In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. ~Margaret Atwood
With the crazy spring weather, I have been busy getting dirty in the garden, trying to plant more flowers, veggies and keeping my nose above the weeds that are drowning the garden. And thank God I love to get dirty. Although I have trouble straightening and I can barely move my joints the next day, I know gardening is so good for my body. All that dirt I inhale, and have embedded under my nails is nourishing as well.
This post is certainly busy as I am linking in early for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day with Carol@May Dreams Gardens, and Beth@PlantPostings for her wonderful Garden Lessons Learned meme. I will also be highlighting some wonderful June foliage with Pam@Digging for her Foliage Follow Up on the 16th, and Christina@Creating my own garden of the Hesperides for her Garden Bloggers Foliage Day on the 22nd.
Let’s look at the garden lessons first……
Look carefully at those weeds as they may turn out to be a treasure like this Common Milkweed. Many still consider this plant a weed, but this native plant is a must for our beloved monarchs….and who would think such a plant would bring so much joy. Just the childhood memories of finding the seed pods unopened can transport me back to a playful time. These lovelies found their way into my garden and have formed 2 colonies. I am hopeful the monarchs will find us ready with plenty of nectar and a food source for their young ones as these plants have double the benefits. Whether you plant Common Milkweed or one of the other wonderful milkweeds, please consider finding a spot for a plant or two.
Sometimes keeping it simple will actually make the boldest statement. These antique planters have been planted with many different plant combinations, but a single lovely flower works better to brighten up the part shade making the front step, porch and the planters snap.
One ongoing lesson for me is about going organic and doing no harm. Donna@Garden Walk Garden Talk posts frequently what we can do to help the environment. Recently the post, The Need to Care, showed how the simple things we do and don’t do can have profound effects. Please make sure you read this important post and do what you can to reduce your plastic use.
Early June blooms…….
This lovely flower, Aquilegia ‘Bordeaux Barlow’ popped up near the pond. I adore the red flower and intend to spread the seed in the red garden and other lovely spots. It should be shared around the garden, don’t you think?
This species iris was my first and I adore it. I have no idea of its name. It is in my front garden, and this year should be divided. I can’t wait to find more spots in the garden to show it off. As a matter of fact, I am dividing many of my irises so if you want a piece of any let me know.
I love the flowers of weigela and they have been blooming much to the delight of the bees and hummers. I lost the tag to this one so I don’t know its name either.
The clematis have finally started blooming although a bit late this year. This is what ‘Crystal Fountain’ looks like as it opens. I love clematis because they change dramatically from bud to mature flower, and even as they fade.
The Kates or spiderworts are finally coming into their own. I let them seed, and then have a wonderful surprise every spring finding them in new places. I love all the colors and have just about every one. I even have a native Tradescantia. They like part shady, wet areas in the garden.
Oriental poppies are unwrapping. This salmon one is my favorite. I moved the orange one to the back garden, but somehow it still grew in the front bigger than ever.
I love Calibrachoa as they stand up to heat, and need little water. The petunia is one I grew from seed. Not sure which one it is though.
The last of the lilacs are blooming This is a Korean lilac ‘Miss Kim’. I almost gave up on this plant as it took a long time to grow and flower profusely. Actually this is the first year in 5 or more that it looks wonderful.
June foliage treats…….
This is the right side of the shade garden that is a mix of natives and non-natives. Of course hostas and brunneras grow here, but so does Goatsbeard, Mayapple, Bloodroot, Doll’s eye, hepatica, columbine and native geraniums.
And one of the most unusual and under used natives in the shade garden above is Twinleaf or Jeffersonia. I love it better than Lady’s Mantle which seeds all over. Twinleaf displays the morning dew or rain drops beautifully. And it is fun to watch the leaves grow. I think I will have to profile this plant in the future.
The Diablo Ninebark are coming into their own. The foliage is dark on top and bright green underneath. It is really flowering this year.
Here’s another view of the new foliage emerging.
I found the perfect spot for my native Ostrich fern in the mucky rain garden area. And the fern is growing quickly. I adore native ferns for their foliage.
