Hooray for Bloom Day! There’s finally enough going on in the garden that I can participate again. So now, a selection of mid-June flowers, fruits, and foliage from here at Hayefield in southeastern Pennsylvania, starting with a new container planting out by the barn: ‘Sweet Georgia Light Green’ sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas), ‘Infinity Crimson’ New Guinea impatiens, ‘Athena Red’ shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeana), bloodleaf (Iresine herbstii), chicken gizzard plant (Iresine herbstii ‘Aureoreticulata’), black-leaved cotton (Gossypium herbaceum ‘Nigrum’), and ‘Lucky Sunrise Rose’ lantana.
‘Strawberry Seduction’ yarrow (Achillea) fades some later, but it’s a rich crimson when it’s newly opened.
Mmmm. ‘Jonkheer van Tets’ red currants (Rubus rubrum) are among the first fruits of the summer, just a week or so after the alpine strawberries and mulberries.
Rose campion (Lychnis coronaria), with silver foliage and magenta flowers, is hard to miss.
Winecups (Callirhoe involucrata), too have vibrant blooms, but their leaves aren’t very distinctive. Fortunately, they like to weave themselves through companions with colorful foliage, such as golden oregano (Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’).
I’ve been wanting to try ‘Tetra Versailles Red’ cosmos for a long time, so I was thrilled when Cameron of Designing Your Home, Garden and Travel surprised me with an envelope of the seeds this spring. They’re even better than I’d hoped.
Moving on to the oranges, the ‘Radio’ pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis) have started flowering in the vegetable garden (here with ‘Ruby Perfection’ cabbage).
In the front garden, there’s ‘Orange Gnome’ Arkwright’s campion (Lychnis x arkwrightii)…
…’Flamenco’ dwarf torch lilies (Kniphofia)…
…‘Sedona’ coleus, paired here with Sunshine Blue blue mist shrub (Caryopteris incana) and variegated lilyturf (Liriope muscari ‘Variegata’)….
…and in the side garden, ‘Flower Carpet Amber’ rose.
Among the yellows are some ‘Jewels Mix’ nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) – here with ‘Radio’ pot marigolds, ‘Bull’s Blood’ beets, and common thyme (Thymus vulgaris).
Here’s golden catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides ‘Aurea’) and ‘Jade Princess’ millet (Pennisetum glaucum). Too much chartreuse, maybe? If only the ‘Raspberry Wine’ bee balm (Monarda) between them were in bloom now.
The ‘Jade Princess’ in another bed is beginning to bloom, and it’s even better than I anticipated.
One more yellow: a prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa).
Some carrots (Daucus carota var. carota) that I sowed last September overwintered, and I decided to let them bloom until I need to clear their space.
The lovely and aptly named ‘Unforgettable’ forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris).
A hybrid delphinium coming up through ‘Pink Ice’ Van Houtte spirea (Spiraea x vanhouttei).
Glorious ‘Kolibri’ kohlrabi.
Dakota Goldcharm spirea (Spiraea ‘Mertyann’) with ghost bramble (Rubus thibetanus).
A new addition for this year: Japanese burnet (Sanguisorba obtusa).
Goldflame honeysuckle (Lonicera x heckrottii)…
…and late Dutch honeysuckle (Lonicera perclymenum ‘Serotina’).
‘Dark Towers’ foxglove penstemon (Penstemon digitalis).
Silver thyme (Thymus vulgaris ‘Argenteus’) with rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and dunce caps (Orostachys iwarenge).
Coral bark willow (Salix alba ‘Britzensis’) against ‘Centerglow’ ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius).
‘Mount Everest’ ornamental onion (Allium) seedheads against ‘Red Majestic’ contorted hazel (Corylus avellana).
Giant fleeceflower (Persicaria polymorpha) against ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora) and ‘Centerglow’ ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius).
White common or wood betony (Stachys officinalis ‘Alba’) and ‘Prairie Frost’ purple coneflower (Echinacea), ‘Berggarten’ sage (Salvia officinalis), ‘Cora White’ rose periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), and cilantro (Coriandrum sativum).
Bowman’s root (Gillenia stipulata, a.k.a. Porteranthus stipulatus).
Foxglove penstemon (Penstemon digitalis) with ‘Henry’s Garnet’ sweetspire (Itea virginica) and American holly (Ilex opaca).
And to finish, smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens).
For more mid-June garden action, check out Carol’s main Bloom Day post at May Dreams Gardens.
Such amazing plants! I always learn something new from your posts.
Your Stachys officinalis ‘Alba’ makes me wonder if I have a mislabeled plant– I grow what was labeled stachys hummelo with purple-magenta blooms and foliage of the same shape as your ‘Alba’. It’s so beautiful with my delosperma cooperii and I want to make sure that I have a correct ID.
I’m happy that you like the cosmos!
I planted Callirhoe involucrata inside my cottage garden, saw lots of blooms, but it seems to be of high interest to the bunnies and they are now keeping it eaten down! I’m going to have to move it on the stream side slope where they don’t like to venture.
Cameron
The RHS, MOBOT, and a couple of other sources now list ‘Hummelo’ as a cultivar of Stachys officinalis. From your description, it sounds like what you have is indeed correctly labeled. Great idea pairing it with delosperma! And yeah, I’ve noticed that bunnies are drawn to winecups as much as asters. Sigh.
-Nan
Your garden is awash in beauty. Those currants look good enough to eat-thru the computer!
