Sweet June Beginnings

“And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days”

-James Russell Lowell

I picked up a new iris plant recently from a gardener in the area. I wasn’t expecting it to bloom this year, but it gave me the most beautiful (and fleeting) surprise. I’m not sure of the variety, but it has an old-world fading pink hue to it that makes me think of a Victorian garden. Here’s hoping it becomes a flourishing patch of fluttering petals in years to come.

Elsewhere in the garden, my thyme is in full bloom, all my pots have been planted and are so-far thriving, and strawberries are trying to grow strawberries (however, the critters keep munching at them before they can get anywhere!).

Both peas and sweet peas are growing steadily, despite the heat. I’ve had to shade them a little so they don’t burn to a crisp in the hot sun. This early sweet pea bloomer is a variety called Azurius- I love that it’s a tiny pop of blue in the background of the garden before much of anything else has opened up. They don’t make for great cutting flowers nor do they have much scent, but the tiny flowers of saturated colour always make me stop to admire them as I make my watering rounds.

June is the month of the rose and my single rosebush is in full bud. I’ve had it for 4 years and it hasn’t grown too much in that time, but it does continue to provide me with white, sweet smelling blooms and is always a treat to behold in late spring.

The rhubarb never fails to flourish and adds a sense of lushness to the smaller starts in the potager. I’m always hesitant to pick too much simply because I like the fullness framing the corner. But it does need to picked soon to make jam, chutney, and slushy summer drinks.

Rows of carrots are hopefully starting to put down deep roots. Creeping thyme is also in flower and tomato plants have blossoms, soon to turn into juicy little fruits. The garden is changing every day and each morning holds a new gift!