As we reach the end of May the garden is overflowing with green shrubs and plants interspersed with bursts of colour.  The last of the tulips are still blooming; the double pink variety.   The hardy blue geranium has just started to flower along with the oriential poppies and red peony.   There are always lulls between early spring to late spring blooming.  Buds are just waiting to burst open in every corner of the garden.  My seedlings are doing relatively well but I think the wet and cool days of May set them back a bit.   The snails and slugs have not helped either.

As the first rockery plants subside, the next in bloom are the creeping phlox.  I particularly like phlox subulata.  In this particular photo the phlox is poking through the blue veronica speedwell. 

Next to bloom will be the low growing campanula and another variety of veronica with its bright blue flowers.  The yellow alyssum still continues to carpet a large part of the rockery garden with masses of yellow flowers.  

I have also enjoyed discovering the first of the wildflowers this month.  Indian paintbrush and wild strawberries as well as lupines, penstemon and wild geranium.

We have finally planted out the tomato, basil, red pepper and cucumber seedlings.  Sadly though the cucumbers have suffered, again due to cooler temps.  We may need to actually buy some new stock.  

The roses still are struggling, particularly my arbour climbing rose which has survived all these years.  I have underplanted with a new climbing rose with the hope that as we cut out the dead wood, it will gradually fill in the blank spots.  My crimson rose has leaved out more.  Apparently though if the new growth is beneath the graft it will just come up as a wild rose.  Time will tell.