End of Month View June 2014

End of month view June 2014

End of Month View
May 2014 

Green!  Yes, that's the word that I think best describes this month's End of Month View.  The late summer flowering plants are gearing up.  This bed was always meant to be a predominantly a late summer border, the garish colours of the flowers look better at the top end of the garden. 

Presently colour/blooms come by way of Astilbes, Trollius and Lupins - The Astilbes have a few weeks left in them and the Lupins are perhaps on borrowed time unless they get a second wind.  I'm told, not checked though, that we are to get a rather wet weekend.  If that's the case, it might breathe a bit of new life into those Lupins.
I'm far happier with this border now that the bright pink peony has finished flowering.  That's on the list to be replaced in autumn.  With what, I'm not sure - there are a few contenders already in the garden.  The new Trollius, T. chinensis Golden Queen is presently at the top of the list.  You can make out the flowers just left of centre.   The cardoon has taken on epic proportions in the last 4 weeks - it's full to bursting with buds.  They are a long way off from flowering yet though.

On the top tier, the rambling rose on the back fence is flowering it's heart out.  I've been training this on wires, a sort of espalier if you like.  Whilst I'm pleased with my efforts, it's a shame that it can't be fully appreciated now it's stuck behind the shed.  My concerns leading up to it flowering was whether or not is would look out of place but that isn't the case.  An alternative site for it gives me yet another dilemma! Decisions, decisions, decisions!  Also growing on the fence a Pyracantha, has flowered and gone over since my last post - moving it here in spring without cutting it back, was not only difficult,  I worried that it might not flower.  I worried unnecessarily, it flowered beyond my expectation.  There should be masses of orange berries later in the year. 
 

Rose 'Félicité Perpétue'

The new patch of lawn is looking great, it has blended in with the older grass and is not so noticeable now.  I've been keeping myself busy by having to weed out all the stray seed that got blown into the border.  Just when I think I'm on top of it, more appears.  It will be much easier to deal with when the plants are dying back later in the year. 

Well, that's all for my End of Month View post for June.  If you want to join in or read more on what's been happening at the end of June elsewhere, pop over to The Patient Gardener's Weblog, there's lots more to see.