I hope you have enjoyed this post. It is my 200th post. I cannot believe I have written 200 posts in almost 3 years. It seems like only yesterday I started the blog, but it has become a big part of me, and I can’t imagine ever giving it up. With retirement coming by mid-summer, I hope to post a couple more times a month, and make some changes to the blog I have had to put off.
It’s Seasonal Celebrations and Garden Lesson Learned time as the seasons change around the world…hope you will join in. For more information read below.
Come Join Us:
Seasonal Celebrations is a time for marking the change of seasons and what is happening in your part of the world during this time. I hope you will join in by creating a post telling us how you celebrate this time of year whether summer or winter or something else. Share your traditions, holidays, gardens and celebrations in pictures, poetry or words starting June 1st.
And it seems so appropriate to collaborate with Beth and her Lessons Learned meme. What lessons have you learned this past season of spring here in the North and fall in the South. Then tell us about your wishes, desires and dreams for this new season.The rules are simple. Just create a post that talks about lessons learned 
and/or seasonal celebrations. If you are joining in for both memes please leave a comment on both our blog posts. Or if you are choosing to join only one meme, leave a comment on that blog post. Make sure to include a link with your comment.
Beth and I will do a summary post of our respective memes on the solstice (the 21st of June). And we will keep those posts linked on a page on our blog. Your post should be linked in the weekend before the equinox to give us enough time to include your post in our summary. And if you link in a bit late, never fear we will include it on the special blog page (which I still have to create). The badges here can be used in your post. So won’t you join in the celebration!!
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Next up on the blog: Next Monday is another Garden Book Review with a seed giveaway. And don’t forget June means it is time for Seasonal Celebrations. I hope you will join in. At the end of the month will be a combo post-Simply The Best and Wildflower Tales.
I am linking in with Michelle@Rambling Woods for her Nature Notes meme. It is a great way to see what is happening in nature around the world every Wednesday.
I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden. See my most current post now.
As always, I’ll be joining Tootsie Time’sFertilizer Friday.
Please remember, to comment click on the title of the post and the page will reload with the comments section.
All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2013. Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.
Hi Donna, thank you for the link to GWGT. The message in those videos is one everyone should see. Your photos are really beautiful this post. So much in the garden is blooming or coloring up with the rain. We have been having lots of rain lately too, and oh, I hope it is a sign for summer. I wanted to let you know if you are getting less comments this post, your blog is not readable on the iPad. The brown background is appearing over the text. Many might read using a tablet like me and I had to go to the computer to see the post.
How odd as it was readable before. I will have to check it out…glad you enjoyed the June garden Donna.
Well whatever was wrong must be cleared up thankfully as it was fine once I checked my ipad. Hopefully it won’t crop up again. Glad to hear also you are getting rain. We are headed for more heavy rain today.
I love seeing the summer really get going – thanks so much for sharing all of the lovely blooms you’re enjoying!
Thanks for visiting Donalyn!
You have some lovely plants in your garden. I do like that clematis! Like you, I have been a native plant gardener for many many years and it certainly has its rewards. But there is always room for other wonderful plants – in my case peonies and roses.
Absolutely Patty…I do enjoy some of the so called exotic plants!
Congratulations on your 200th post! I envy you your fern. I have a place where I’d like to grow ferns but it’s dry not squishy.
Thank you Esther. There are some ferns that like some dry shade but sadly not many…it has been so wet, the ferns are still going strong.
Your blooms are beautiful, Donna. Love that sweet weigelia, I don’t have that variety but I would be tempted to plant it if I had a space for it. I’m struggling with the common milkweed right now. Three years ago it popped up out of no where, and I’ve been nurturing it ever since. Actually saw one monarch visiting it two years ago. This year my honeyman said it had to go. It is spreading profusely in a prime space in our gardens… won’t look so nice there for our upcoming garden event. Been digging at it for weeks, it spreads underground… I’ve found roots 4 inches thick. I do have lot’s of Butterfly weed… just about to bloom, so should a monarch venture this way again, we’re ready. (If only… sigh.)
Both our milkweed came to us at about the same time in the same way. I now have 2 patches and one is in more shade so it flops. I have to control both as they are controlling things otherwise. I hope to see some more butterflies now that we have great milkweed. I am sure your butterflies will love your butterfly weed.
