A Moist May! - Page 2

Seasonal Page: May 1999

A Moist May - Page 2

As we approach the middle of the month, the iris begin to make a real showing. You will see a few on the next two pages. I didn't have as many as last year, but some of them are coming back from last season's rework. The one shown above is new and very stunning. The name is 'Batik' and I planted a single fan last summer. Sure looked nice... especially near a columbine that picked up its base color. You will see more of it further down on the page.

Rhododendron 'Nancy Evans' which is an offspring of 'Lem's Cameo'.

The little subtle flowers of Enkianthus remind me of blueberry blossoms. The foliage in a good fall will turn deep fire red.

This is one of the crosses I made years ago (during our second year of marriage) from Rhododendron 'Unique' and 'Fabia' ... the leaves are not up to much, but the flowers have a warm coral tone to their pink and cream blend.

One of our many May overcast days... no mountains to be seen here. This is the back flower bed where Rhododendron 'Jean Marie de Montague' is doing her lovely thing!

Further north in the same bed is Rhododendron 'Scintillation'. I think this is the best year it's had yet! Did I say that last season?

These are the flowers of R. Scintillation taken from closer up and earlier in the week.

This was taken from the edge of the path between the house and the orchard/driveway area. You can see many rhododendrons are blooming in the far bed out toward the road (runs behind the rhodies to the right... lower pasture behind fence to left).

Near the north side of the house is this Rhododendron 'Fabia X bureavii' ... it has a wonderful indumentum on the undersides of the leaves. At the time this was hydridized, everyone was striving for oranges and calyxes (those double flowery looking things surrounding the corolla at the base).

An old favorite... Rh. 'Mrs. Charles E. Pearson'. It would look nicer with more dappled shade than what it gets. This one will eventually get quite tall. The flowers will be paler after they are open for another week.

Aaahhhh! What a fragrance! Daphne cneorum. When we'd get a bunch of these in at the nursery, they would be gone in a matter of a few days!

Under the Styrax tree you'll find a group of these Hosta 'Aureo marginata' surrounded by the bright blades of Bowle's Golden Grass.

Looks just like last year's picture... but there were less flowers this season. What would spring by like without the scent of lilacs?!

Another sweet smelling Daphne ('Somerset') with a backdrop of Rhododendron 'Jean Marie de Montague' ... a favorite for landscapers for its year round beauty and toughness.

Couldn't get this shot with very good lighting... too many clouds. This was when the allium in the Ash Bed were just budding and there were still 'Attila' tulips in bloom. The bright mound of acid yellow is the Cushion Spurge/Euphorbia polychroma. More of this later...

I really like the subtlety and texture of this photo... it shows the cute seedheads on the Pulsatilla (I like them better than the flowers). The pink flowerheads scattered behind are a variety of Aethionema (stone cress). It's not up to much, but is rather charming and airy early in the season.

In the bed near the driveway, there used to be a small planting of this type of tulip. This is the only one that the rodents (I'm guessing) didn't eat! It's pretty with its neighboring Forget-Me-Nots.

Rhododendron 'Cynthia' ... an old large growing variety with a strong color. Still beautiful after all these years.

I raved about this last year... one of my favorite rhodies... 'Van Nes Sensation'. It is fragrant as well as being a beautiful soft orchid pink.

What's this? A change of pace. Robert and I graduated from the same high school and while there for a special 75th bash, we went to the downstairs where I took a picture of him sitting near this mural. It is outside the art room and he painted it at the end of his senior year. It was his first attempt at mural painting. That waitor to his left bears a strking resemblance to Robert! :-) If you look in the background, you'll see items like an aardvark, fish, and an upside tent (out of photo)... among other things. I think something weird is peering out from under the tablecloth as well. That bearded fellow in the background to the right, pushing a cart... is supposed to be Jim Henson. [This mural was painted over by a new class in the spring of 2001... glad we took some pictures!]

Here's a work of "art" from our youngest daughter, Lynda. She did this for a school thing and spent awhile at home getting it finished. It has a foil base that she covered with modeling compound. Now it's sitting on the dining table guarding boxes full of soap! Whenever I call it a dragon, she corrects me and points out that it is a "HYDRA"! :-)

Back to the garden! This is the back yard around mid-May when the flowering onions (allium) really made this bed. The greenish mound is Euphorbia polychroma/Cushion Spurge. The pink rhody in the background is 'Scintillation'.

A couple of Johnny Jump-Ups peeking out from inside the Cushion Spurge.

For your pleasure (get the sunglasses!)... a bee's eye view of the Allium aflatunense 'Purple Sensation'. I couldn't get it to look exactly as I remember it... it's darker than this. Think the backlight lightened it up.

What a pleasant surprise when this iris bloomed this year after being overwhelmed with weeds at the back of the rose frontal. I pulled it to the front in the spring (and had weeded that area out last year)and it bloomed for the first time in several seasons. The name is 'Pretty Print' (or is it 'Prettie'?).

This is the Iris 'Batik' that was shown at the top of the page. I kind of like this awful picture with flare! That columbine behind it was a great foil for the flowers of this iris. You can also see the gray-green toothed foliage of the Cardoon.

