Darling buds of May
PEONIES ARE THE STARS OF A WONDERFUL WARM-UP ACT BEFORE SUMMER
MAY, for me at least, is simply the best month in the gardening calendar – when everything gorgeous, frothy and delightful springs into life. Cherries are in blossom, tulips are standing to attention in bright lollipop colours and the herbaceous borders are beginning to bubble. It’s the start of a wonderful show and there is all of summer yet to come.
One of the big stars in May is peonies in full flower. I’m planting up a garden at the moment and am using two Itoh peonies. These are special types, a cross between a herbaceous and a tree peony, combining the best of both.
They’re expensive, so a bit of an investment, but I think worthwhile for a number of reasons. The big dramatic blossoms flower for longer and sometimes repeat again later in the season.
They don’t need staking as they have a woody stem, but they are much more compact than the tree peonies. And they have lovely foliage which changes to red and orange as autumn draws in.
‘Bartzella’ is a beautiful variety with big ruffled lemony yellow flowers. They have a flash of pink around the central yellow stamens and are slightly fragrant.
Plant in fertile, free draining soil in full sunshine or a little shade in a sheltered position. Also stunning is ‘Cora Louise’ which has big pure white silky petals with an intense magenta flare around the golden stamens.
Itoh peonies will take a few years to settle in and flower profusely – but when they do, you’ll be overjoyed. Dicentra spectabilis or bleeding heart also lifts the spirits in May. I’m always amazed at the complexity of the flower with its perfect heart shape. I’ve come across a new variety this year called ‘Valentine’ which has scarlet red flowers, quite different from the more usual pink or white ones. Arching stems dripping with these beautiful flowers emerge from fresh ferny foliage.
It enjoys a moist, fertile soil and is perfect for partially shaded areas in a cottage garden. Sweet rocket, or Hesperis matronalis, is a useful plant to become acquainted with. It self seeds freely and neatly fills any little gaps in borders with lilac, pink or white star shaped flowers with a sweet fragrance that will attract bees and butterflies.
It’s a short-lived perennial but will easily make itself at home.
Plant in the sun or partial shade in moist but well-drained soil.
I’m watching eagerly as the slightly weird looking stems of Solomon’s Seal are poking out of the soil, looking a bit like periscopes.
These will arch over as they mature and the pearl-like flowers that festoon each stem make this a truly elegant plant. It’s really a woodland plant so site in moist shade where it will colonise slowly. It’s lovely in a cottage garden, but you can also pair it with quiet serene shade lovers such as ferns, hostas and lily of the valley for a cool, contemporary look.
Enjoy the flowers.