The June garden does not disappoint. Especially pretty are the purple and white bearded irises, the blue false indigo (Baptisia australis), the spikes of common foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea), clematis vines, the white Kousa dogwood flowers, and the pink climbing roses (Zephirine Drouhin), to name a few.
Foxgloves are biennials that seed themselves all over: in the gardens, between flagstones, in containers, and even in the cracks and crevices in the sidewalks. As the tubular blooms fade, seedpods begin to form on the main stems, some of which have grown to six feet or more.
I often cut down the stems and rub off the seeds in open areas of the garden. By the end of the summer, seemingly hundreds of seedlings are clearly visible. And sometimes the trimmed original plant makes it through the winter.
The Zephirine Drouhin climbing roses have always been a favorite. First of all, they have no thorns! They are fragrant, disease resistant and repeat bloomers from late spring to early fall. And, I’m told that they will perform well in shady areas, too.
There’s certainly a lot to do at this time. The floppy daffodil foliage needs to be hidden a bit by taller adjacent perennials if possible. Daffodil leaves should not be cut back until after they have turned yellow. The leaves continue to absorb nutrients, which are stored in the bulbs for next spring’s blooms. Tying the leaves together or braiding the foliage reduces the leaf area exposed to sunlight.
If we have the time, we remove the dead flower heads from the rhododendrons and the peonies. The plants will look better and not waste energy producing seeds.
The sedums and the tall garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) get some of their tops pinched off. Although they may bloom a bit later, they will be “bushier” and will not tip over so easily in heavy rainstorms.
I have to admit that I was happy to see a hawk swooping down to capture a chipmunk that was digging up our so-called lawn. I really don’t care much about the lawn, but I’m not happy about all the holes that chippies dig in the gardens and the munching they do on the bulbs.
The Solstice is Saturday, June 20. We’re moving forward to Summer!
