June garden diary

June has marked the capricious zenith of summer in the garden at Ednovean Farm – it has been a month in which we have swung from gales to heat waves – until the summer solstice that arrived almost as a surprise. This month the magnificent Echiums that so intrigue our garden loving Bed and Breakfast guests, have started to fade, to be replaced by the emerging flowers of the ranks of Agapanthus that populate the garden. So on with the show and join me for this month’s garden diary as we tweak the garden and appreciating the shadows as the temperatures soar!

 

June garden diary days

Ednovean Farm isn’t a flowery garden but the small feast of flowers that follow the season are always welcome. There is a splash of blue from the hydrangeas in the courtyard gardens now that provides leavening cool contrast to the hotter pinks and reds of the Geraniums along with the tranquil stream of white flowers in the privet, the feverfew that seeds itself in the gravel and Geraniums under planting an olive tree that flow amongst the topiary for a relaxed and tranquil mood.

An appreciation of shade

 

Isn’t it strange how for the whole year we seek the sunniest spots of the garden and then suddenly decide that the shady corners are the most desirable when a heat wave arrives? The expansive lucid green from the spreading fronds of the tree ferns, the shade from the tall Cordylines, the wisp of breeze that slips through a gateway; all become welcome sanctuaries when a heat wave arrives.

Rabbit patrol

My efforts in our new recycled garden had hit the buffers as the rabbit population fell on any new plants with the delight of frenzied gourmet diners. It wasn’t until I woke up half way through Gardener’s World and spotted netting supported by short canes, that the solution became obvious – cover the lavender plants with windbreak netting overnight along with copious amount of “Grazers” animal repellent and Spud cat has been put of special guard duty. The new archway has started to look established though and a brassiere will make a welcome addition to the long summer evenings in this part of the garden.

This month’s garden stars

Phormiums

The lofty burnt orange flowers of the Phormiums are a surprisingly dramatic addition to the garden reaching over ten feet tall and loved by the starlings that arrive in an excited chattering throng to pick at I-don’t-know-what!

Lavender

The more established Hidcote and Munstead lavenders that blissfully scent the evening air in the sundial garden.

Roses

The nostalgic beautiful roses the very picture of summer for me – mine are mostly tucked in pots but still treasured. I have one very special one given to me when I as married as our family had always had one in their My Father said it was an Albertine rose and I remember it well  from my childhood days when I tried unsuccessfully to make rose water from one of its relations. After twenty six years it is looking a little peaky but I started a programme of pruning and feeding last year. I’m afraid even sprayed the black spot, although I’m usually loath to use sprays in the garden

Aloe Striatula

This particular Aloe loves our garden and has spread its branches far and wide sprawling in exuberants clumps across the  lawns but I never have the heart to try to control its reach. It must be tough as it’s weathered several frosts and faithfully flowers again each summer

Crocosmia Lucifer

This vibrant red crocosmia contrast so well with its neighbouring Aloe and has spread at a gentle rate unlike its wild opportunist orange counterpart that hurtles around our garden if left unchecked!

Sambucus-nigra-black-beauty

That’s a very long name for this lovely derivative of the common elderflower possibly introduced by the Romans but in our garden the dark glossy foliage that later will be enhances by rafts of disk-like pink flowers, provides an anchor point to the border. (See the first picture!)

Aeonium Zwartkop

The longer sunny days have darkened this lovely succulent o glossy near black now as a counterpoint amongst the range of succulents – there was a particularly fine display when we visited the garden on St Michael’s Mount where they enjoy the heat released year round by the granite bedrock to which they cling.

Echeveria glauca

A beautiful blue grey succulent that so enjoys the long summer days forming soft mound spilling over their pots

This month’s garden album

I hope that you have enjoyed visiting our June garden for my monthly diary as much as the garden lovers and strollers on our Bed and breakfast guests do each day. Alas this morning I must also report that the rabbits are really enjoying the lavender Bah Humbug!! See you next month J