The Quiet Work of May Gardening: Transitioning a Cottage Garden From Spring Into Early Summer

By May, the garden begins changing quickly.

The slow awakening of early spring gives way to movement everywhere. Tulips begin to fade, perennials stretch taller by the day, and beds that looked bare just weeks ago suddenly feel full of possibility. This is the point in the season where the garden begins asking for more attention, not in rushed bursts, but in small thoughtful moments.

I’ve come to realize that May gardening is less about dramatic transformation and more about observation. It’s the quiet work that helps shape what the garden will become in summer.

In my Southern Illinois Zone 6b/7a garden, this is the season where I slow down, walk the beds often, and start paying attention to what’s working, what needs support, and where the next layer of color and pollinator activity will come from.

Letting Spring Bulbs Fade Naturally

One of the hardest parts of May gardening is allowing spring bulbs to fade gracefully.

After waiting months for tulips, daffodils, and alliums to bloom, it’s tempting to cut everything back the moment the flowers fade. But this stage matters. The foliage is still gathering energy and sending it back into the bulb for next year’s blooms.

I deadhead spent flowers, but I leave the foliage in place until it naturally yellows and softens.

This is also where layering plants becomes helpful in a cottage garden.

Emerging perennials begin filling the space while the bulb foliage quietly fades into the background. The transition feels softer, more natural, and the garden continues evolving instead of stopping abruptly after spring.

Supporting New Growth Before Summer Arrives

May is when growth really accelerates.

This is the time I begin refreshing mulch, checking soil moisture more consistently, and adding compost or a gentle fertilizer where needed. In Southern Illinois, I know the heat of summer isn’t far away, so I try to prepare the garden before the stress of hot, dry days arrives.

I also pay close attention to taller perennials early in the season. Supporting plants before they flop is always easier than trying to fix them later.

Right now, I’m planting several perennial trials in my garden that won’t officially release until 2027. Watching how they establish, respond to our climate, and interact with pollinators is one of my favorite parts of gardening.

I'm especially eager to watch a few combinations of Proven Winners perennials, cultivated in Michigan at Walters Gardens, develop through the season, like Salvia ‘Dark Sky’ and Heliopsis ‘Forged in Fire’ this season. The salvia should bring deep indigo blooms earlier in the season, while the heliopsis is expected to provide warm colors and attract pollinators later into the summer. Even before they bloom, I'm already contemplating how they will influence the rhythm of this part of the garden.

The Return of Pollinator Season

By May, the garden begins to sound different.

Bees move steadily through the beds, butterflies begin returning more consistently, and suddenly every bloom feels purposeful.

This is when I’m reminded that a garden isn’t only about flowers. It’s about creating a space that supports life through the entire season.

I try to plant with continuity in mind, choosing combinations that extend bloom time rather than creating only one short burst of color. Even small decisions, like leaving shallow water sources nearby or avoiding harsh chemical sprays, help create a healthier space for pollinators to return to year after year.

Some mornings, I find myself standing still longer than I intended, simply watching which plants attract the most activity first.

Those quiet observations often teach me more than any garden plan ever could.

The Quiet Maintenance That Shapes the Garden

This stage of gardening isn’t always glamorous, but it matters.

May is filled with small maintenance tasks that slowly shape the season ahead:

• edging garden beds

• pulling tiny weeds before they spread

• adjusting mulch after heavy rain

• moving self-seeded plants

• deadheading early blooms

• checking trellises and supports

• observing what combinations are working well together

  
  

These little jobs may not seem important in the moment, but together they create the structure that allows the garden to feel intentional instead of overwhelming by midsummer.

I’ve learned that gardens rarely become beautiful all at once. They become beautiful through steady attention over time.

Planting With the Future in Mind

One of my favorite things about gardening is that it constantly asks you to believe in something you cannot fully see yet.

Every plant added in May is an investment in the weeks and months ahead. Right now, many areas of my garden still feel unfinished. Some plants are only beginning to emerge, while others haven’t reached their stride yet.

But that’s part of the process.

Gardens are always becoming.

And honestly, this middle season, the quiet work, the planning, the tending, the waiting, might be the part I love most.

Because this is where the foundation for summer quietly begins.

May gardening rarely feels finished. There are still empty spaces, plants waiting to bloom, and ideas that haven’t fully taken shape yet. But I’ve learned that this middle season holds some of the most meaningful work in the garden. Not the showiest moments, just the quiet ones that slowly build a summer garden worth waiting for.