.
Utterly beautiful. You always take such wonderful photographs.
Thank you very much. Nice of you to say so!
A truly lush vase, speaking volumes of what time of year it is. Spring at it finest.
Thank you for your lovely comment. I love the changing seasons and I try in all my photos to show what’s happening right now. That way when I look back at my blog and my photos I can see the rhythm of nature flowing through it all.
You know, I do the same thing. The rhythm of nature is a bit more difficult to discern here but it is there and the blogging helps me to see it.
If only I could get one sniff of the variety of fragrances from this beautiful array of flowers, I could be in heaven. 🙂
It is amazing Judy! Fragrant blogs are the next WordPress development didn’t you know?
I wouldn’t disagree with any of your star plants. They are a lovely selection and your vase is perfect.
Thanks very much Allison. I love all the soft colours that surround us in May… mind you I also love the bright summer colours too!
Lovely. Sweet little Clematis alpinia. Soothing colors.
Thanks very much!
WOW! Super, feminine loveliness – I nearly fell out of my chair, Gillian! All your blossoms are so wonderful, but Clematis alpina has caught my eye. I’ll have to look for that one. 🙂
That’s nice of you to say Eliza. I’m glad you didn’t fall!
🙂 Thankfully, it’s not far to the floor. 😉
I love all the soft colors in your garden, Gillian! I bet your vase perfumes the whole house.
I’m very happy you like it.
Great post and photos! Thanks for sharing, Gillian!
Thanks very much Anna.
I love the collage, what a fabulous selection of blooms. Your husband is right, there’s so much change afoot in May – your post is a wonderful way of capturing the beautiful highlights of late spring.
Thanks very much Kate. It’s the same in every garden at this time of year… sometimes it all happens too quickly for us to notice!
Really lovely Gillian. Your garden must look fabulous right now with all those pretty flowers!
Thanks Cathy. Most gardens are looking quite lovely this month aren’t they?
Such a delightful collection of photos Gillian! Your photographs are always so lovely and the flowers you have picked out as your stars are just stunning. I miss Lilacs so much from England. In fact I miss May in England as it is a month filled with so much beauty and promise! Thank you for sharing such lovely images with us!
– Kate xx
Thank you very much for your comment Kate. Sorry you are missing May in England but I’ve seen your beautiful garden and I think you have made a good trade! I do enjoy Lilacs in May but for the rest of the year you wouldn’t notice them really. Perhaps that’s why this time of year seems so magical with all the beautiful blossom.
That is so sweet of you – Thank you!