Our Top Picks For June

June! Summer is tantalizingly close and the garden is growing like crazy. June is often a transition period when the late-spring flowers are petering out and the true summer flowers are just beginning to unfurl. Although there are plenty of blooms to be had, don’t forget about spectacular summer foliage for both sun and shade as well. Foliage plants can fill in, stand out, or act as backdrops in the summer garden. Here are a few of our favorite plants - both flowers and foliage - for the month of June.

Coleus

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Coleus isn’t for the faint of heart! A myriad of intense colors and patterns mark the leaves of these annual plants. With varieties for sun or shade, they make a great edging plant and a great filler for colorful containers. Pictured above: Florida Sun™ Coleus in ‘Rose’.

  • Full sun to part shade, depending on variety

  • Fertile, well-drained soil

  • 12”-36’ tall and wide, depending on variety

  • Blooms are insignificant and may be pinched off to highlight foliage

  • Great for containers!

 

Delphinium

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Towering spires of romantic, frilled flowers above abundant green foliage make delphiniums a favorite. The most common shades are deep blue or purple, but other colors, such as this ‘Highlander Cha Cha’ variety with pale lavender flowers, are available as well.

  • Full sun

  • Well-drained soil

  • 15”-60” tall and 12”-24” wide, depending on variety

  • Blooms in early summer and sometimes again in late summer/early fall

 

Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

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A favorite for hanging baskets and containers, Sweet Potato Vine is an easy, versatile annual plant. Foliage color ranges from chartreuse to deep purple or bronze. Pictured above is ‘Marguerite’, a chartreuse-leaved variety. Try mixing it with purple or orange flowers for a striking contrast.

  • Full sun to part shade

  • Well-drained soil

  • Trailing plant to 60” long

  • Foliage plant

  • Great for containers!

 

Astilbe

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If you are looking for brightly colored flowers for shady conditions, Astilbe is a great option. This perennial has showy flower stalks and beautiful, deeply-cut foliage. Colors range from pink to red and white. Great for the woodland garden and any areas that stay moist. Deer and slug resistant! Pictured: ‘Vision in Pink’.

  • Part sun to shade

  • Evenly moist soil

  • 6”-36” tall and wide, depending on variety

  • Blooms early to mid-summer

 

Astrantia

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Astrantia is a long-blooming perennial with neat, mounded foliage. The delicate starburst flowers appear on stalks above the foliage and range from deep pink to silvery white. A great plant for the part-shade border. Combines especially well with Astilbe, ferns, and hostas. Pictured: ‘Star of Royals’.

  • Sun to part shade

  • Moist soil with plenty of compost

  • 12”-24” tall and wide, depending on variety

  • Blooms June-August

 

Hosta

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The ultimate foliage plant for shady gardens. Hostas are remarkably diverse in color, pattern, and leaf shape. Delicate flowers emerge on tall stalks in the summer but the foliage of these perennial plants is really the show. Hosta grows well with ferns and bleeding hearts. This variety is called ‘Loyalist’.

  • Part shade to shade

  • Moist, well-drained soil

  • under 6”-48” tall and up to 96” wide, depending on variety

  • Blooms in summer

 

Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium)

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The summer garden isn’t complete without geraniums. Classic zonal geraniums like these pictured above are a workhorse of the summer garden, blooming consistently until frost. With a wide variety of colors to choose from, geraniums can fit into any garden palette.

  • Full sun

  • Well-drained soil; let dry between waterings

  • 5”-24” tall and 12”-15” wide, depending on variety

  • Blooms May-frost

  • Great for containers!

 

Hakuro Nishiki Variegated Willow

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This deciduous shrub is a moderate grower with an open, and graceful habit. Striking reddish-pink stems provide winter interest and in spring are covered in pink buds. The foliage is captivating: mottled with white, pink and green. Stunning!

  • Full sun to part shade

  • Well-drained soil; water regularly

  • 180”-240” tall and 72”-120” wide, with pruning

  • Spring blooms (catkins) linger until fall

 

Kalmia

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A great, slow-growing shrub with glossy green leaves and bright flowers spring to early summer. This plant makes a nice shrub border or informal hedge. Flowers attract butterflies and bees! ‘Bullseye’, shown above, grows 4’-6’ tall and wide.

  • Part sun to part shade

  • Well-drained, acidic soil

  • Up to 96” tall and wide, depending on variety

  • Blooms May-June

 

Perennial Geranium

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‘Rozanne’, pictured above, is probably the most recognizable of the perennial geraniums (also called cranesbill or hardy geraniums) and one of the most stunning. This long-blooming plant is covered with purple-blue blossoms all summer. Easy to care for and generally very forgiving of neglect!

  • Full sun to part shade

  • Fertile, well-drained soil; keep evenly moist

  • 12”-30” tall and wide, depending upon variety

  • Blooms June-September

We’d love to help you choose something perfect for your individual space, whether in person or on social media using #heyswansons!