Congrats on 200 posts! I know when we start blogging it seems an insurmountable tally but can come up pretty fast.
Hard to believe indeed Tina..thanks!
I am a fan of of single species in a nice urn. Classic. Remember when nobody put more than one kind of plant in a container? Mama was a customer of a ‘plant lady’ who always had a little surprise tucked in with what you bought.
I do remember….glad you liked it and what a great ‘plant lady’.
I always enjoy your blog posts, but don’t always comment. Just to let your know I’m a fan and love your pics. Thanks for sharing!
Joanna how very sweet of you to say so and comment. I appreciate your readership and thank you so much!!
A lovely collection of flowers, Donna. So many new ones that I’ve not seen before
Glad I could introduce them to you Gail.
Congratulations on your 200th post! I love it that your garden is now so full of flowers after such a long winter. The pots are perfect, I think you’re right, planted with just a single species they make a real statement. Christina
Thank you so much Christina…it means a lot to have you cheering for my garden…soon as the weeds lessen the flowers will show even more and I will be able to show you more.
Hi Donna, I love that physocarpus Diablo, I want one too but never manage to come home with one from a nursery at the end… That barlow aquilegia has a very peculiar red, never seen that colour on a double flowered aquilegia, it’s pretty interesting!
I want some asclepia tuberosa too, I love it!
Well if you can ever accept seed from the US, I can send you plenty of milkweed seed. The ninebark are fabulous. I hope to harvest more of the red barlow seed and cast it in more spots…it is a rare one indeed. So glad you enjoyed your visit Alberto!
Hi Donna…I love everything. It’s all so beautiful! I really like those antique pots with the Petunias!
This pots are special as they were found at 2 different antique stores about 20 miles apart…they are not a perfect match in color but they are so very close.
I enjoyed seeing your lovely blooms and fresh looking foliage. Summer has arrived! Congratulations on your 200th post, and also congratulations to you on your coming retirement!
Thanks so much Dorothy…glad you enjoyed the garden.
beautiful blooms and foliage Donna, I love your irises, your antique planters are lovely and look very pretty with their little mauve flowered plants, the lilac and ninebark are both beautiful, does the lilac have a nice perfume,
I too have been spending a lot of time in the garden isn’t it just wonderful, long may it last, Frances
Thanks Frances…the antique planters do well with the petunia all summer without much fuss. The lilac has a great scent. Indeed the garden is wonderful as I play in it as often as possible. Glad you are getting lots of time in yours.
That Crystal Palace clematis is amazing!
Thanks Kathy…It has a special spot in the front garden.
I think Crystal Fountain has just made my list! What a beautiful clematis. And I can’t wait to read your post on twinleaf. I know this plant must be so very interesting. All your flowers are looking – well, wonderful. I hope the monarchs flock to it!
I hope the monarchs flock to our milkweed too….you will love crystal fountain…very unusual as it starts to bloom and then as it fades it continues to be interesting..
Congratulations on the 200th post, Donna! I have to keep learning that lesson, too–it’s a continuous process. Thanks for collaborating. (That Ninebark shrub is incredible!)
I have so enjoyed our collaboration Beth….the ninebark are really stunning this year…must be all the snow 🙂
Congratulations on your 200th Donna! The clematis is very pretty with so many flowers!
Cathy the clematis are very prolific this year…some have not even begun to bloom and I look forward to their many blooms.
Your garden is spectacular. Great to see all the beautiful June blooms.
Thanks so much Carver!!
Beautiful shots. You have a marvellous garden. The clematis and poppies are gorgeous!
So glad you enjoyed them Karen!
Congratulations on your 200th post Donna, and I was there from the beginning. June is certainly bustin out all over at gardens eye view. We have the Aquilegia Nora Barlow, but what about that ‘Bordeaux Barlow, looks very interesting indeed.
You have been here from the beginning Alistair and I have greatly appreciated your support and friendship. I hope to continue for many more years bringing my ‘gardens eye view’ to many wonderful readers. The red barlow is rare and the seed will be harvested for scattering around the garden.
