The long, slow Spring brought with it the cold and frosty weather of April followed by a very wet May. As a result, some gardens have developed perhaps 3-4 weeks behind schedule for the time of year. Now we are emerging from this cold start, we can enjoy the longer evenings of glorious June and the Summer Solstice – the longest day of the year. Wonderful!

June is such an exciting month in the garden! Foliage is fresh and green and looks full of life, many of our plants have
started to flower and bathe the garden in gorgeous scent. The soil is now warm enough for almost anything to be planted out and there should be no more fear of frosts.

Thank goodness for the warmer, sunny weather of June to lift our spirits and to enjoy the many summer flowers that will make their first appearance.

So let’s talk about summer flowering plants and the ‘must-haves’ for a June garden. 

Let’s start with Roses - such a variety of flower shapes, colours and scents. It is a plant that no garden should be without! These blooms are such an important part of the garden; from tall climbers and ramblers, shrub roses (many of which flower throughout the summer), old fashioned types that flower just once or small patio roses, perfect for containers.



Next is Clematis, another summer classic. Large flowering varieties will flower now until early Autumn and with a wide range of colours and shapes, this plant is suitable for any garden and there are beautiful new varieties that are even suitable for patio containers. They ideally need their roots to be in the shade with the top growth accessing the sunshine. Keep the roots of the Clematis cool and out of the sun, if the containers are in the sun, place other pots in front for protection.

Here are some other plants to consider that make a glorious contribution to your June garden. Potentilla is a hardy, deciduous (loses it leaves) shrub for the front of the border. It comes in a beautiful range of colours and varieties from soft primrose yellows though to oranges and reds!

Philadelphus (Mock Orange) is also a wonderful summer flowering shrub, deciduous but with the most delicious scent, hence the common name.
These plants are ideal to plant in a pot around your garden seating area. Imagine warm, balmy evenings in the garden as the gorgeous aromas relax you…

 

 


For shady areas try Astrantia or Hostas. For damp areas, Astilbe or Campanula.

 

Lupins, Delphiniums and foxgloves are a classic sign of a summer herbaceous border and give structure and height to your display.

Low growing perennials such as geraniums are useful for the front of the borders. There are many flower and leaf colours to choose from to create a wonderful palette of your choice.


Jobs for a June garden

June is a busy time in the garden and with the recent wet weather, you need to be on top of any weeding as they will be growing like crazy now.

A good tip is to densely plant your borders as this will reduce the space for weeds to grow.

June is the perfect time to plant summer bedding and there are so many flower varieties to choose from. Use bedding to either fill in any gaps or add some instant colour to patio containers and hanging baskets. Great examples are Dahlias, Canna Lilies or masses of pot Geraniums for a blast of colour and impact.


Now that the Tulips and Daffodils have lost their foliage, the bulbs can be lifted and stored in a cool shed for the summer – ready to replant in the Autumn. Keep a check on the growth of climbers and be sure to tie in any strong growing stems – this will help to encourage flower growth.

Now that the weather is getting warmer (at last!) be sure to keep the watering and feeding of pots and containers regular and consistent.
For plants in your beds and borders ensure watering takes place at the
base of the plant for a really good drink. A light sprinkling over the
top is often insufficient.

Regularly ‘dead head’ (take off) any old or finished flowers – remove the whole stalk, not just the petals and this will help encourage the plant to produce more flowers.

Now is a good time to sow Biennials (plants that sow and grow in one year), these are self-seeding and new plants will grow again the following year. These include Foxgloves, Canterbury Bells, Primroses and Honesty. These are all good for filling gaps in the borders and often flower late Spring before the summer flowers take over.

Vegetables

June is a busy time for a veg patch or pots! Frosts should be well and truly over and small starter plants can be planted outside, often sold in strips or pots. The wet weather has not helped those seeds to germinate, and this is where the ready grown plants are perfect. Runner beans, French Beans and many more can now be planted out.


Keep sowing a small amount of lettuces, radishes, beetroots etc. every two weeks to give you an ongoing crop, rather than everything ready at once or nothing.

Tomato plants are also ready to go outside, either into grow bags or containers – Be sure to use a specialist compost as tomato plants are very hungry and this compost will provide sufficient nutrition for the plants.

Whatever your gardening style, there is plenty to be getting on with to create your perfect outdoor space. The most important thing to do though is to enjoy your garden. Make time at the end of each day to sit back and take in all you have achieved and make the most of the long, (hopefully) warm evenings!

The Van Hage Team