Happy May Day

This is a day in May, so it is a May day, even if I'm late for THE May Day.
So Happy May Day.

The Sweet Woodruff under the hedge tree has not yet bloomed, so technically we haven't yet reached the ancient May Day, also called Beltane.

But many other plants are blooming. Look at the chives (above)! Not only are they pretty and cheerful, but tasty too. Toss them into salads, sprinkle them on top of anything. Maybe not ice cream, but who knows... They dress up a plain dish and add an oniony pop.

The Souvenir de la Malmaison rose (pictured here) is about to open, in spite of dying back to the ground this winter (probably too dry). Since it's not a grafted rose it grows from its own roots. So these are indeed the buds of the Souvenir de la Malmaison. The blooms are white with a hint of pink, and they are fragrant.

Also blooming now is this wild indigo (right). I thought this was Baptisia leucophaea, which is native to this area. But that has drooping flower stalks, while the stalks of this one are erect. So I think this is Baptisia sphaerocarpa. There aren't many other choices. The blue wild indigo (B. australis) is beginning to bloom, as well.

The iris (no photo, sorry) are blooming early, including those old fashion purple iris that smell so wonderful. The hummingbirds are back, sipping from the wild columbine. The bumblebees and other bees happily dine at the comfrey blossoms. I'm picking lettuce, radishes, radicchio, spinach, and arugula. Numerous tiny apples form on the trees, and one of the peach trees has about a dozen baby peaches. I will guard them ferociously when they near ripeness, to keep the squirrels, or whatever, from stealing them.Strawberries are beginning to turn color and on Monday I plant the tomatoes!

Yay for May!


--In case you're still interested in ticks, here is an article from Mother Earth News about dealing with ticks, including some herbal repellants.