May in the Garden
May brings a huge variety of plants into flower in the Botanical Garden. The Carolinian Forest Garden, which is usually celebrated more for its tree collection than its flowers, is worth venturing into in May (or at any time, really). Here, we feature rhododendrons from the Appalachian region of Eastern North America. These are “late flowering,” compared with most of our Asian species, and this means flowers in May and June.
In May visitors are treated to a spectacular show in the Garry Oak Meadow Garden. The ephemeral riot of colour is a mash-up of the purples, blues, whites and yellows (and of course, greens) of Plectritis congesta (sea blush), Camassia leichtlinii subsp. suksdorfii (great camas), Camassia quamash subsp. maxima (common camas), Fragaria chiloensis (beach strawberry) and Lomatium utriculatum (spring gold). This attractive combination looks very natural because these plants are actual associates in our local Garry oak ecosystems.
This is also a good time to see flowers in the shadier confines of the BC Rainforest Garden.
May is definitely a time of unrestrained floral abundance in the Garden, and this is but a tiny offering to whet the appetite. You must come to see for yourself.