I envy you your beautiful and varied garden! So many lovely plants and photos.
Oh thank you so much Vicki…it keeps me hopping.
Beautiful blooms! I’m jealous of your poppy. A late freeze killed my poppy last year, I really miss it.
Amy
Oh Amy that is too bad. It has taken a few years for the poppies to grow in and now they are certainly taken a short-lived center stage.
Donna, congrats on your 200th post. I love all the pretty flowers, what a lovely post. The clematis is one of my favorites. Gorgeous photos! Have a happy week!
Thanks Eileen…my flowers have been so exceptional this year with all the snow and rain.
Your garden is delightfully full of color! No wonder you enjoy it!
I have tried to be more controlling of the color and make it work by design principles and then nature takes over and does an even better job…glad you enjoyed it too Betty!
Everything looks great Donna. Love the salmon poppy. Congratulations on your 200th post.
Susie
Thanks Susie…I love the color of the poppy as well and it fits so well in the front garden.
Your garden looks wonderful, Donna. Your poppy is beautiful. My favorite is your Crystal Fountain – stunning!
Thanks Beth. The clematis is very unusual and sometimes blooms again less fancy in the fall.
Congratulations on 200 posts Donna! That is quite the milestone! Your irises are beautiful in this post and I like the simple planting in the antique pots. The weigela is interesting. I have seen differing shade of pink and red, a combination of white and pink and white flowers, but never the white and rose of your shrub. It is really very pretty.
I actually have 2 of these shrubs and wish I could find the name as it is so unusual and pretty…glad you enjoyed the post!
I would love to plant some common milkweed, just for the fragrance. I do have butterflyweed, swamp and purple milkweed. No caterpillars yet, though!
Jason I would love to save some seed and send it to you if you would like some. Let me know. We are very absent butterflies due to cold and wet cycle we keep having.
Your photos are incredible Donna. I quite fancy Oriental Poppies as they remind me of my grandparents back garden. The orange one you have shown here is beautiful.
Thank you so much Don. I am sure that poppy will have lots of seeds if you ever want any.
I do love all the flowers coming into bloom at this time of year. The spiderworts in my garden are just starting to hit their stride. Last weekend, I dug up a plastic bagful of them that had self-sowed in inconvenient places (like the middle of the wood-chip walkway!) and gave them to my neighbor who had expressed a desire to add them to her garden. In my garden, they are perfectly happy to grow in full sun and in dry sandy soil, and they self-sow like crazy. But I’m always happy to have more of them — and, like you, I love to see what colors the new seedlings will be.
I wish I had neighbors who appreciated flowers and not just lawn and bushes. I have so many plants I could give away.
I have to come and visit your garden one day. How lovely they all look…that salmon color poppy is amazing. And that red-flower also. It seems everyone has garden based on color theme. My garden is then multi-color theme :-).
I have written a post for your meme. Do you have any widgets or whatever they are called (like Nature Notes have) that I need to click? Please let me know.
No widgets just leave the url for the post on the Seasonal Celebrations post. I would love to have you come and visit. I have a couple of color themes, but mostly there is a multitude of color everywhere.
This is the happy time with all those beautiful colors! I really like the petunia pots, great idea to just put in one plant, it looks perfect!
It is indeed a happy time Elaine. Glad you enjoyed the petunias.
Your gardens are always an inspiration…just lovely!
How nice of you to say so Karen!
WOOW! 200th is awesome, congratulations on that one. “Your gardens are always an inspiration…just lovely!”
Indeed, very lovely..
Thank you Recardo!
Lots blooming for you Donna, although I see water drops on several plants. The excess rain is keeping my potted annuals in a holding pattern but perennials in the garden don’t seem to mind it.
I am so far behind in visiting posts, writing and pretty much everything! I’ve decided I better sit down and get some work done today, even though it is sunny with blue skies for a change.
Judith
Same here Judith. Today is a great sunny day finally after too many inches of rain. But the garden is too wet so I am indoors with windows open catching up on reading and writing as I took a couples of days off. Enjoy your sun!
