What's Happening in the Garden
in May
by Donald Ray Burger
Attorney at Law
What's in Bloom
Abelia in bloom (5/25/97, 5/16/98, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, * 2009)
Agapanthus 'Lily of the Nile' in bloom (5/5/96, 5/9/97, 5/2/98, late May, 1999)
Agapanthus 'Peter Pan' in bloom (2000, 2001)
Althea 'Zebrina' in bloom (2001)
American Beautyberry in bloom (5/30/97, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
Amysth Flower in bloom (1998)
Anacharis in bloom (5/21/97)
Apple in bloom (2000, 2001)
Basil in bloom (2000, 2001)
Blackberries in bloom and in fruit (1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, * 2009)
Bluebonnet in bloom (one in 1998, a couple in 1999, couple in 2001!, 2003! 2005! * one plant in 2009)
Bougainvillea 'Juanita Hatten' in bloom (2000, 2003)
Whiskey begonias in full bloom(1996, 1997, 1998, 1999)
Black-Eyed Susans in bloom (1997, 2001)
Blanketflower in bloom (1997)
Bridal Wreath finishing up blooming (1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Buddelia davidii in bloom (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Butterfly weed in bloom (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Cape honeysuckle in bloom (1999, 2000)
Catmint in bloom (2002, 2003)
Chives in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
Cigar plant in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001)
Clasping Coneflower in bloom (1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Crape myrtles in bloom. (5/27/96, 5/30/99)
Crown of Thorns in bloom (2000, 2002, 2003, 2005)
Dahlberg daisies in bloom (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Dianthus 'Pink's Bath' in bloom (2001)
Dusty Miller in bloom (1999)
Dutchman's Pipe in bloom (2001)
Dwarf Agapanthus (Peter Pan) in bloom (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
Dwarf Crape myrtles (Baton Rouge) in bloom (1999, 2000, 2003, * 2009)
Esperanza in bloom (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
False Cherry in bloom (2001, 2002, 2003, 2005)
False Indigo in bloom (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
Firecracker fern (red) in bloom. (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, * 2009)
Firecracker fern (cream) in bloom. (* 2009)
Garlic chives in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001)
Gingers in bloom (1999, 2000, 2003)
Greg's Mist in bloom (2001)
Hibiscus in bloom (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005)
Hyacinth bean in bloom (5/8/97)
Indian Paintbrush in bloom (2000)
Jassamine 'Lakeview' in bloom (2009)
Jassamine 'Maid of Orleans' in bloom (2000, 2001, 2003)
Jassamine 'Star' in bloom (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005)
Johnny-Jump-Ups in bloom (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005)
Kalanchoe in bloom (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005)
Katie's Ruellia in bloom (5/8/97, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Kumquat in bloom. (5/28/96, 2000, 2001, 2003, * 2009)
Lantana in bloom (1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2005)
Lantana 'Lonesweep' in bloom (2000, 2003, 2005)
Lantana 'yellow' in bloom (2000)
Lantana 'white' in bloom (2000)
Leatherwood in bloom (1997, 1998, 2000)
Mallow hibiscus in bloom (1999, 2000)
Mexican Bush Sage in bloom (2001, 2003, 2005)
Mexican Hat in bloom (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
Mexican Heather in bloom (1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Mussaenda in bloom (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Nierembergia in bloom (1998, 1999, * 2009)
Mallow hibiscus in bloom (white) (1998, 1999, 2000)
Oleander (Petite Pink) in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005)
Oleander (Turner's Carnival) in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005)
Pansies still in bloom (1997!)