Pictured at Right... yet another photo of 'Batik'

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This page last updated on June 27, 1999.

©Unless otherwise specified, all materials and photos on this website are the property of Kathy Miller and are not to be used for web or commercial purposes without permission. If you want to print out the site for personal reference or use photo images on greeting cards or personal craft items that are not for sale...that is perfectly okay with me!: Olympic Views logo designed by our son, Robert Miller.

Rhododendron 'Nancy Evans' which is an offspring of 'Lem's Cameo'.	The little subtle flowers of Enkianthus remind me of blueberry blossoms. The foliage in a good fall will turn deep fire red.
This is one of the crosses I made years ago (during our second year of marriage) from Rhododendron 'Unique' and 'Fabia' ... the leaves are not up to much, but the flowers have a warm coral tone to their pink and cream blend.	One of our many May overcast days... no mountains to be seen here. This is the back flower bed where Rhododendron 'Jean Marie de Montague' is doing her lovely thing!
Further north in the same bed is Rhododendron 'Scintillation'. I think this is the best year it's had yet! Did I say that last season?	These are the flowers of R. Scintillation taken from closer up and earlier in the week.

This was taken from the edge of the path between the house and the orchard/driveway area. You can see many rhododendrons are blooming in the far bed out toward the road (runs behind the rhodies to the right... lower pasture behind fence to left).
Near the north side of the house is this Rhododendron 'Fabia X bureavii' ... it has a wonderful indumentum on the undersides of the leaves. At the time this was hydridized, everyone was striving for oranges and calyxes (those double flowery looking things surrounding the corolla at the base).	An old favorite... Rh. 'Mrs. Charles E. Pearson'. It would look nicer with more dappled shade than what it gets. This one will eventually get quite tall. The flowers will be paler after they are open for another week.
Aaahhhh! What a fragrance! Daphne cneorum. When we'd get a bunch of these in at the nursery, they would be gone in a matter of a few days!	Under the Styrax tree you'll find a group of these Hosta 'Aureo marginata' surrounded by the bright blades of Bowle's Golden Grass.
Looks just like last year's picture... but there were less flowers this season. What would spring by like without the scent of lilacs?!	Another sweet smelling Daphne ('Somerset') with a backdrop of Rhododendron 'Jean Marie de Montague' ... a favorite for landscapers for its year round beauty and toughness.
Couldn't get this shot with very good lighting... too many clouds. This was when the allium in the Ash Bed were just budding and there were still 'Attila' tulips in bloom. The bright mound of acid yellow is the Cushion Spurge/Euphorbia polychroma. More of this later...

I really like the subtlety and texture of this photo... it shows the cute seedheads on the Pulsatilla (I like them better than the flowers). The pink flowerheads scattered behind are a variety of Aethionema (stone cress). It's not up to much, but is rather charming and airy early in the season.	In the bed near the driveway, there used to be a small planting of this type of tulip. This is the only one that the rodents (I'm guessing) didn't eat! It's pretty with its neighboring Forget-Me-Nots.
Rhododendron 'Cynthia' ... an old large growing variety with a strong color. Still beautiful after all these years.	I raved about this last year... one of my favorite rhodies... 'Van Nes Sensation'. It is fragrant as well as being a beautiful soft orchid pink.
What's this? A change of pace. Robert and I graduated from the same high school and while there for a special 75th bash, we went to the downstairs where I took a picture of him sitting near this mural. It is outside the art room and he painted it at the end of his senior year. It was his first attempt at mural painting. That waitor to his left bears a strking resemblance to Robert! :-) If you look in the background, you'll see items like an aardvark, fish, and an upside tent (out of photo)... among other things. I think something weird is peering out from under the tablecloth as well. That bearded fellow in the background to the right, pushing a cart... is supposed to be Jim Henson. [This mural was painted over by a new class in the spring of 2001... glad we took some pictures!]	Here's a work of "art" from our youngest daughter, Lynda. She did this for a school thing and spent awhile at home getting it finished. It has a foil base that she covered with modeling compound. Now it's sitting on the dining table guarding boxes full of soap! Whenever I call it a dragon, she corrects me and points out that it is a "HYDRA"! :-)

Back to the garden! This is the back yard around mid-May when the flowering onions (allium) really made this bed. The greenish mound is Euphorbia polychroma/Cushion Spurge. The pink rhody in the background is 'Scintillation'.	A couple of Johnny Jump-Ups peeking out from inside the Cushion Spurge.
For your pleasure (get the sunglasses!)... a bee's eye view of the Allium aflatunense 'Purple Sensation'. I couldn't get it to look exactly as I remember it... it's darker than this. Think the backlight lightened it up.	What a pleasant surprise when this iris bloomed this year after being overwhelmed with weeds at the back of the rose frontal. I pulled it to the front in the spring (and had weeded that area out last year)and it bloomed for the first time in several seasons. The name is 'Pretty Print' (or is it 'Prettie'?).
This is the Iris 'Batik' that was shown at the top of the page. I kind of like this awful picture with flare! That columbine behind it was a great foil for the flowers of this iris. You can also see the gray-green toothed foliage of the Cardoon. Pictured at Right... yet another photo of 'Batik'

Seasonal Page: May 1999

A Moist May - Page 2