STAR OF THE MONTH
Geranium sylvaticum 'Mayflower'
To be honest, this may not be the most exciting and rare plant in the world: it is not going to make an edelweiss anxious or an orchid lose sleep. No botanist is going to set the groves of academe afire by talking about this particular plant. However, an early summer herbaceous border would be a lesser place without a scattering of geraniums along the edges of borders. Their job is partly to conceal the knobbly knees of their taller neighbours, as well as to entertain the world with a simple flower as pleasing and as blue as a May Day sky.
If planted in full sun make sure it does not dry out. Divide plants in spring. Height x Spread 70cm x 30cm
ACID TEST
Everybody falls in love with this plant but, like all the best temptations, not everybody can possess it. Sorry to those of you with alkaline soils, apologies to chalky gardeners and regrets to those who like to spread a bit of manure on their borders: this is not the plant for you. It needs well-drained, acid soil, I am afraid. If you can give her that then you have a treat in store.
Embothrium coccineum
Part of the Proteaceae family, hence the fussiness. Propagate from seed or mid-summer cuttings with bottom heat. H x S 6m x 4m
COMING INTO PORT
Like many plants with dark, velvety petals, this is very seductive. The foliage is crisp and green but that is nothing compared to the flower. Petals like vintage port, flame-coloured filaments and that glorious palisade of pollen as golden as a sunrise. In the words of Bob Dylan: "a million faces at my feet but all I see are dark eyes". Not necessarily a song about plants, but you get my drift.
Paeonia 'Dark Eyes'
Bu hikaye BBC Gardeners World dergisinin May 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye BBC Gardeners World dergisinin May 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
We love June
We're cruising towards midsummer: this is a month full of love and abundance. Wherever you look there will be something in your garden that lifts the spirits and makes you glad to be alive. We have colour to cheer us, we have leaves that still have the bounce and freshness of small puppies, we have the first berries fattening up, there are birds frantically parenting very demanding broods of chicks, the bees are all over the place, it's prime barbecue and picnic season, and we have lawns as lush and green as billiard tables. What a month to fall in love.
Your wildlife month
The female will usually lay one clutch of up to eight eggs
An edible garden in pots
Join Lucy Bellamy in creating an edible container garden for all seasons, as she harvests what's ripe now and starts later-season crops
Garden craft with kids
Fill the summer holidays with fun nature makes for kids, including botanical printed t-shirts, seed sowing in upcycled food containers and a hanging home for beneficial insects. Jaime Johnson and family show you how
Secrets of a COLOURFUL GARDEN
Using a colour theme is an easy way to give any garden a strong, unified character - Nick Bailey shows you how
Indoor plants, outdoor treats
Break the rules and give your house plants a summer holiday, with Michael Perry's mixed pot display ideas
YOUR PRUNING MONTH
The first few weeks of summer are a good time to get spring-flowering plants in shape. Follow Frances' guide for best results
Gardening for wellbeing
As the pressures of modern living bear down, our outside spaces can provide soothing respite for our minds and bodies, says Arit Anderson
Your greenhouse guide to A fruitful summer
Get the best from your greenhouse fruit and vegetable crops this summer, with these tried and trusted growing tips from Adam Frost
Stars of the show
Agapanthus is the perfect midsummer plant, flowering with spectacular blooms from June onwards and, as Monty explains, it loves to grow in a pot