Passionvine (red) in bloom (1998, 2000)
Passionvine (blue) in bloom (1998, 2000)
Pentas in bloom (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
peppers in bloom (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Plumbago in bloom (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Plumbago 'White' in bloom (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
pomegranate in bloom (1998, 2001, 2003, 2005)
Pride of Barbados in bloom (2002, 2003, 2005)
Purple coneflower in bloom (2000, 2003)
Queen Anne's Lace in bloom (1998)
Red Yucca (2010)
Rosemary in bloom (1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Roses: Almost all old garden roses, hybrid teas, floribunda and miniature roses are in bloom. Roses doing well include: Adam's Smile (2001, 2002, 2003), Ain't She Sweet (2001, 2002, 2003), Altissimo (2000), Archduke Charles (2001, 2002, 2003), Belinda's Dream (2001, 2002, 2003), Betty Boop (2003), Black Jade (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003), Blue Bell (2002, 2003), Caldwell Pink (2000, 2001, 2002), Chestnut Rose in bloom (No blooms in 1996, one bloom in 1997 and many in 1998, but few in 1999. shovel pruned in 2000.),
Chrysler Imperial (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003), Climbing Pinkie (2000, 2001), Climbing Rainbow's End (2000, 2001, 2002), Cramoisi Superieur (2002), Crimson Bouquet (2002, 2003), Cuddles (2001, 2002), Cupcake (2003), Dee Bennett (2001, 2002, 2003), Don Juan (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002), Dortmund (2001, 2002), Double Delight (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003), Ducher (2002, 2003), Duchesse du Brabant (2001), The Fairy (2001, 2002, 2003), Fourth of July (2002, 2003), Green Ice (2001, 2002, 2003), Green Rose (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003), Grus an Aachen (2001), Highway 290 Pink Buttons (2001, 2003), Hot Tamale (2001, 2002, 2003), Iceberg (2003), International Herald Tribune (2002),Jean Kenneally (2001), Jean Lajoie (2000, 2001, 2002), Jerry O (2001, 2002), Just Joey (2001), Katy Road Pink (2001, 2003), Kristin (2001), Knock Out (2003)LaMarne (2001, 2002), Louis Philippe (2001), Maggie (2000, 2001), Magic Carrousel (2001, 2002), Margo Koester (2001), Marie Daley (2003), Marie Pavie (2002), Martha Gonzales (2000, 2001, 2002), Mavrick (2001, 2002), Memphis Queen (2002), Mermaid (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001. Shovel pruned in 2003 because too invasive.), Minie Pearl (2001), Monsieur Tillier (2001), Moonstone (2001, 2002), Mrs. B.R. Cant (2001), Mrs. Dudley Cross (2001, 2002, 2003), Mutablis (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003), Nearly Wild (2001, 2002, 2003), New Beginnings (2002), Old Blush (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003), Orange Honey (2000, 2001, 2002), Pascali (2000, 2001, 2002), Peaches 'N Cream (2001, 2002, 2003), Penelope (2001), Pinstripe (2001), Popcorn (2001, 2002, 2003), Razzmatazz (2001, 2002, 2003), Rise 'N Shine (2001, 2002), Sachet (2001, 2002), Scentimental (2003), Scentsational (2002), Starry Night (2003), St. Patrick (2000, 2002), Sunsprite (2000, 2001), Sweet Surrender (2003), Texas (2001, 2002), Valentine (2003), Veteran's Honor (2003, Vincent Godsiff (2002, 2003)
Salvia 'Victoria' in bloom (1997, 1999, 2000)
Salvia 'Lady-in-Red' in bloom (2000, * 2009)
Sedum in bloom (2000)
Skullcap in bloom (2001, 2002)
Snail vine in bloom (1998, 2002)
Society Garlic in bloom (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005)
Stokes Aster in bloom (1997, 2000)
sunflowers in bloom (1996, * 2009)
Sweet Alyssum in bloom (* 2009)
Sweet Olive (2009) *
Texas paintbrush in bloom (early May only, 1998)
Thunbergia Grandiflora in bloom (5/21/97, 5/1/98, late May, 1999, 2000, * 2009)
Turks Cap in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001)
tomatoes in bloom (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, * 2009)
Verbena in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005)
Yarrow in bloom (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005)
What to Plant in May
First Week: Southern peas
First half: Basil, eggplant, okra
All: gourds, southern peas, pepper plants, lantana, hardy salvias, hamelia
MISC
May 17, 1995: Ate first homegrown tomato of the season.
May 7, 1996: Ate first homegrown tomato of the season.
May 29, 1997: Ate first homegrown tomato of the season. Although this year was late (we had a long, cool spring) I also have a bumper crop of tomatoes. Worth the wait.
May 12, 1998: Ate first homegrown tomato of the season.
May, 1999: Ate first homegrown tomato of the season.
May 3, 1998 at 7:08 pm I saw the second hummer of the year. I had seen no hummers since April 3, 1998, when I saw the first one of the spring. The Hummer was also present on May 4, 1998.
In 1998, 1999 and 2000 I had a bumper blackberry crop.
Make sure mulch is sufficient for the coming hot spells.
First week of May: fertilize crape myrtles at rate of about one cup per tree.
King's Orchard, a pick your own fruit and berry farm, should be open for the picking. Visit their website or call them at 409 894 2766 to see what's ripe for the picking.
Starting in 1810 Thomas Jefferson kept a seven year summary of garden events at Monticello in Virginia. The average date for the first appearance of fireflies was May 8. We can only hope.