What to Plant in May

May is the month when patience finally pays off. The soil is warm, the frost risk is dropping fast, and nurseries are packed with plants that look like they belong in a magazine. But May is also where a lot of gardeners go wrong. They buy whatever is blooming on the shelf and end up with a garden that peaks right now and fizzles by July.

Here is how to make May count, whether you are planting for this month or setting up the rest of the summer.

What is already blooming

May is peak season for some of the showiest perennials in the garden. Peonies are opening their lush, fragrant heads. Irises are unfurling ruffled petals in every color from butter yellow to deep violet. Alliums are sending up their dramatic purple globes on tall stems, and Columbines are dancing on wiry stems in woodland edges.

In the shrub border, Weigela is covered in tubular pink flowers and hummingbirds are taking notice. If you planted Sweet Peas in early spring, they should be climbing and blooming now with that unmistakable fragrance.

What to get in the ground now

For zones 4-6, May is your prime perennial planting window. The soil is warm enough for roots to establish but the brutal heat has not arrived yet. This is the time to plant Catmint, which will reward you with lavender-blue mounds from now through September if you shear it back after the first flush. Dianthus goes in now too, and its spicy-scented blooms will keep going all summer in well-drained soil.

For zones 7-10, May is already warm. Focus on getting heat-tolerant plants established before the real summer heat lands. Foxglove planted now will give you towering spires by late May or June. Lupines can still go in, but they prefer cooler weather, so this is your last chance in warmer zones.

Annuals for instant color

After your last frost date passes, it is safe to plant warm-season annuals. Zinnias, cosmos, and marigolds can go directly into the ground from seed in May. They germinate fast in warm soil and will be blooming by July. If you want flowers sooner, buy transplants. A flat of zinnias from the nursery will be blooming within two weeks of planting.

The strategic move

Here is what experienced gardeners do in May: they look at the bloom calendar, not the nursery display. Yes, peonies and irises are gorgeous right now. But if your garden already has May covered, spend your budget on plants that bloom in July, August, and September. That is where most gardens have gaps.

Buy coneflowers, daylilies, and black-eyed Susans now while they are small and cheap. Plant them, water them in, and forget about them until midsummer when they start their show. Your future self will thank you.

May tasks checklist

Stake tall perennials like delphiniums before they flop. Deadhead spring bulbs but leave the foliage until it yellows. Mulch beds to conserve moisture for the summer ahead. And most importantly, take a moment to actually enjoy the garden. May is one of the best months to sit outside with a drink and watch everything wake up.