Saturday, June 15, 2024

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up June: A Long Island Garden Brings Joy!

Welcome!
Welcome! I must say that a garden brings joy. My favorite way to start or end the day is to sit outside on the patio with a cup of tea and appreciate all that nature has to offer. My garden has been a labor of love all my life, but especially over the past 28 years since the time my design career blossomed. My love of gardening on my own property and passion to help others continues to grow. Join me for a tour of my Long Island garden!
The Welcoming Committee!
As the official start of summer approaches, daytime temperatures have now reached into the upper 70's to low 80's with a slight breeze off the water to keep the days comfortable. The garden is thriving as there have been frequent rains over the past two months to keep the blooms coming and the plants happy. 
Baptisia and Roses!
To start our stroll, along the back patio is Baptisia 'Lemon Meringue' (False Indigo) Since I planted it just two years ago, this vigorous North American native has grown into a three foot high by wide plant loaded with bright yellow blooms above blue-green foliage. It thrives in this garden bed alongside Knock Out Rose 'Radrazz'. 
Kousa Dogwood 'Greensleeves'
One of my favorite spring bloomers is Kousa Dogwood 'Greensleeves'. This less often seen cultivar produces an abundance of white blooms with a greenish tint every spring. I was fortunate to come across it in the nursery years ago and am so happy it went home with me!
Patio Border
Along the patio border, the newly planted Acer palmatum 'Twombly's Red Sentinel' columnar Japanese Maple is doing well in its second season. Newly added Spirea 'Candy Corn', a dwarf form of Spirea known for its magnificent color joins it. Lamb's Ear (Stachys) also joins the mix!
Double Knock Out Rose (Red)
Along the southern facing fence border, Double Red Knock Out Rose is in full bloom...
Double Knock Out Rose (Pink)
while Double Pink Knock Out Rose blooms join it across the way.
Daylily 'Stella D Oro'
An often seen species of Daylily is Daylily 'Stella D Oro' and the reason is for its longer lasting blooms. I keep my blooming through fall with deadheading and rejuvenation.
Pool Border
Along the pool border, groundcover sedum seems to be blooming ahead of schedule this year. This is Sedum 'Angelina' (Stonecrop) along with Hinoki Cypress, Blue Globe Spruce, Dwarf Maiden Grass and Weeping White Pine. A statue of a young girl and kitty look over the garden.
Rhode Island Bed Japanese Maple
Here, back around in the patio border is Rhode Island Red Japanese Maple and Osmanthus (False Holly) 'Goshiki'. 'Greensleeves' Kousa Dogwood and Gold Lace Juniper can be seen in the backdrop.
Pool Surround
In the pool surround (southern side) the Golden Oriental Spruce that I planted at just five feet tall now highlights the back area. Weeping Norway Spruce, Sky Pencil Holly, Rhododendron and Skip Laurel join in to form this evergreen section of the garden.
Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar & Coral Bells
A favorite combination of mine is Heuchera (Coral Bells) 'Palace Purple' and 'Caramel' along with Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar in the backyard garden bed. The little bit of shade supplied from the weeping tree is just enough to create the ideal environment for the Coral Bells to thrive.
A Little Garden Whimsy
Here is a statue I bought myself a few years back and it is one of my favorites. It can be seen as we make our way around the island bed in the backyard. You may recall a giant Crape Myrtle resides in this bed along with a collection of evergreens, flowering shrubs and perennials. We will revisit this area in late summer as the Hydrangea and Crape Myrtle bloom.
Southern Pool Border
Follow along with me around the bend to the southern section of the property where Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake' and Nepeta 'Walkers Low' are in bloom. Rhododendron, Steeds Holly, Variegated Boxwood and Golden Yew join the mix.
Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake'
Here are the blooms of the Viburnum up close!
Driveway Border (East)
As we exit the backyard and head towards the front, the driveway border has an assortment of evergreens including 'Skyland's' Golden Oriental Spruce, Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Hinoki Cypress, Dwarf Norway Spruce and Boxwood.  Weigela and Nepeta accompany the evergreens.
Driveway Border (West)
On the opposite side of the driveway border is Weeping Norway Spruce, joined by Spirea 'Magic Carpet', Japanese Garden Juniper, Salvia 'Caradonna' and Japanese Iris.
Front Island Bed
In another view is Coral Bark Maple, Boxwood, Hosta and Variegated Liriope (Lilyturf).
Spirea Double Play 'Big Bang'
In the front main island bed, Spirea Double Play 'Big Bang' is all in bloom...
Front Lawn
and here is another view with Osmanthus 'Goshiki', Weeping Norway Spruce, and Heuchera (Coral Bells) with Weeping Japanese Maple and Blue Atlas Cedar in the backdrop along the front lawn.
Japanese Iris
A few Japanese Iris remain for Bloom Day...
Itoh Peony 'Bartzella'
and here is Peony 'Bartzella' from just a couple of weeks ago. Its blooms are magnificent but only last a short time from the end of May through the beginning of June. I wouldn't give it up for the world though, as I love this plant! Even the foliage is nice to look at well into the fall months.
Thank you for Visiting!
I hope you enjoyed your visit to my June garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and look forward to seeing what you have growing in your area. Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who had hosted Foliage Follow-Up, a meme I will continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Nature Notes at Rambling WoodsImage-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday, Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden

