running late

I keep driving past homes with hydrangeas, gardenias, day lilies, crepe myrtles and other summer blooms.  But my yard is way behind schedule. I waited patiently for azaleas this year, after most others in the area had put out a show.  My roses usually bloom by Mother's Day, and the Knock Out rose made it, barely, but the old fashions by my front door were almost three weeks late.  

My day lilies have buds, my gardenia looks happy next to the compost pile and it has buds, (although I seem to have chosen a photograph with chewed up leaves.  Ignore that.) But where are the blooms? I don't remember having a color-lull in May ever before.  Right now the small roses by the front door are about all the color interest there is in my yard. 

I went outdoors just now to take photos of all the buds, and the lack of flowers in my gardens.  And, I lie.  There isn't much popping, but there is a lot there.


I found hydrangeas of all types, all still small bushes and therefore hidden behind azaleas and tea laurel.  (I'm having trouble turning pictures sideways here, so if these disorient you, it isn't your fault.  Blogger has some issues with formatting.) The first one, above, has never bloomed before.  I'm not sure if the color will punch it up to be more blue when it finishes opening, or if it will remain more of a light lavender. 


This next is an oakleaf hydrangea, then a lace cap.  Four types of hydrangeas I'd all but forgotten I owned!  I remember thinking that it felt odd to plant them in the depths of the front woodlands, but I also knew they could be tall bushes someday.  I'll prune a few other plants to let them shine through next spring.

After the hydrangeas, I took a peek at the sidewalk garden area.  Lots of buds.  I always have lots of purple coneflowers, but I took special care last year to catch the seeds of coneflowers, black eyed susans and shasta daisies.  I sprinkled them around the sidewalk area in hopes of increasing the number of plants this spring. I'm optimistic about the outcome. 

Between plants are the ground covers purple heart and lamb's ear.  I've also put out a coleus that coordinates nicely.  Purple, gold and white, up by the sidewalk and hopefully between the driveways.  That area needs help still.  There is nothing to photograph there yet.