My Garden Journal in June

Half way through the year and we are also at the half way point of my garden journal. Here is my journal for June – I hope you enjoy it!

“It is June and the sky is blue and the sun warms us as we garden. These summer days mean relaxed hours in the garden and it is tiredness or aching backs that stop work rather than the dark.”

I added four photos of general garden views below the first paragraph.

 

On the opposite page I featured a tiny simple grass, a favourite but also a bit of a nuisance. It is the Common Quaking Grass. It moves in the slightest breeze.

“We have a grass growing on the Chatto Garden, our gravel patch. It is beautiful and looks so delicate but unfortunately it is a thug!”

Turn over the page and we find two pages mostly of photographers.

“Individual plants in our garden give points of interest, encourage interest and admiration but it is putting plants together in a sympathetic manner gives our garden its character and special atmosphere and creates different moods.”

    

“Flower colours can contrast with or compliment other colours on other plants both flower and foliage. Good combinations can come from different plants’  foliage working together. These combinations can be restful or even startle us!”

     

Over the next page I talk about two yellow flowering plants, the Welsh Wanderer, the Welsh Poppy and an aquilegia.

“Welsh Wanderer – Meconopsis cambrica, decides each year where it will set up home. It is a champion self-seeder!”

     

“Aquilegia chrysantha is a beautiful tall aquilegia with flowers of various yellow tints.”

I finish off my June entries in my Garden Journal with a look at some of the tiny creatures who live in our garden with us.

“Tiny critters who share our plot with us are mostly made warmly welcome and we enjoy seeing and hearing them as they explore our borders. Slugs and snails of course are the big exception to our welcoming attitude!”

I painted the caterpillar of the Grey Dagger Moth in watercolours and artist colour pens. It was a big challenge to show how hairy and brightly coloured it was.

 

For the final page in June I painted some of our common snails, the Banded Snails that come in a mixture of colours and the Garden Snail. Again I used a mixture of watercolours and artists pens.

For my next visit to my Garden Journal we will move into the second half of the year and into mid-summer.