The late spring garden tour of the Middlesized Garden – The Middle-Sized Garden

Although there are fewer flowers in my late spring garden than in June, I think the freshness of the emerging foliage really compensates for that. I also think that the winter structure of the topiary and trees is still very important. The bright green is euphorbia and Smyrnium perfoliatum, the blue-green is artemisia and the long leaves are a mix of day lilies and alliums.

‘Ballerina’ are one of the most long lasting, reliable and fragrant tulips I have ever encountered. They are usually orange, but this year these Ballerina tulips have popped up with a stripe. I think it looks great. I have asked fellow gardeners on Twitter what they think it is. They say that it may be trying to revert to a yellow tulip it was originally bred from.

These outrageously striped and frilled tulips have weathered the recent storms in the garden and have been flowering for weeks. This is ‘Estella Rijnveld’. Quite tall, so don’t use for pots, but it has come back reliably for two years in succession here.

The bright citrussy yellow-green is Smyrnium perfoliatum, which has self seeded around the red leaves of Continus coggyria ‘Grace.’

Fruit tree blossom is almost over by May but this Malus hupehensis crab apple is later flowering than most. Wonderfully upright and vase-shaped so an excellent tree for smaller gardens. There’s lots of light underneath – even the roses continue to grow under its canopy.

Clematis ‘Recta’ in a black purple mound. It was planted by my predecessor, but I added the large peony frame to support it. Long tendrils with white flowers drape themselves over the frame.

This is cerinthe which I grew from seed around 8 years ago, and which has self-seeded happily in my May garden ever since. It’s out before most of the annuals, loved by bees, and just looks after itself. Very fashionable at Chelsea about ten years ago, I gather, but has sunk back into obscurity since. A beautiful May flower. See this post for more about flowers that self seed successfully. 

We always cut the evergreen hedge at the ‘wrong’ time of year because the birds are nesting in it in May, which is when you’re supposed to cut it. (It’s a Leylandii cypress but it’s kept under control).

The topiary holm oaks are trimmed (by an expert) in the autumn, so they are still crisp in May. They are such a good foil to the fresh green foliage. And I am also very grateful that this Angelica angelica has self-seeded itself to reflect their outlines.