June in the Northern Hemisphere 2020

[cohan]

I try to grow many seedlings of any species I sow, then plant out numerous individuals in various beds, to see what works... Of course I have fewer tags than plants, and not organised enough to make maps The theory is that as the plants grow, the named ones will let me id the tagless, but there are occasional (?) confusions and surprises if the plants that thrive are not the ones that had tags!
Case in point a couple of Erysimum I sowed a few years ago, and in the spot I remembered planting them, nothing lived-- then plants flowered last year and this in spots I did not remember planting them, but which must be those Erysimums-- the name choices (the seed I sowed) are pulchellum and kotschyanum, but googling has not so far helped me decide which or both I have surviving... the larger plant is sadly a flea beetle magnet, but has held on better than a few other Brassicaceae they have eaten here
1- Erysimum sp Viola elegantula (or hybrid therof) and Rhodiola rosea behind, etc
2-Erysimum sp having a conversation with Erigeron compositus

Then there are suprises of other sorts-- this Silene flowered this year, and I can't find any record of my having sown anything like that-- all my known Silenes are very different, so I assume it must have been a stray seed with Alpestris or something... (slightly better photos of it at the blog link below, I didn't want to exactly repeate..)
3-Gypsophila repens with mystery Silene
4-Saponaria lutea with mystery Silene
For more blab and photos on the subjects, you can look here:
https://cohanmagazine.blogspot.com/2020/06/garden-surprises.html

[kris]

Some pictures from garden from the last two weeks .
Penstemon paysionorum
Campanula chamissonis
Cypripedium parviflorum

[ruweiss]

Two plants for hot and dry places, insects love them
Ballota acetaulosa has small flowers, but I like the interesting habit

[Gabriela]

Some pictures from garden from the last two weeks .
Cypripedium parviflorum

That's an impressive Cypripedium clump Kris!

[Knud]

It's July 1, I know, and of course, Happy Day Canadians, but this Moltkia has bloomed nicely for most of June, so I post it here. I think it is an M. petrea, sowed many years ago from SRGC seed, but label gone with the birds. It spent until last year in a pot, and kept me wondering what this funny looking dwarf shrub was. I am glad I didn't throw it out as a weedling.

[Mariette]

Certainly wise to keep it till flowering - the blue flower looks wonderful!

This plant  flowered already in June, too, but will flower for some more weeks to come.



It was already in the garden when we bought the house 36 years ago, and I wonder how it found itīs way into this otherwise botanically utterly uninteresting spot. Vincetoxicum nigrum is certainly not at home in this part of the world.

[Hoy]

Trond--I knew you were in the subtropics
 some, not all, of the Semps are flowering here now, too..
...

Cohan you are right! Or more accurate, you were right! June was the warmest June ever (that is 120 years) and the sea here at my summerhouse reached 22C before it plummeted to 15C yesterday after heavy rain (35mm during the night).

Semps and Sedums are in full flower. Here is S anglicum.

[cohan]

Kris-- I have to agree with Gabriela-- nice Cyps! nice blue Penst too...

Rudy-- interesting plants, the Origanum looks as though it is in motion, the Ballota has interesting texture..

Knud-- just a regular day off for me, no special celebrations--lots of rain so I suppose that made it tricky for those trying for picnics or parties in this part of the country.... always good to be patient with unknown plants...lol

Mariette--interesting plant, the flowers look just like those of some tender succulent Asclepiads.

Trond-- how warm does the air have to be for the ocean to reach 22C? mostly cool and wet here.. there have been very few days this year when I have not needed a heater at least in the morning or later night... we had 2 days this month that reached 25 or more (28 or so once), and three nights over 9C (in Rocky anyway, probably similar here).

[Mariette]

Yes, Vincetoxicum nigrum is an interesting plant - though hailing from Southern Europe, itīs competely hardy not only here, but also in parts of Canada and USA, where it has become invasive. In my garden, I found only few self-sown seedlings over these many years.

[Hoy]

......................

Trond-- how warm does the air have to be for the ocean to reach 22C? mostly cool and wet here.. there have been very few days this year when I have not needed a heater at least in the morning or later night... we had 2 days this month that reached 25 or more (28 or so once), and three nights over 9C (in Rocky anyway, probably similar here).

Cohan, when the sun is shining almost 20 hours/day, the day temperature is close to 30 and the night temperature is close to 20 for a couple weeks, then it doesn't take long before the surface water warms up to 20C or more. It is not the open ocean though and it is only the surface water (down to about 1m) that quickly warms up like this. When wind and rain come the warm layer disappear (mixes with the colder bottom water).

Here is a photograph showing the fjords here, rather small bodies of water that need to be heated! My summerhouse is down there, about in the middle of the pic 1/3 from the top.




Found some nice herb-paris (Paris quadrifolia) today. Not all of them can count. The blue berries seem to be ripe soon.

[ruweiss]

Cohan, many thanks for your comment. I love all species of Origanum, they are magnets
for the insects.

[cohan]

Cohan, when the sun is shining almost 20 hours/day, the day temperature is close to 30 and the night temperature is close to 20 for a couple weeks, then it doesn't take long before the surface water warms up to 20C or more. It is not the open ocean though and it is only the surface water (down to about 1m) that quickly warms up like this. When wind and rain come the warm layer disappear (mixes with the colder bottom water).
Here is a photograph showing the fjords here, rather small bodies of water that need to be heated! My summerhouse is down there, about in the middle of the pic 1/3 from the top.

nice view-- we only had one day near 30... most of the time we have not got above low 20's and often below 20 daytime, nights are never anywhere near that warm... mid-teens nights only happen once or twice a year, at most.. we are a little over 16 hrs 40 mins of sun...

[cohan]

Cohan, many thanks for your comment. I love all species of Origanum, they are magnets
for the insects.

 I need to try some.. I'd like to try some fragrant Labiatae  near some Brassicaceae that are bothered by flea beetles, supposed to discourage them, but need the right size species to try..

[Tristan_He]

Ajuga lupulina. This strange looking and beautiful Chinese bugle reminds me of a miniature Rheum nobile, but is much easier to grow! It is easy and undemanding for me in sandy well-drained soil in the rockery in full sun. The bracts should colour up a bit.

These came from ChineseAlpines - I will donate seed to the exchange if possible but unfortunately it does not usually set a great deal.

[cohan]

(Attachment Link)

Ajuga lupulina. This strange looking and beautiful Chinese bugle reminds me of a miniature Rheum nobile, but is much easier to grow! It is easy and undemanding for me in sandy well-drained soil in the rockery in full sun. The bracts should colour up a bit.

These came from ChineseAlpines - I will donate seed to the exchange if possible but unfortunately it does not usually set a great deal.

cool one! My first thought was that it reminds me of Castilleja...