May Flowers - First Blush

Nothing is so beautiful as spring -

When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;

Thrush's eggs look little low heavens, and thrush

Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring

The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;

The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush

The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush

With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

What is all this juice and all this joy?

A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning

In Eden garden. -Have, get, before it cloy,

Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,

Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,

Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worth the winning.

~ Spring by Gerard Manley Hopkins

April showers indeed bring May flowers, and May is possibly the most glorious of all the months of the floral year.  Rose, Rhododendron, Clematis, Iris, Peony, Honeysuckly, Lily, and more; they all in turn burst forth in colored array, taking our breaths away as they revive our breath again with their sweet fragrances.                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 This sweet little rose is Cleotilde Soupert, a small creamy white-to-soft pink cabbage rose.  It has 100 petals and a fine perfume.  The rose pictured above is also Cleotilde.  It has a hard time in humid weather (which we have), but it's worthwhile, for  Cleotilde is like having living porcelain in the garden.                                                                                                                                            

Yes, the Rhodie is really this brilliant!  It's bright fuchsia color is simply stunning.

Next to the Rhododendron is an equally brilliant Clematis combination.  I must confess that I don't remember the names of these two vines, but now that they are in their 3rd year, they are just remarkable.  When my Mother saw them, she commented that they looked like a silk floral arrangement.  These flowers are also pictured at the top of my Blog.This is a view overlooking Cleotilde, blooming Sage, and the Rhodie.  You can also see a Boxwood along with the PeeGee Hydrangea tree and Stella Del Oro Lilies which are both yet to bloom.Moving to the front yard, you can peek through foliage to see the white Azaleas in full bloom while the Sweet Pea rose is just beginning to pop.  In a later posting, I'll show you Sweet Pea in all her glory - so heavy with blooms that she is bent over.For now we'll end with the Thomas Affleck rose.  This rose, like all my roses are Texas Pioneer or Antique roses which can be found at the Antique Rose Emporium.  Check out their site and order their free catalog - you'll become an addict, too!  Here's a closer look at Thomas Affleck.  It's a semi-double bloom rose that was developed in Texas in the 18th century.  It's intense pink really pops in the garden, and it's fragrance is beautiful.  It's thornless, too!Thank you for strolling in the garden with me and enjoying the delights of Spring.  In the next couple of postings, we'll see more of the garden.  Springtime blessings to you!