June Week 2

Mix of Clematis montana hybrids

Well the sunny weather has gone this week, hopefully this is just a slight blip until the summer comes back. However, the plants are growing regardless and there’s no shortage of beautiful flowers to be had in the garden right now.

I’m very glad I staked my Delphiniums and Paeony’s last week, providing them with bamboo canes and twine to make a mesh support. They will flower in the next week or so, so hopefully they should have the required structure around them to keep them upright if we end up getting our usual strong coastal winds.

One of the great sights to be seen down south at this time of year is the wisteria, beautiful cascading plumes of white/purple flowers covering buildings and walls, unfortunately though its a much more rare thing to see here in the Highlands. However I would say our equivalent here in the Highlands is the Laburnum. These are stunning small trees just dripping with yellow flowers, a not too distant relation of the Wisteria and thankfully a common thing to see in any town in the Highlands.

Right now is the best time to see them and there's plenty to be seen.

Laburnum anagyroides

Flowers

Now is a good time to trim and edge the grass verges around the flower borders, then put the waste into the compost heap.

Now we are into summer (Please let the weather know) weeding will always be a task that needs done.

Feed the flower beds, either organically, (Fish Blood & Bone) seaweed extract or comfrey tea. Or using Growmore, slow release capsules or miracle grow etc. I would always try and use the organic method where possible but sometimes for various reasons that isn’t an option.

Continuing my rose theme for the month, one of my must haves for the garden is “Dublin Bay”, a climbing rose bred in 1976. Of all the romantic ideals of roses, this variety lives up to the perfect ideal of the red rose. Beautifully formed in every way. It’s one draw back is its lack of scent but it certainly makes up for it in every other regard.

Rosa "Dublin Bay"

Vegetables

If your growing cucumbers, make sure they are tied into their supports as they should be getting quite a big bigger now.

Early broadbeans may need pinched at the tip now. This will allow them to focus more on developing the pods and less on growing from the tips.

Again like the flower beds, keep the edges neat and the weeds down to reduce competition.

Willow arch

This last week has certainly been quite the blip in the weather. Hopefully though that's all it is and we can all get back to doing what we love in the garden again. 

June Week 1

The first week of June already! We are fast approaching the longest day and with our days being just a bit longer now than down south we are nearly caught up with them in flowering time season.

I’ve been reflecting this week as it’s 10 years since the beautiful summer I spent working in Claude Monet’s Garden in Giverny, France.

Flower Garden in Giverny

I stayed in accommodation in the village and spent the weeks working in the garden, with weekends visiting Paris and Rouen. The highlight of my time was the much visited garden, the colours were so beautifully matched amongst all the herbaceous perennials and roses and of course the iconic water lilly pond.

I have a number of bearded Iris “Superstition” in my garden, all came from a corm I brought back with me, a seasonal reminder of my time spent with them in France- couper la fleur finie (Deadheading).

Flower Garden, Giverny

Flowers

Iris "Superstition"

June now and everything is coming up roses - Literally! One of the nations (and me) favourite flowers and June is their month. I have a number of roses in my own garden, old roses such as “Roseraie de l'hay” and “Charles de Mills” 1790 to the more disease resistant and perpetual flowering modern varieties by David Austin such as “Gertrude Jekyll” and “A Shropshire Lad”. There is always room in any garden for a rose and their absence is keenly felt in any garden missing such beauty.

Lupins are now in full flow, they do very well with my sandy soil and provide flowers from now till August at least with some good dead heading.

Keep watering containers and bedding plants planted out over the last few weeks and lastly don’t let the weeding get away from you.

Rosa "Charles De Mills"

Vegetables

Outdoor tomato varieties can now be planted outdoors, make sure to give a good watering.

Courgette plants can be planted outside now in sheltered areas.

Keep using and cutting salad crops.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the compost heap now that it should be a hive of activity and turn it if it is required.

So many things to enjoy this time of year, it truly is a time for flowers of every type, so enjoy your favourite!

The Water lilly Garden, Giverny