I finished my latest entries into my garden journal just as we reach the mid-point of the year. June has once again been a month of mixed up weather and the garden plants have continued in their state of confusion.
My first words for June were positive words about the weather, a rare occurence to use such words this year. “The first week in June treated us to warm bright weather but thunderstorms, really wild powerful ones, broke the spell several times. Humidity was so high that it sapped our energy and made our joints ache.
Through all this the garden looked wonderful and full of atmosphere, with bees, hoverflies and day-flying moths adding sound and movement. The borders have filled out with fresh lush growth.”
I used six photos to illustrate this lushness.
On the opposite page I continued in the same vein using my quote this month from Dan Pearson, “My quote this month from Dan Pearson’s “Natural Selection” concerns greens and promises of the June garden.
“The June garden is still full of promise and greens remain fresh and foliage pristine. There is a quiet rush to the longest day of the year with everything reaching towards this moment. The roses are never better than with the first flowers out and the promise of buds to come.”
I followed on with another six photos.
Turning to the next double page spread I considered our roses and add a few more words from Dan Pearson.
“Dan Pearson later singles out one Rose, “Bengal Beauty”, for comment. This is a rose we grow and love it for its buds and unusual flower shape.”
Pearson wrote, “I have also set aside room for “Bengal Crimson” (or “Bengal Rose” or “Bengal Beauty”, depending where you read about it). I was first smitten when I saw it at the Chelsea Physic Garden years ago, but forgot all about it.” He recalls how he was gifted a specimen as a present for opening their summer fair.”
“Dan Pearson describes Bengal Beauty as “a delightful, informal bush and all the names describe it well – its single cherry-red flowers splayed wide and recoiled on themselves as if they were stretching are like sweet wrappers scattered over the bush.”
I then included photos of Rosa rugosa and Rosa “Summer Wine” in flower and in bud.
“Rosa rugosa”
“Rosa Summer Wine”
Over onto the next two ages I looked at Thalictrum, Centaurea and Gypsy Dianthus.
I wrote, “Thalictrum in all their guises are a real favourite of Jude, who has now brought together a good collection. The varieties include Thalictrum delavayi, T. Black Stocking, T. Elin, T. Rochebruneanum, T. Hewitt’s Double and T. flavum glaucum.”
“This Thalictrum has grown so tall it passes the apex of our greenhouse!”
“Centaurea put on a fine display throughout June, but do tend to flop if we forget to give them support”
“This biennial Dianthus has been with us for a decade or so now, but still performs reliably and beautifully.”
My next double page spread considers the colour orange in the garden and complimenting it with purple.
“Blazing orange for a blazing June. The sun lights up oranges as if they are on fire!”
“The zinc bath planted hot!”
“Geum Totally Tangerine and G. Koi
“Euphorbia griffithii “Dixter”
“Rosa Warm Welcome”
“My favourite colour to compliment orange in the garden is purple. Each colour intensifies the other in this strong partnership.”
To finish off my June entries I shared some of our cameos and combinations to be found in our garden during the month, and on the opposite page I had a quick look at “pin cushion” plants.
First here are my photos of “Cameos and combinations of the June garden.”
“Some flowers in the June garden remind me of pin-cushions especially Astrantias and Knautia macedonica. Each flowerhead is a tight circle with fine stamens, the pins.”
June this year ended with a fortnight of high temperatures and beautiful blue skies, two weeks of the beginning of a heat wave. Next time we return for a look at my 2018 Garden Journal we will be into the second half of the year. Things may have changed a lot in the garden by then. Perhaps we might even get a splash or two of rain!