I am joining Jim at Garden Ruminations for the weekly ‘Six on Saturday’ meme, where we are invited to share six things garden-related.
Well, first of all the St John’s Wort is beginning to flower, which normally doesn’t open until on or before St. John’s Day, the 24th. This plant is always the signal for me that summer has arrived, so despite a few chilly days recently it seems summer is here.
The peonies are fading, and only the scent of a few of the dishevelled petals remains. But now the Centranthus are providing colour in the Oval Bed. I always forget how much I love them until they appear.
Another sign of summer in my garden is the first Heliopsis to open in The ‘Edge. This one is aptly called ‘Sommersonne’ (summer sun)…
The tall Campanula lactiflora ‘Pritchard’s Variety’ in the Moon Bed is bulking up nicely although it does have a bit of blackfly this year due to the damp weather I suppose. It is at least two weeks earlier than last summer.
And this beautiful Lavatera has opened in the Butterfly Bed. I wasn’t sure it would be hardy enough for our winters, but after moving it around a bit I think it has finally got established here. It is supposed to be ‘Barnsley’ – but I am glad it is a darker shade of pink than expected.
In the Herb Bed the Echinacea paradoxa has opened. This is only its second year and it has loads of flower heads on it this year. What’s more, I have detected a very faint but wonderful scent to the fully open flowers. 😁
(More on the Herb Bed in another post soon!)
Are you seeing signs of summer in your garden yet? What signifies the change from spring to summer for you?
That’s my Six for today. Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!
Words and Herbs 
Lucky you – it’s still March here!
Lovely to see your garden though 🙂
We have had some really cool days – and rain of course – but overall the garden is ahead. And next week should get hot!
I love the mix of lavatera and geranium flowers! (Butterflies too, I’m sure.)
Sadly very few butterflies… the extreme rain a couple of weeks ago must have finished them off. Hopefully there will be more again soon.
Lovely flowers, everything feels a bit slowed down here. For me summer comes in June despite the weather. I enjoy Spring the most and summer a close second. I love the long day-light hours.
Yes, I love being able to be outside longer in summer. Just hope we don’t get more mosquitoes this year after all this rain!
Beautiful plants in combination! This is the week that we are going to feel like “summer ” for the first time. I often joke that in my climate we don’t have seasons, only winter and July. Well, July is coming a little early this year, but as a gardener, I will take it! My only (slight ) concern is that after years–literally–of above average moisture, we have suddenly become a little dry. At the moment it’s fine of course. I would hate to see it for the whole summer.
The weather goes in cycles here too, with some years dry and others exceptionally wet. We had quite a few dry years in a row, but this year’s rain has at least given all our trees and shrubs an extra boost!
Yes, all our wet years made it look like we lived in a tropical rain forest! Quite a bonus for the woody plants and even some perennial things!
😃
Your garden is really popping. I had to chuckle at the comment a reader made about always having winter. Here we mostly have summer. I declare summer when the temperature reaches 80f or 26c. This year it was at the end of February. Many of my plants bloomed a bit earlier this year.
26°C is hot for us! They have forecast a day in the thirties this week… I will be indoors with a cold drink! LOL!
Lots of beautiful flowers – your garden looks wonderful. I’ve only ever seen St John’s Wort in bottled/capsule form before in health food shops – it’s nice to the real life plant in flower!
It is quite common as a garden weed here and at the roadsides everywhere. 😃
Echinacea is another plant that I cannot grow! I bought another one last October but no sign of it this year. Like you I have not seen any butterflies this year with the exception of a couple of whites a few weeks ago. Not many bees this week either.
I have good and bad years with Echinacea, since the slugs like their fresh tender leaves when they emerge. I do now have quite a few though.
It is very interesting that so many of your flowers are blooming ahead of time. Much needed rain has finally come to Florida…summer is our rainy season.
I think it was all the rain and a very warm spell in early spring. I do not envy you a summer in Florida – the heat and humidity would not suit me!
