April showers bring May flowers. As late spring rolls around each year, the landscape is generally painted in a variety of bright colors because of the many flowers that bloom during this time of the year. From flower gardens to ornamental trees, spring represents a time of rebirth. There are several common flowers that many people associate with the month of May.
Azaleas are beautiful flowering shrubs in the rhododendron family of plants. Azaleas originated in Asia, but have been cultivated in Europe and are now common throughout the Eastern U.S. and along the Pacific coast. Most azaleas have five stamens, making them distinct from the rhododendron, which has ten. There are hundreds of varieties of azaleas, most of which lose their flowers and leaves in cold weather. They reappear in the early spring and begin to bloom into the late spring and early summer.
Daffodils are a common sight in April and May and may be in bloom throughout the springtime. The flowers on the daffodil are often bright yellow or white and give off a sweet fragrance. The flower, also known as the narcissus, is often planted in large groupings of several dozen to a few hundred bulbs. The different varieties of early-bloom and late-bloom daffodils make it simple to extend the blooming season by planting equal amounts of each together in an area. The blooms generally last only two to three weeks.
The dogwood tree (Cornus florida) is a popular ornamental tree that homeowners and landscapers often plant to provide a splash of color in the springtime. While the climate may dictate exact blooming times, many dogwoods produce flowers during May. This state tree of Virginia often grows 20 to 35 feet in height and spreads to 25 feet in the canopy. The dogwood is covered in one of several color blooms during the spring, making for an excellent shade tree and a beautiful ornament to any landscape. The dogwood is especially popular because it not only provides color in the spring, but also provides some of the most colorful fall foliage.
As one of the most popular garden flowers there are, the rose is a flower that shouldn't be excluded from the list. May is one of the earliest months when many varieties of roses begin to bloom. The fragrant flowers require special care and maintenance, including proper watering and occasional pruning to get the best results. Roses are well known all over the world and come in an endless variety of colors and sizes.