June 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere

[GordonT]

A few shots from around the garden this morning: Rhododendron 'Mist Maiden' continues to put on a show.The original pink has faded to white now An exceptional bloom year for this young plant, we can hardly see the foliage for the flowers

Other plants have started to put on a show as well. Renkaku tree peony has set at least 13 buds, the first opened two days ago



In another garden, this unknown Androsace  species(our sole Androsace in the gardens) is making itself noticed, next to Lithodora 'Grace Ward'

More photos to follow.

[Cfred72]

Selection of Clematis integrifolia seedlings that have self sown around the garden..

Mike, they are really great your Clematis integrifolia. If you harvest some seeds, think of me. 

[Darren]

Echium wildpretii and one of the numerous bees it has attracted.

[ArnoldT]

I think it's interesting that Mike's Clematis integrifolia hasn't twisted petals and my plant  does.

An internet search shows both as the specific plant.  Wonder if it is weather related or just a variation within the species.

[Mike Ireland]

Mike, they are really great your Clematis integrifolia. If you harvest some seeds, think of me. 

Fred,
message me with your address & I'll send some seed when ready.

I had one dark blue form which I bought many years ago & they now seed around the garden.

Mike

[Mike Ireland]

I think it's interesting that Mike's Clematis integrifolia hasn't twisted petals and my plant  does.

An internet search shows both as the specific plant.  Wonder if it is weather related or just a variation within the species.

Arnold,

The seedlings vary in colour, flower size & also how far they open. All very interesting.

[ashley]

Echium wildpretii and one of the numerous bees it has attracted.

Very nice Darren.  Did it overwinter in the garden?
I have a nice batch of young plants ready to go out, and planned to give them sharp drainage by a south-facing wall.  However your picture suggests that they're perfectly happy with general border conditions.

[Darren]

It did overwinter Mike, yes. But we barely had any frost this winter. It might look like normal border soil but it is quite shallow and on top of fractured limestone so is very free draining. It does get exposed to cold North winds though, and the plant would have probably struggled in a colder winter.

E pininana was planted a few feet away but died suddenly last September after producing a woody trunk some six feet tall and was likely to flower this spring. It looked like it had trouble at the roots from early august onwards, then the leaves just collapsed. I have some seedlings so will be trying again. It is supposed to be hardier than wildpretii. We also have the much hardier E. russicum in this border.

[ashley]

Thanks Darren (or is that Pete ).  Here on deep alluvial soil I lose the odd pininana too, but most (>90%) overwinter even without improved drainage.  Echium onosmifolium haven't faced an Irish winter yet but are from seed collected at altitude so may be reasonably hardy provided they don't drown.   E. russicum is one I have yet to try.

[ruweiss]

Primulina liboense flowers in the Alpine House, thanks to the generous forumist
who gave me this beauty.
The unusual high temperatures (up to 33°C in the last time were ideal
for desert and steppe plants.

[ruweiss]

More pictures:

[Roma]

Some pictures from last week.  Before the rain.  We needed rain but now it's forgetting to stop.

[Roma]

Roscoea 'Harvington Evening Star' 
Roscoea humeana alba
Roscoea humeana alba seedlings

[Maggi Young]

So many reasons to envy you, Roma!  Lovely photos.

[Roma]

Thanks Maggi but I envy you your enclosed garden with no rabbits 
I forgot this one
Silene serpentinicola