Author: Leela

May in a Zone 9 garden is one of those months that makes every hour of hard work feel worth it. The garden isn't waking up anymore — it's fully, gloriously awake, and it demands attention in the best way. This is the sweet spot between spring's gentle warmth and summer's intensity. The mornings are still cool enough to work comfortably, but the temperatures are climbing fast. Out in the garden right now, I have more color happening than at almost any other point in the year — salvias at full height, roses putting out repeat flushes, hibiscus opening its huge tropical blooms, and the petunias and veronicas I planted a few weeks ago have settled right in and started performing. Let me take you through what's blooming right now and what I'm doing to keep the garden thriving as we head into the heat of summer.