What Is Flowering Now In Mid-May

Woodbine, MD (PRWEB) May 16, 2007

As a lifelong Horticultural professional, Vicki Smith at Lawn and Garden Search (http://www.LGYP.com) has news about what is flowering during mid-May across the eastern U.S. and guidance for growing these beautiful plants in the home garden. Since outdoor living and container gardening are areas of increasing consumer interest, these colorful trees, ornamental shrubs and evergreens will bring excitement to the landscape, patio, and deck or in raised planters.

Throughout the Southeastern United States a less well-known fragrant tree is making itself known, the Banana Shrub (Michelia) hybrids, particularly 'Jack Fogg', a member of the Magnolia family, is continuing to add very sweet scent. In the most southern portions of the region, flowering shrubs, including new, fantastic shrub roses that are incredibly disease free, are coming into full bloom. Well worth including for its long bloom time is the Oakleaf Hydrangea (H. quercifolia) that will bloom through early summer. Just starting to come into color is the Japanese Hydrangea (H. serrata) and many cultivars selected for superior traits.

The Mid-Atlantic region is fully in bloom. Evergreen hybrid Azaleas are in color in a wide range of colors of pink, red, lavender and white. Early Rhododendrons, generally larger growing and larger leaved, are adding their larger blooms with many mid and late blooming selections continuing throughout May. Planting several varieties of both Azalea and Rhododendrons with staggered bloom times adds weeks of color to the home landscape.

While the native flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida) will be completing their blooming, the Chinese Dogwoods(C. kousa) and wonderful cultivars are coming into bloom now. Growing both types of dogwoods will allow you to enjoy rich Dogwoods flowering over a month-long period.

Two great native trees are coming into bloom now and wonderfully will bloom into June. Magnolia grandiflora, known also as Southern Magnolia, Evergreen Magnolia or Bull Bay, adds rich fragrance to the mid spring garden also. Ideal for patio trees with it smaller size and graceful form is the Sweetbay Magnolia (M. virginiana) that will flower sporadically into August and September.

Perhaps our most outstanding native shrub is the Mountain-laurel or Kalmia latifolia, in the same family as Azaleas and Rhododendrons. If given cool, moist yet well-drained soil, the home gardener will be rewarded with blooms of every color from the many cultivars. The flowers are like stars with darker markings inside than the overall petal color. Blooming through June, Mountain Laurels are a beautiful addition to the garden.

The Northeast is being dazzled by 'Kwanzan' Japanese Flowering Cherries (Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan'), the most well-known dark pink cultivar whose flowers look like crepe paper. Probably the hardiest of the cultivars, the landscape is enriched with wonderful orange-bronze fall color too. Lilacs from around the globe are adding their sweet fragrance to the spring breezes. With much hybridization work recently, vast improvements have been made in disease resistance, smaller or even dwarf sizes for today's smaller gardens and extension of bloom times so that they can be enjoyed in bloom into June. Sturdy enough to handle New England's tough winters, Crabapples(Malus) are bursting with bloom, usually with dark buds and lighter open blossom giving a lovely two-tone appearance.

Home gardeners are enjoying Magnolias, now at their peak, since there are so many species and hybrids that bloom over a two-month period. Even in smaller residential yards, it is still easy to enjoy Magnolia blooms longer by planting several smaller growing selections to stagger the blooms.

Many of the trees, shrubs and evergreens mentioned are quite low-maintenance. Many of the native plants, often need only to be planted in the right spot originally and occasionally given more mulch and a little fertilizer. With dramatic, easy to grow plants that add color to the garden for weeks or months on end, it can be very satisfying to enjoy spring's new energy and reap the results all year for just a small amount of time. Focusing on garden accents, even if it is just one specimen plant that adds one ornamental characteristic at a time, will be a delight to your senses week after week.

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