Garden Plants in Flower May - Trees, Shrubs and Bulbs | Flowers and Colour

May is the month in the garden when it all comes together. Shrubs are starting to be their best, the perennials are breaking cover and the yellows of the Daffodils give way to the more vibrant colours of the Tulips. Or have I got it wrong as I write this in January?

Certainly my own photographic and mental records would agree, but I am constantly being surprised at what happens in the garden.

This is where you all come in - PLEASE! I want to know what is flowering in your garden and when. Your input will take this Flowertime Project further than I could possibly do.

So what is in flower in the various parts of the country/world. Let us have your observations - either with botanical names - or common names with descriptions, and we will add it to this growing list of plants in flower, in the month of May. (This should be a big one! No matter we have plenty of pages waiting.)

We need to know about SHRUBS flowering in May  ... Such as

Acacia | Azalea | Rhododendron | Magnolia | Kerria | Ribes | Magnolia | Prunus | Malus | Camellia | Erica | Exochorda | Amelanchier | Ceanothus | Daphne | Davidia | Deutzia | Enkianthus | Genista | Halesia | Viburnum | Lithodora | Cornus | Chaenomeles | Crataegus | Laburnum | Spiraea | Kolkwitzia |  Syringa  |etc etc.

We need to know about PERENNIALS incl. BULBS flowering in May ... Such as ...

Ajuga | Fritillaria | Achillea | Allium | Kniphofia | Euphorbia | Anemone | Campanula | Myosotis | Iris | Liatris | Leucojum | Lysimachia | Lychnis | Peony | Saponaria | Bergenia | Santolina | and many many more!

Plants, shrubs and bulbs in flower or other colour in month of May

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1st

Paeonia suffruticosa 'Godaishu'
Lavandula stoechas French Lavender  

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2nd

Spiraea japonica Golden Princess - gorgeous golden foliage and deep red flowers.
Potentilla fruiticosa Primrose Beauty - a reliable shrub for flowering in May - and then on through the summer.
Cytisus Golden Sunlight (Broom) here grown as a small weeping standard for spectacular May flowering.

Clematis 'Hagley Hybrid'. One of the best pink large flowering early Clematis
Clematis 'Lasurstern' for a rich powder blue flower in early May - tinged pink when aging.

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3rd

Kerria japonica - both single and double flowering types

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4th

 
Syringa vulgaris The Lilac Tree sent in from Arthur and Elizabeth's garden in Bexleyheath. Pruning Lilac

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5th

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6th

Digitalis purpurea - The Common Foxglove, with the white version - Digitalis purpurea f albiflora being sent in by Phil from Bexleyheath in Kent.

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7th

Bluebells - Scilla hyacinthoides. | Scabiosa columbaria Pink Mist - Scabious  | Saxifrage umbrosa - London Pride

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8th

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9th

Aubrieta Mixed colours bed.
Hosta 'Sagae'
Hosta 'Halcyon'

Hosta decorata var. Normalis 
Hosta 'Hadspens Samphire'

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10th

Magnolia Heaven Scent - Magnolia Tree Main

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11th

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12th

Papaver rhoeas - Shirley Poppy
Papaver rhoeas - Shirley Poppy

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13th

14th

15th

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16th

Prunus 'Pink Perfection'
Exochorda x macrantha 'The Bride'. Late spring flowering shrub, famed for its pure white flowers. (Often confused in the common name with the Bridal Wreath shrub - which is different - Spiraea arguta)

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17th

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18th

Thanks to Paul for this pair of Clematis - L = Clematis Niobe - one of the earlier of the large flowered Clematis and
R = Clematis 'Gravetye Beauty' which starts bloom as upright tulip shaped flowers opening later.

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19th

20th Azalea Mollis - Deciduous Azalea

21st

22nd

23rd

24th

25th

26th

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27th

Rhododendron 'Lem's Monarch'
Allium giganteum
Iris 'Celebration Song'  

Iris 'Famecheck Spearhead'
Iris Early Sunrise
Iris sibirica Caesar's Brother

Primula pulverulenta White
Primula pulverulenta Red
Wisteria floribunda 'Alba'

  
Wisteria sinensis Pruning Wisteria
Wisteria sinensis

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28th

Lavandula stoechas   Lavandula stoechas 'Pink Butterfly"

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29th

Deutzia gracilis Long flowering shrub with pure white scented flowers.

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30th

 
Rhododendron 'Catherine Hopwood'
Rhododendron 'Dairy Maid'
Rhododendron 'Patricia Day'

  Rhododendron 'Rottenburg'

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31st

Thanks to Robert for several of the images on this May flowering plants page. 

May in the Garden

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