You are a wonderful garden mentor for me as I have gained more confidence in what I do..I have not seen a single monarch…sad….Michelle
Thank you Michelle…non here either but a few swallowtails coming through…too cool and too wet. I hope we see the monarch as my common milkweed blooms…won’t that be a wonderful synchronicity.
Donna-Congratulations on your 200th post! Your gardens are beautiful and the Clematis and Poppies are picture perfect! I always enjoy visiting your gardens. Happy GBBD!
Thanks so much Lee!!
How lovely that your200th post is a celebration of so many wonderful plants. The planters look beautiful planted up so simply, but it is that first Iris that has stolen my heart – what is it, I’ve never seen one such a pale lilac before. Oh or is that the native later on, it looks different somehow.
Thanks Janet. The first picture is of 2 different Siberian iris. I have long since lost the names but there are so many varieties that are sold now, and I have several. They bloom so prolifically.
simply beautifully captured shots…lovely!
Thank you Kalyan…glad you visited!
Every visit to your garden feels like an anniversary but Happy 200th – I learn a lot too from you especially about non-natives!!! Will remember the mono planting idea as get carried away with trio combos. That’s one of the best looking Weigelas and though I prefer small headed clematis your Crystal Fountain had me gasping with delight. Look forward to many more posts – keep digging dirt Donna 🙂
Thanks Laura I will…your photography has inspired me to keep learning as well.
I love it all and the Spiderwort is abundant here in east central Texas , also.
Lucky you Randy to have spiderwort!
I’m glad to know that dirt under the fingernails is nourishing–I must be very healthy then:) Your photos are stunning, but I especially like the image of the milkweed. Having grown up thinking of it as a weed, I’ve learned, too, how important it is for the Monarchs. I have a packet of seeds I’ve waited to plant; I hope it’s not too late.
Lovely clematis! I’ve looked at this one longingly on catalogs before, but your photo shows it even more lovely than the catalogs.
Congratulations on your 200th post and coming retirement! Retirement means more time for gardening!
Absolutely Rose more time for gardening. You will love that clematis if you grow it. I think they say to wait until fall to plant the milkweed seed as it likes a period of cold.
Such beauty and interest going on in your June garden. You make a really good point about the antique planters needing nothing more than a simple silvery purple petunia — classic and pretty and simple. I love that red Barlow columbine. I have Black Barlow, which looks just the same but a deep wine purple. They’re unusual columbines.
Love all the emerging plants you have! (my John Clayton honeysuckle did not make it — gardener’s own fault I think — so I like seeing yours. I might try again.)
Thanks Laurrie. Yes the dark barlows are very different but I do enjoy them. You should try John Clayton again. I love its long blooming ways and yellow color.
Beautiful Donna! I have that same Iris. I do not know the name either. It was given to me by a neighbor. Just love it. Your Crystal Fountain Clematis is stunning! Milkweed has volunteered in my garden, too. Out front, right in the sidewalk crack in the center of the entry. I leave it be.
Oh Kathy I love it that you have left the milkweed…that is truly the mark of a caring wildlife gardener.
Congrats on your 200th post, a substantial milestone! Lovely foliage in your June garden too.
Thanks Pam…glad you enjoyed the foliage flaunt!
Thank you for visiting my blog. I was thrilled to find that you are both an organic gardener *and* someone who favors native plants. For me, native habitat restoration and organic vegetable gardening/orcharding go hand in hand. I’m looking forward to more of your gorgeous, inspiring photographs. Cheers!
You are much too kind. I adore your blog, your sense of family and your sense of humor. I have been rebuilding my garden into more of a wildlife habitat here in the suburbs surrounded by non-native bushes and grass from neighbors. I hope to inspire them with using less chemicals and more natives. We shall see how that works, but I am stubborn. I hope you enjoy your visits to my blog and I look forward to reading your blog…I already subscribed 🙂
Donna, As always, your photos are simply wonderful. While I love flowers, I am drawn to the foliage of the Diablo ninebark. I’ve been toying with the idea of adding one to my garden but am concerned about foliage fade. Does the color hold true during the entire growing season?
I believe it does hold up Debbie. I will post a picture of it for July Bloom Day, late summer and fall as well…and then you can judge for yourself. This year they are growing quite a bit and they flowered quite a bit too.