May 2018 In Photos

     May turned out fabulous after April looked and felt like the middle of winter, in fact according to CTV  Calgary this was the second warmest May ever recorded, really? what was the first? And the only time since the 1920's there have been two consecutive Mays in a row with no snow! It seemed like the temperature was around 25 to 30C for weeks on end causing everything to burst forth at once. I'm going to say that this is one of the very few Mays, including last year, that Lilacs were blooming on or very near the May long weekend, most years Lilac blooming times can hold off until June.

Here Lilac and Crabapple bloom consecutively, a rare but insanely beautiful thing!

Early May is often a time I put out some houseplants like this Lemon I have been growing for about 15 years. It's a good idea to wash off the dust of winter with the hose, your plants will thank you. Lemon trees are fairly tough as plants go so can withstand cool spring nights, I usually prune this tree back into a nice ball shape at this time of year.

I like when these native Diamond Willows bloom in the spring it reminds me of something exotic.

May in Calgary means May Day Trees, for me it isn't spring until I catch the fragrance of these in the air everywhere.

Buffalo Beans seem to be the second wildflower after Prairie Crocus in the spring, this year seems to be very kind to this plant as there are thousands in my local field.

The blooms of Saskatoon promise us delicious berries later on.

I always love when the tiny leaves of oak appear in the spring. I always remember an old piece of folklore from Native Americans that says when the leaves of the Oak are as big as a mouses ear there is no danger of frost.

I walk past this tree everyday and barely notice it so I thought I would take a pic when it's in it's glory, for a week or two it's the most beautiful tree around!

Closeup of above, also smells gorgeous!

Somehow this butterfly let me get very close. It's always nice when butterflies return in the spring yet we don't think of them like migratory birds but that is what they are doing. Many species of butterfly migrate over the spring to our area as full grown to mate and lay eggs and start the cycle of life all over again. I am glad and a little surprised sometimes the planet is still wild and healthy enough for this to continue!

There are still many Honesuckle bushes in my neighbourhood, popular in the mid-century I rarely see these plants available anymore which is a shame because they are amazing for a couple of weeks in bloom and the rest of the time need little care or attention.

This years weather was really throwing off the early planting schedule but everything seems off to a great start in the vegetable patch.

Of course I am a big fan of VanGogh so I love Iris. For some reason they do not photograph in the colour they appear in life but become more purple in photos.