The garden is always the best place to be in the month of May, the sun usually is beaming down and the vibrant fleshy shoots of new growth are glowing in the garden. So too are the birds abundant in May, with a veritable cacophony welcoming the dawn of a bright day.
Bulbs are just going over with the last few of our tulips bowing out. This year’s success has been Tulipa ‘World of Friendship’ not only remaining proud in the garden for weeks but also holding itself well in a vase. The flower is a joyful, cheery, primrose yellow single tulip standing around 50cm tall. We ordinarily try to avoid yellow coloured flowers which is almost unforgivable at this time of year but T. ‘World of Friendship’ is the perfect vehicle by which to extend the ‘primrose’ toned season. I should also mention at this stage the wonderful Tree Paeony, Paeonia ‘Anna Marie’ which is just cautiously unfurling her tender petals in the Walled Garden.
Tulipa ‘World of Friendship’
The gardens are beginning to brim with colour and just as we teeter on the edge of floral splendour in the form of Paeonia I am reminded that this season has really gone to pot. We’ve had such an extended period of fine weather you forget that we are only into the fifth month and while I impatiently wait to put out our summer bedding plants I have to bear in mind that old phrase; ‘Ne’er cast a cloot, til the month of May is oot’.