Bloom Day — May 2015

When it comes to spring flowers, it’s better late than never!

Since our blog’s humble beginnings in 2009, we’ve participated in Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, sharing photos of what’s flowering in our yards and gardens on the 15th of each month from April to October. This year, we’re a few days late with our May post (and we missed April Bloom Day altogether), but here’s long-overdue proof that we’re finally enjoying a riot of spring flowers.

Caroline Spear, the Green Thumbs garden columnist for Penobscot Bay Press (and friend of regular Bloom Day contributor Mary Ann Nøbben) submitted her photos with this thought, which puts the season in perspective: Finally spring here in Stonington, Maine after a record 113” of snow this winter. Every bloom is precious! 

Now in May, there’s a crabapple theme, but there are also strawberries, magnolias, epimediums, and even sweet sparrow eggs in the mix. What’s blooming where you are? — Emily Spiegelman, Digital Features Editor

Mary Velgos, North Adams, Massachusetts

Magnolia blossom

Corey Cusson, Buckland, Massachusetts

Strawberry

Trillium

White bleeding heart

Crabapple

Carleen Madigan, Cummington, Massachusetts

A neighbor’s crabapple in bloom

Caroline Spear, Stonington, Maine

“Tiny Rubies” Garden Pink with Frizzle Sizzle pansies planted among the roots of a weathered spruce stump

Primula denticulata — Himalayan primrose

Another Himalayan primrose, with scilla in foreground

 MaryAnn Nøbben, Norway

Things are slowly waking up here in Norway — the ice just left our lake on the 14th! But Spring is coming!

Chionodoxa, an early favorite, with daffodils ready to bloom

Grape hyacinth among the heuchera

Scilla

Emily Spiegelman, Wendell, Massachusetts

My “Spring Wedding” epimedium, planted last spring, in full bloom this year

Editor Carleen Madigan turned me on to an amazing epimedium nursery here in western Massachusetts. I went to one of their open nursery sales a few weeks ago and this week, I planted up my purchases: “Be My Valentine” (left) and “Lilac Cascade.”

Maribeth Casey, Williamstown, Massachusetts

Not flowers but just as pretty: sparrow eggs in the nest

Gwen Steege, Williamstown, Massachusetts

Crabapple tree

Crabapple blossoms up close

Deb Burns, Williamstown, Massachusetts

Peach tree blossoms against a blue sky backdrop

David Morrison, Lenox Dale, Massachusetts

Azalea

Candy Stripe Phlox

Even this is blooming on its windowsill!

Lisa Hiley, Willliamstown, Massachusetts

A backyard bouquet of columbines and honeysuckle