June's Symphony

For flower gardeners in most parts of the country, no other month is as anticipated or quite as spectacular as June.  All of the pictures below were taken sometime between June 1 and June 30 and will give you a sense as to why June is such an amazing month for beautiful blossoms of a large variety of plants including daisies, coneflowers, lilies, spiderwort, spiraea, coreopsis, and of course, the hydrangeas.

These photos will also show you the landscaping power that can be harnessed if LOTS and LOTS of plants that all bloom simultaneously are used together to create great swaths of color.  June is certainly the month of colorful gardening.  While I grow everything from tulips to chrysanthemums--and thus enjoy flowers for a steady eight months--I have taken great care to make June the "Big One."  It is probably my favorite month since it is the gateway to summer, the weather (sans this year) is typically ideal, and from a landscaping angle, so many great plants can be used that bloom during this particular time of year.  June is also the month of the hydrangeas......  Needless to say, the month of June is an exciting time in our gardens!  Enjoy!

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nachtigall'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nachtigall'

Lychnis coronaria, the rose campion

Coreopsis lanceolata

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nachtigall'

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen'

daylilies and dwarf fountain grass

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Mathilda Gutges'

orange oriental lilies

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Twist-N-Shout'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue' and 'Endless Summer' at left

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue' and 'Nachtigall' behind

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue' and red Knock Out rose

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Endless Summer'

Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus'

Shasta daisy

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blue Heaven' and 'Peppermint' at right, with 'Erika' pink astilbe behind

Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nachtigall' and 'Nikko Blue' behind

Lavender and yellow marigolds

pink oriental lily

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nachtigall'

butterfly bush

Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

yellow achillea

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue' and red Knock Out rose

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nachtigall'

daylilies, butterfly bush, marigolds below, and daisies beyond

Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

pink wandflower, purple coneflower, and daisies

My so-far-successful container creation!

Rosa rugosa 'Moje Hammarberg'

Coneflowers, daisies, hydrangeas, wandflowers, coleus

Shasta daisy

'Magnus' coneflowers with daylilies and oakleaf hydrangea behind

'Magnus' purple coneflower

This is what happens when you mix 100 degree heat with red Knock Out roses!  The blooms have practically dried onto the bush!

'Pink Double Delight' and 'Tiki Torch' coneflowers

My huge 'Annabelle' hydrangea at the corner of the house

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Endless Summer' (blue) and 'Alpengluhen' (red)

My huge 'Annabelle' hydrangea at the corner of the house

'Annabelle' hydrangeas in the backyard

The stunning 'Tiki Torch' orange coneflower