June is such a lovely “in-between” garden month. We had our first warm summer day at the end of May! Everything is growing fast, flowers are opening and we can work or enjoy sitting in the garden.
Tiles and Fences
After pollen season, rain, and spring algae, tiles and fences can start to look dull or green. This year for me, there was actually a blessing in disguise. Due to my broken wrist, I couldn’t clean the tiles myself, but my grandson stepped in and cleaned them with a pressure washer.
The fence was built last year so fortunately it is not a big job; these are the simple steps I use
- brushing away algae and dirt
- using warm water with mild soap
- checking for loose boards or peeling paint
- adding a fresh stain or protective oil on dry days
Borders
A classic June job is to support tall plants before they flip over. Like dahlias, delphiniums, peonies and climbing roses. You can use natural-looking bamboo-supports or discreet plant rings.
Watch out for slugs and aphids, check young plants regularly, and remove aphids with water spray. I save my eggshells, crush them in a mortar, and scatter them around my hostas. The sharp edges may help deter slugs from feasting on the leaves. (it is a home remedy so don’t shoot the messenger if it does not help 😉).
Remove spent flowers from rhododendrons and wisteria.
Once the flowers have faded, gently remove the spent blooms from your rhododendrons. This helps the plant put its energy into healthy growth rather than seed production.
Wisteria also benefits from a little attention after flowering. Trim back the long, whippy shoots that appear after blooming, leaving about five or six leaves on each shoot. This helps keep the plant under control and encourages a better display of flowers next year.
While you’re working in the border, it’s also a good opportunity to deadhead other spring-flowering plants and remove any damaged or yellowing leaves.
I always find this one of those satisfying garden jobs that only takes a few minutes but makes the whole border look cared for and fresh again. 🌿💜
Refresh your outdoor seating area
- Time to wash your outdoor seating cushions,
- Clean lanterns or add lights in another way
- Stain wooden screens, garden sheds, and furniture.
- Add plants to your outdoor tables or style a small tray with herbs or flowers
Find more information about How to set the table outside here
Pots and Planters
Repaint old pots and give them a fresh planting.
This red pelargonium is planted on its own because it needs quite a bit of attention. For larger pots and planters, however, I like to follow a simple design rule that always creates a balanced and attractive display:
The Thriller
Place one tall plant at the back (for a pot against a wall) or in the center (for a pot that can be viewed from all sides).
The Fillers
Add three to five medium-height plants around the Thriller to create fullness and color.
The Spillers
Plant trailing varieties along the edge of the pot so they can gracefully spill over the sides.This “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” combination is an easy way to create containers that look lush and professionally designed all summer long.
By June, many containers need extra nutrition. So liquid feed once a week or add slow-release fertilizer or refresh the top layer of potting soil.
Prune
I made a blog about that
Trim your hedges before the longest day
Why and how you have to trim your hedges before the longest day.
Order
June is when I start thinking beyond today’s blooms. While enjoying the alliums and geraniums, I like to order a few bulbs, perennials, or garden accessories that will keep the garden looking beautiful in the months—and even seasons—to come. I think spring bulbs, dahlia’s for late summer, anemones and climbing plants.
Bonus Tips
To make life a little easier, I’ve put together a table with the Latin, Dutch, and English names of the plants mentioned in this blog.
| Latin Name | Dutch Name | American English Name |
| Allium | Sierui | Ornamental Onion / Allium |
| Amsonia | Amsonia | Blue Star |
| Anemone | Anemoon | Anemone |
| Astrantia major | Zeeuws knoopje | Masterwort |
| Baptisia | Valse indigo | False Indigo |
| Dahlia | Dahlia | Dahlia |
| Delphinium | Ridderspoor | Delphinium |
| Eryngium | Kruisdistel | Sea Holly |
| Euphorbia | Wolfsmelk | Spurge |
| Geranium (hardy) | Ooievaarsbek | Hardy Geranium / Cranesbill |
| Hosta | Hosta | Hosta / Plantain Lily |
| Melica | Parelgras | Melic Grass / Melica Grass |
| Monarda | Bergamotplant | Bee Balm |
| Paeonia lactiflora | Pioenroos | Peony |
| Papaver orientale (and other Papaver species) | Klaproos / Oosterse papaver | Poppy / Oriental Poppy |
| Pelargonium | Geranium / Pelargonium | Geranium |
| Petunia | Petunia | Petunia |
| Rhododendron | Rododendron | Rhododendron |
| Rosa | Roos | Rose |
| Rudbeckia fulgida | Zonnehoed (gele) | Black-eyed Susan |
| Wisteria sinensis / Wisteria floribunda | Blauwe regen | Wisteria |
- If you want to visit a beautiful park in this time of the year, check here
- Want to know more about Piet Oudolf, check here
- De Vlinderhof in Utrecht has a beautiful site, check here
These are the things to do in the garden now. Enjoy working in the garden in June!