My crosswort is hanging tough. I am still thrilled with it. Thanks again!
Thanks for the update, Tina. And the currants ARE good enough to eat – they’re absolutely delicious right now.
-Nan
Stunning photos – the colors are popping on my screen. These are a treat.
Thanks for stopping by, Phillip. Happy Bloom Day!
-Nan
I’m stealing, I mean borrowing, the golden oregano pairing for the Callirhoe. That color combo is fab! Your pairing of the orange pot marigold with the purple cabbage gives me confidence that I made the right choice in planting a salmony Pelargonium that the girl gave with with a purple cabbage. (I’m not good with orange.) I don’t think you can ever have “too much chartreuse.” The kholrabi is beautiful! (Too bad I don’t like the taste.)
I bet the pelargonium is going to look terrific with purple cabbage, MMD. Pretty much *everything* looks great with purple cabbage!
-Nan
Great combinations as usual, Nan. You had me oooing and aahing through the post.
Rose Campion has disappeared from my garden. I forgot about it. I need to replace it.
Cosmos is one of my favorites. The ‘Tetra Versailles Red’ is spectacular.
I am a sucker for coleus. Great combination Sedona and lilyturf. I grow way too many coleus cuttings over the winter. But they make great combinations. I’m happy when I get them all planted :-)
Thanks for another colorful post with wonderful combinations of plants.
Let me know if you need seeds of the campion, Marie; I’m sure I’ll have a bunch. And you’re right, it’s easy to get addicted to coleus!
-Nan
My goodness. I am sure you didn’t show us all of your blooms and it is spectacular. I really need some of the Bowman’s Root for our garden. The name is great. tee hee..
Lisa, you don’t have Bowman’s root? Come on, girl – that’s a must-have for the Bowmans’ garden! Remind me this fall if you want some seeds of Porteranthus stipulatus.
-Nan
Wow! Great variety of blooms and plants. I’ve been so busy I nearly forgot Bloom Day. I’ll have to get outside in the 95 degree heat and humidity to get some photos! I’m curious to see if any cosmos is blooming yet. It seems like it should be!
Good luck, Dave. I’ll bet you’ll find a lot to shoot, if you and your plants aren’t yet wilted from the heat.
-Nan
I have been enjoying your posts for quite a while now, but the photo of Pentemon ‘Dark Towers’ has prompted me to write. I SO want one (or five!)
First thing tomorrow I shall be tracking it down here in the UK. Lets hope it can take our weather.
I hope you’re able to find it, Martyna. Its foliage color is so rich and dark – far better than the old ‘Husker Red’. I imagine it should do as well for you as it does for me; the species is native to the eastern half of the U.S..
-Nan
Wonderful to see what June brings to you. Didn’t know gillenia had a new name but what a beautiful plant paired with an excellent green glass jug! So much to absorb. And that kohlrabi, wow!
Thanks for the reminder, Denise – I should have mentioned that Porteranthus stipulatus is also known as Gillenia stipulata. I see the RHS is using the latter now. Time to update the post!
-Nan
Nan, it’s SO dangerous for anyone to come here to visit your blog. It can’t be just me who leaves with a “wishlist” a mile long (duncecaps… orange campion…) and many more ideas for where to move things in my own garden to better show them off! You’re always such an inspiration.
Thanks, Kim. I’ll have to take a lot more pictures of the duncecaps – they are very cool.
-Nan
Oh My Word, you went through the rainbow again!! I don’t know that I can do that, yet. We’ll see. :-) Beautiful things happening over there, Nan. Happy Gardening!!!
Back at ya, Shady! If you’re having any of the heat we’ve been getting here, your garden is probably coming along quickly too.
-Nan
Wow! The variety you have in bloom right now is staggering. I was interested in your Winecup which I have never seen before, and the honeysuckle. I’ve been thinking I need one and Goldflame is a beauty.
‘Goldflame’ really is a beauty, Pat – I think you’ll like it. ‘Serotina’ (late Dutch honeysuckle) is another of my favorites, with more white than cream in the flowers, dark stems, and an equally long bloom period.
-Nan
Wow, that’s lovely. I was just writing a post on hot colors, and I came over here for a moment to clear my mind. You love hot colors too huh? I want that Japanese Burnet; it is so graceful.~~Dee
I doubt you got much mind clearance here, Dee – yep, I love the hot colors too. The new flowers of Japanese burnet are wonderful, but I find I’m not so fond of the plant in general as I am of the later-flowering burnets, mainly because its spent flowers are limp and ugly, taking away from the overall bloom effect unless you deadhead frequently.
-Nan
Nan, your garden is a paradise! You truly are an inspiration with your beautiful designs and color pairing.
Your photo of the Rose Campion amid its companions against the purple fence is gorgeous! I must find some of that to add to my garden. Love the rosy pink.
How do you use your currants? I’ve only ever made jelly with them. They look so delicious.
Love that Dark Towers Penstemon!
You did a great job putting that container together.
Did you get that series of violent wind/rain storms yesterday? What a frustrating time I had trying to get some weeding done during the sunny periods in between! I’d just get stuck into it again and another squall would blow through.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden. Happy summer!
You’re so sweet, Kerri. Let me know if you want some campion seed later this summer. How do I use the currants? Mostly I eat them right off the bush; I like adding them to salads too. I sure wish we’d gotten some rain yesterday, but I’m glad we didn’t get the storms.
-Nan