May Flowers In The Hobbit Garden

Phlox subulata is in bloom now. The flowers cover it completely for a short time then it makes a very nice evergreen ground cover the rest of the year.

So is the ajuga which has wintered well. The silvery foliaged one we started with died out completely. The darker ones must be more hardy through unpredictable extremes.

The green species heuchera we divided last spring is sending out stalks of small bell shaped red flowers that hummers are said to like.

Columbine/Aquilegia has many buds about to open. This red flowered aquilegia has self-seeded throughout the garden. Some have mixed with other colors making a drab pink and white. Usually those are dug up but sometimes in some places they are left alone.

I think this green streaked yellow tulip is very pretty. It grows alone up through a hosta planted long ago. It just appeared there last year but did not bloom,this year it is blooming nicely. I hope it returns.

I love deep red tulips. These are not in the hobbit garden but have been growing and returning for about 6 years. Last year a squirrel dug up a few around the edge. I chased him away and replanted the dug bulbs in another area then covered with mulch. This year several of the replanted ones have grown foliage but only two have flowered. Maybe next year there will be more.

Last year the red tulips were blooming along side the hyacinth which are past prime this year.

Same with the Virginia blue bells which are fading as the bleeding hearts are just begining to form flower buds. The garden seems to change combinations from year to year.

The very busy Queen bumble bee did a fine job of pollination as you can see little cherries forming already. I see her every afternoon making a trip through for supplies from other parts of the garden. Soon other bees should be joining her. Already other flying insects have appeared.

This warm sunny afternoon there was a first for this garden but I could not get to the camera in time for a picture so a link will have to suffice. It was unmistakable though with that orange on the outer part of the wing with the black center.

Milberts Tortoise Shell (Nymphalis milberti)
Nymphalis milberti
caterpillar looks very cool ..
milberts tortoiseshell