The June 2024 Garden

So many garden joys!

How can I sum up the entirety of June in just one post?

I can’t. As it is, this post is too long for your email and I barely scratch the surface of the joys of June.

I wait and wait for gardening season to arrive. Here in Wisconsin, such a large chunk of the year is taken up by winter. Spring arrives in fits and starts and then BAM, here it is.

So much changes within the month of June. So much changes within a single day. A strawberry, white and unripe at breakfast, turns pink by lunchtime and has been stolen by a bird (or perhaps Fiona) by dinner.

June is a month of delights.

And as with all of life, I can only be present in this moment, savoring the little delights of right now. If I don’t pay attention, I’ll miss so much.

The garden is always in progress. Some things are thriving. Some are struggling. Some are past their prime. Some are just beginning to sprout. This, too, is a lot like life.

And I’m reminded, again, that it’s up to me what I choose to focus on.

So I thought for today, I’d share what’s bringing me the most joy in the garden this month.

An abundance of violas

Violas are one of my favorite plants to grow (and to paint!). I like to plant them in the holes in the cinder blocks of my raised beds. I love how they self-seed and it’s always a delight to discover the color and pattern combinations of the volunteers.

Some of my plants from last year survived through the winter and each time the snow melted flowers would appear. I don’t think I’ve ever had as many self-seeded violas as I do this year.

Such a gift.

Alliums

My mom dug the allium bulbs out of her herb bed last year because they were taking up too much space. She didn’t have a spot ready to plant them in her garden, so she offered them to me. I didn’t really have a spot ready for them, either, but tucked them in random places throughout the garden.

I’d forgotten I’d planted them and was delighted when they started to show up in the spring.

I’ve enjoyed watching the progression of the flowers. They added so much drama to the garden. And the bees loved them, too.

(And although my mom dug out and gave me MANY bulbs, she didn’t get them all and alliums showed up in her herb bed again this spring — Joy multiplied!).

Roses

When I lived in Cleveland I grew a lot of roses. When we moved to Wisconsin nearly 11 years ago, I researched hardier varieties and started adding roses as I created my new garden. By 2020 my collection had grown to 15 varieties.

Frustrated by constantly battling Japanese beetles (which have been getting worse each year), I’ve dug out all but three: The Poet’s Wife (David Austin), Snow Pavement (Rugosa) and Hansa (Rugosa).

The Poet’s Wife has never been as big or as filled with flowers as it is this year.

The flowers smell delicious and lemony.

I’m trying to savor every flower.

Martagon Lilies

When I ordered these lily bulbs from the catalog a few years ago, I didn’t realize how tiny the flowers would be.

But I think I love them even more for being little. They’re delicate and beautiful and the butterflies can’t resist.

Iris

The irises I planted in my Cleveland garden never did very well and eventually disappeared. Here, the iris growing in front of our house when we moved in never did very well and eventually disappeared.

I was convinced I couldn’t grow iris.

Then a few years ago one of my students sent me some iris tubers. I planted them and waited.

They grew.

And grew.

And last year they bloomed.

This year they returned with even more flowers.

The garden is a good teacher. And these irises have been good teachers, too. They’ve reminded me not to write myself off.

It’s a lesson I should have learned by now. After all, I spent years telling myself I wasn’t an artist and wasn’t good at art. I’m glad I stopped listening.

Garden visitors

One of my reasons for gardening is as a way to connect with nature. Another is to provide sanctuary and habitat for wildlife.

Watching for bees and birds and butterflies is one of my favorite ways of paying attention.

These garden visitors bring me so much joy.

I’m even raising caterpillars again this year.

So many garden joys!

I could go on and on, delighting in honeysuckle and bachelor buttons, feverfew and snap peas and never completely sum up the entirety of June.

Before I go, though, I thought I’d share a tour of my June garden. I haven’t done a garden tour video since last July. It’s about time!

I’d love to know what’s bringing you joy this month.