By June, the garden is at its peak with new foliage, many flowering perennials and shrubs.
For those with well drained soil, flowers like Alliums are popping up fleetingly. The large heads of Allium aflatunense Purple Sensation will grow to about 75cm tall. A sun loving shrub is Cistus purpureus Alan Fradd which has semi evergreen leaves and lovely pure white flowers with red blotches at the base of each petal. Growing to about 1m in height and width it is a good shrub for summer.
Those with heavier damp soil, have a look out for Aruncus. This is a large perennial growing to 1m in width and has tall spires of feathery Astilbe like cream flowers. It will grow in any heavy wet soil in sun or light shade.
If you have average soil, neither well drained nor heavy clay then a lovely easy shrub for early summer are Weigelas. They grow in any situation in sheltered or exposed positions and provide many pink or red flowers in early summer. If the shrub becomes too large, cut back after flowering to ensure new growth for next year as it flowers on wood from the previous year.
Maintenance jobs to do in the garden in June include pruning Cherry trees. However as the trees are in leaf it is more difficult than pruning a tree in winter as the shape is difficult to see. It is best not to do this in winter as cuts can develop canker. Prune any shrubs that have just finished flowering.
Plant seeds or summer salads and vegetables that mature fast, like lettuce, radishes and carrots. If you have grown leeks or broccoli from seed, plant them into their final positions in June or early July.
If you would like to visit gardens for ideas, I suggest you look out for gardens open under the National Gardens Scheme where all proceeds go to charities including Marie Cure Cancer Care and Macmillan Cancer Support.
150 Barrel Well Hill in Chester is open on 25th and 26th June with a superb terraced garden overlooking the river Dee with a stream running through the bog garden and huge variety of flowering plants. The Old Cottage at Frodsham is open on 4th and 5th June with a large organic, wildlife friendly garden with herbaceous borders and pond.