In a June garden, the first thought it almost always of roses.

And we have roses aplenty here. Though they are really only just getting started. I’ve added four new roses bushes this year (after saying I wasn’t going to add any). That brings my total up to 12 – not including the mini roses I have in the front boxes, and a couple other mini roses I have scattered about.

Roses have always been one of my favourite flowers. But I am a little picky about which ones I put in my garden. I generally prefer Hybrid Teas and Floribundas, thought I do have a couple shrub roses. My main thing is they MUST be continual bloomers. I have no use for a rose that blooms once and then is done for the season. Scent is nice too, though not an absolute must if the rose is pretty enough.

I’ll share details on the four newbies in another post. There’s lots more rose blooms to come this summer.

June is also the time of the Peony. This one is Coral Sunset, and I planted it the second year we were here. She’s really starting to come into her own now. She’s a little different for me, being a single open peony. I’ve always tended towards to big ruffley doubles. (I have three of them, but they won’t bloom for another few years most likely). The singles are the best kind of peony for pollinators, because it’s easier to get to the pollen. But that’s not why I bought her. I just loved the colour!

The foxgloves are big and bold and brash.

And in almost every garden. I think I mentioned I was a little sad that none of them were white. I love the bold pink ones, but in truth, the white ones are my favourite. But as luck would have it – look was popped up in the catio yard the other day…

They aren’t a pure white (thanks to pollination!) – more of a white streaked with pinky purple, but they are much more subtle and lovely. I’m going to make sure I get seed from these ones to spread around the other gardens. The pink ones are just a little overwhelming!

A pollinator favourite – my ornamental sage is all abloom. As you can see, I have this in multiple colours.

One thing new I added last year was Cat Mint.

The purple one is “Cats Pajamas”. The light pink one is new for this year – it’s “Whispurr Pink” I always thought Cat Nip and Cat Mint were two names for the same plant. They aren’t but they are related. The Cat Nip I keep in a pot because it’s seeds go EVERYwhere if I leave it in the garden. It’s flowers are white, and slightly different – though it’s not blooming yet.

I’ve showed you my Widow’s Tears individually, but here they are all lined up together.

Like Daylilies, the flowers only last one day – but they keep coming.

My white clematis seems to have enjoyed her early spring prune. She’s just covered in flowers. Back and Front.

And speaking of covered….

The Dianthans are doing their thing! I have them through almost all the gardens, because they give such bang for the buck. They are sold cheap, as annuals. But in our zone, they come back and they are pretty easy to help re-seed.

I’ve got a new poppy blooming. It’s called Central Park, and it’s a lovely cherry pink. The poppies have had a bit of a rough time – their foliage isn’t looking as good as it usually does, so I’m going to make sure to spread these seeds. I love having poppies in the garden and I’d hate to lose them.

And last….

Both of my honeysuckles are blooming. I’ve already seen Mr. Hummingbird flitting around. Hopefully I can get a picture or two of him this year!