May offers guests the unforgettable sight of the flowering dogwood, the state flower of both Virginia and North Carolina, a sure sign of spring in Virginia. George Washington referred to the white and pink dogwoods (Cornus florida, C. florida rubra) and the redbud (Cercis canadensis) as his “clever trees,” because of their ephemeral beauty and diminutive size.
The Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale) also bears its flamboyant three-inch flowers in May and is part of a plant palette that has been identifiable at the Governor’s Palace for decades. Biennials foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and sweet William (Dianthus barbartus) flower in May and then wither to be subsumed by the later perennials such as summer phlox (Phlox paniculata).
Expect to see the lush “Old Blush” rose (Rosa “Old Blush”) still in blossom by a rear walk in the Colonial Nursery, across from Bruton Parish Church. False Indigo/Bastard Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa), a plant of the Virginia and North Carolina sandy coastal plain, will bear its purple and chocolate blossoms in the middle of May.
One of the most curious plants most people – including experienced gardeners – will ever see is the Giant Arum (Dracunculus vulgaris) or “Green Dragon,” famous for its deep purple, 20-inch conical spathe [a leaf surrounding a flower] with its characteristic aroma of rotting flesh – a trait attributed the plant’s reliance on attracting flies in order to pollinate.
Also at the colonial garden in May expect to see some traditional perennial herbs such as valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium), both used as essential healing herbs in antiquity. A large stand of the greater celandine (Chelidonian majus), a member of the poppy family familiar to gardeners, will still be in bloom in May. Its gray-green leaves and clear yellow flowers have long been found in cottage gardens.
Learn more about Colonial Williamsburg Gardens.
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