In the Garden: June
Our gardening columnist shares his favorite part of landscaping in June. Click to learn all his blossoming expert ideas.
If I had the choice to rotate through one month endlessly I’d pick June, and not just because I’d have a birthday every month. June just has that great mix of leftover spring and start of summer weather. We can have cool mornings and warm afternoons with blue skies and big white clouds. Our longest days will also come at the end of the month. What’s not to like?
In the garden, we’re still looking at installing annuals for that seasonal color but it’s also a great time to look into flowering shrubs and perennials. If you want to have growing season interest in your landscape that changes throughout the season, you really do need a blend of plants that provide color from spring through fall. Here are some that you should consider and, for the most part, they’re pretty easy to care for as long as you provide enough regular water.
In the world of perennials, and there are literally thousands that do well in our area, look into the many varieties of daylilies. The come in an array colors including red, orange, and yellow, sizes, and bloom periods. They’re drought tolerant and you’ll end up with plenty more to divide and move around the landscape later on.
Other favorites would be purple coneflower and the many varieties of daisies, sedums, yarrows, and monarda. The key would be to look for perennials that won’t spread out of control and don’t need excessive water. Choosing the right mix will give you color well into the late summer and fall months.
Flowering shrubs are another great option for any garden. Whether as a single specimen or in groups, they can give that big eye-catching impact to your property. As we discussed in an earlier article, you do have to be cautious with the pruning. When in doubt, just don’t prune much at all and never shear them. The internet is full of helpful information if you have questions, it’s better to do a little research before you start removing branches.
Some great options for our area would be any of the spireas, some of the hydrangeas like Annabelle and Oakleaf, Crepe Myrtles, beautybush, butterfly bush, caryopteris, and even old fashioned hibiscus. As you can see, there’s no reason to have nothing but evergreen shrubs in our gardens or have nothing but the most common spring flowering shrubs. Once again, a little research and planning will allow you to have color throughout the summer.
In terms of general maintenance, this is the time of the year that we need to be diligent in our weed control on our beds. They’re also taking advantage of the long days to grow like crazy. Hand-pulling or careful spraying done on a weekly basis will keep your garden weed-free.
Proper pruning of our shrubs is also important. Remember to go for the hand shears first. We want to maintain natural shapes with our plants. Shearing your plants just creates more work as you have to prune them more often and also can ruin their flowering potential and longevity.
Enjoy this wonderful time of the year not only in your garden but visit the gardens in our city parks, especially Ault Park. Seeing plants in person as opposed to in a catalogue is always preferable before buying.