Such a delicate bloom on the Echinacea.
And the fragrance is an added bonus. 😃
It looks like summer there! We’re experiencing our first round of summer temperatures here today as the marine layer that keeps us cool had already backed off at our elevation by 6:30am (instead of early to mid afternoon). I love your butterfly bed.
So your summer has arrived too. You have had a good spring with plenty of rain, so I wonder what summer will have in store for you…. more rain? 😆
The garden is coming along and looking gorgeous. Do you think all the rain made the flowers bloom early? Remind me what is chilly again? LOL
I think it was a combination of things – mild nights (i.e. above 8°C ish) all through May, and an early warm spell followed by more rain. But we have just had a very cool couple of nights with 7°C one night. That is chilly for June! Our usual overnight temperatures in summer are between 12 and 18°C.
Wow, I just converted the 7, that is chilly. I think sometimes the flowers like that.
Summer seems to be advancing here as well, about 10-14 earlier than average. Even though you are showcasing individual flowers, I am taken by your beautiful combinations, gorgeous!
Thank you Eliza! I wish it was June for the next three months! LOL!
Same here! Heat wave coming this week, ugh.
Love the Campanula and the Lavatera! You certainly have a beautiful garden. Happy Six!
Thanks Beth. The Campanula looks so lovely in the evening light. 😃
Is Saint John’s wort Hypericum perforatum? It is supposedly invasively naturalized here, but I have never seen it. Nor have I seen Hypericum anagalloides and Hypericum scouleri, which are native. I would guess that Hypericum beanii and Hypericum calycinum are naturalized, since those are the only two species that I see growing wild. Hypericum calycinum is particularly invasive. It lives in a few of our landscapes, and we can not get rid of it. A large colony of it lives right outside here.
Yes, H. perforatum is the native that grows wild and I have one in my herb bed. I don’t know any of those you mentioned, but many different varieties are sold in nurseries here.
Gosh, I jad forgotten how tall that campanula grows! It looks especially striking next to the lavatera, or perhaps it is the other way round! I am not sure I knew thee there was such a thing as a yellow echinacea – it clearly does well for you. Not sure about summer – I still think May and June ought to have a season of their own!
That is a good idea having a separate season – although in the phenological calendar they do. May/apple blossom season is ‘full spring’ and elderflower season is ‘early summer’. Next will be ‘full summer’ when the lime (linden) trees flower.
Your beds are looking fantastical established now and full of goodies! I’ve been tossing up buy a couple of barnsleys, but have been worried about losing them quickly. It was good to see your darker strain doing so well.
Thanks Allison! It took a few attempts to find the right spot for the Lavatera. By the way, I have Althaea cannabina just behind it… a plant I saw on your blog first I believe! 😃
I have an E. paradoxa cross that’s been crossed with something else a few times…it looks great mixed in with the more typical E. purpurea. Lots of colour for you right now eh? Beautiful!!
Oh, how interesting that E. paradoxa crossed with something. Yes, very colourful now and I am loving it all! 😃
Cathy, I’ve been a Words and Herbs groupie from the start. Your garden beds are lovely in design and color. I enjoy peering in at the latest plant on display.
The biggest seasonal transition for us is a heatwave. The temperatures shoot up, the plants wilt, and many annuals decide to throw in the towel. My sweet peas are done, and today, I removed about 90% of the nigella. Onward. Thanks for sharing so much beauty.
Thanks Alys. It is sad when one season fades, but then you know there will be something else flowering soon, like your gardenias for example. Your sweet peas and Nigella were fabulous. Does your Nasturtium last throughout your summers?
Your garden looks so beautiful. I loved the different colors.
Thank you Snapdragon! 😃
The only transition from Spring to summer seems to be the lighter evenings when the clocks change. We have many flowers throughout the winter and ito Spring through to summer.
I like the Lavatera. I’d love to grow one but I don’t have enough space.
The Lavatera is actually a very slim plant. It doesn’t take up much room at all! 😉