May has to be the most lovely month (certainly in Britain). The hedges and edges of the countryside have come alight with green and white; fresh new leaves and a sprinkling of cow parsley, stitchwort and hawthorn blossom. But I digress, back in the Saturday garden things are hotting up in the vegetable patch and the roses have buds on but no flowers here yet. Five miles over the Downs in Brighton some roses are in full bloom and the lilacs are already over. The difference in microclimates is really surprising.
1. Frost damage
This is a note to myself that the garden is in a frost pocket and I really should not try to grow (waste my money) on tender lovelies because although they look fabulous in the garden centre in July they will be dead by next April! These are the sad remains of a pale pink hydrangea serrata and a supposedly hardy pomegranite.
The brown tipped leaves of viburnham plicatum mariesii (and a cheeky extra photo to show it in its full glory).
2. And they’re off!
Signals that the growing season has commenced, some climbing beans and dahlias hardening off, and the home grown beans sticks I put up this week.
3. Triffid rhubarb
I know you are supposed to remove flowers from the rhubarb but I love the dramatic look of it and tbh I don’t much like to eat it.
4. Potentilla limelight
Lovely soft yellow potentilla, hardy as hobnail boots.
5. The last camellia flowers
This poor shrub has been growing (barely) in the same place for over 20 years under a tree, squashed between two wooden fences. One fence was removed 3 years ago. This is the first year it has flowered and it really looks like it means to flourish and make the most of its second chance.
6. Corylus Avellana Contorta Purpurea
Contorted purple hazel with some self seeded companions, forget-me-nots, honesty and aquilegia.
Thanks to the Propagator for hosting “Six on Saturday”. Please click here to go over to his and his other followers gardens https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/
2 Black Hens 
Yes, May is a beautiful month – but such a tricky one, too, sometimes! I’ve also learnt the hard way in previous gardens that tender lovelies just need a certain climate but the optimism never quite goes away, does it? I love the buttery yellow of the potentilla and what a gorgeous celebration of hardier things in your final photo, I do love a bit of self-seeding! 🙂
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Thank you Lis. I think self seeders are telling us what they like and need in terms of location and soil and that helps in choosing suitable plants to grow.
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I’m glad the camellia is doing well now. It has a lovely flower.
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I love the look of the bean poles gardeners erect, but I have decided to stick with bush beans. I had pole last year that took over the garden, yet few beans.
One of my favorite things to look at online are photos of gardens underway, like yours! I love your bricks surrounding the bed.
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I find climbing beans much more productive in terms of the space they take up. I tried bush bean plants and they got slaughtered by slugs! That’s what makes gardening interesting- sharing different experiences.
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My bean plants are not really growing much. I’m wondering if I didn’t harden them off sufficiently well. Hopefully they will get going soon.
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