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by Alison Galbraith
May is always my favourite month of the year. There is my birthday, the FA cup final, the cricket season gets going in earnest, the days are getting longer and the weather is often quite beautiful.
But the best thing about May is watching our natural world suddenly come alive. The trees are now in full leaf, the grass is growing madly, spring flowers are sprinkled everywhere. There is such hope and promise in the vibrancy, the freshness, the greenness.
Later when the sun gets hotter, leaves become dry, lose their sheen. But in May there is a softness, an energy, a vigour. The hawthorn hedges are clothed in stunning white blossom, with cow parsley bubbling along the verges below; beech leaves are bright green and velvety; gentle sunlight filters through the woodland canopy to delicately light the bluebells and wood garlic beneath.
I took longer than usual to cycle home yesterday as I had to stop every few minutes to snap photos. They may not be the best quality but I hope they capture the magic of May.
As a designer it is not difficult to achieve a display in May – there are so many plants looking great! I like this planting combination inherited in my garden. It combines the lightness of the London Pride and the deep purple of the aquilegia with the promise of fox gloves and the hosta flowers to follow, while the latter’s foliage creates a bold and fresh foil for the arrangement.
As Edwin Way Teale (US naturalist, photographer and writer) said, ‘All things seem possible in May’
