AN ODE TO MAY

What is so sweet and dear

As a prosperous morn in May,

The confident prime of the day,

And the dauntless youth of the year,

When nothing that asks for bliss,

Asking aright, is denied,

And half of the world a bridegroom is,

And half of the world a bride?"

-  William Watson, Ode in May, 1880

Like last May the month has been rainier than April.  I haven't had to water the garden, with the exception of some transplants, even once.

This outstanding clematis, 'bee's jubilee' made an early appearance.  It will bloom through-out the season.

Rhododendrons, with the exception of the native, 'rosebay' or 'maximus ' do not grow well here.  I've heard that the well-known 'pjm ' may be an exception so I bought and planted one.   I also ordered the 'rosebay' from a Texas nursery since I couldn't find it here.

This splendid perennial 'jack frost ' brunnera has emerged and bloomed.  I love it's colorful foliage and it's one of a very few variegated plants that I have .

My 'western pride' nectarine produced an abundant crop of low acid, sweet and juicy nectarines.  This is a semi-dwarf fruit tree that is disease and pest resistance.

My Asian pears, for the first time, have been hit with cedar rust, a fungus that happens when it rains too much.  I've given them a systemic soaking of a sulfur product to try to stop it.

After a long search I finally found and ordered a Viburnum 'korean spice' one of the most fragrant shrubs ever, from a nursery in Tennessee.  It's a two-year old shrub .  For some reason they are not stocked by local garden centers.  They were one of the most demanded cultivars in the Chicago garden center where I used to work.   I now have 8 Viburnums in my garden.  

                                    Korean Spice Viburnum

May has been a very busy month in the garden and tackling the weeds was one of the main chores because of all the rain.