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Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2024. All rights reserved. 

30 comments:

  1. Thoroughly enjoyed your mid-June garden recap, Lee! Everything looks so lush and comfortably placed in each bed. Really, really nice! I think our spring weather has been so good to the gardens this year! Thank you for the walk through, and naming all the specimens. Happy gardening!

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    1. Thank you Rita! As always, your home is a delight for the senses. I love your new bistro table and chairs with umbrella, as they present such an inviting and welcoming touch. It makes me want to visit for a while and just sit and relax and take in the flowers. The gift from your friend is so pretty too and I have a feeling you are going to get attached to the one you are baby sitting!

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  2. Your 28 years of gardening really shows. Everything is so beautiful with so many blooms. Love your Baptisia, it is so bright and cheerful. The Peony is perfect, I can see why you love it.

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    1. Thank you so much Judy! It is a labor of love! Your garden wall and benches are so inviting, as are all your wonderful planters with colorful blooms! The stars of the show are your beautiful Hydrangea!

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  3. Lee, your garden is breathtaking at any time of the year, but this month it's specially so! Your evergreens are to die for, they set off the flowers so beautifully... and we share a love of so many of the same plants. I'm very partial to the 'Bartzella' peony too. Mine was spectacular in May, but is now way past its time. I'm now consoling myself by immortalizing one flower in a colored pencil drawing.

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    1. Your June garden is wonderful, especially your amazing Yucca blooms! I like your idea of Immortalizing the Peony bloom...clever!

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  4. The structure of your garden never ceases to impress me, Lee. I'm extremely envious of the peony and I love the small Japanese maple in your Rhode Island Bed.

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    1. I am in awe as always with your abundance of so many different types of blooms. The Leucospermum and Gazania rigens especially caught my attention for the month of June. It has been another wonderful visit to your little piece of paradise!

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  5. I always enjoy your Bloom Days because you have so many things I don't grow. Your Walker's Low is nice, mine needs some sort of care. I may move it, jostle it up a little!

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    1. Lisa-Your collection of Daylilies is especially beautiful and I love the captures of the Artichoke buds and Allium seed heads. Your Shasta Daisy are pretty too! Happy Bloom Day!

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  6. Beautiful!
    Hard to pick a favorite, but... the 'Greensleeves' Dogwood is absolutely gorgeous!
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

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    1. Hi Lea! You have so many beautiful blooms! I especially enjoyed your Balloon Flower and Elderberries! Happy Bloom Day!

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  7. Your yard is like a wonderful park, full of beautiful plants, shrubs, and trees… Michelle

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Michelle. It’s always a pleasure seeing you here. Your post on Robins was wonderful!

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  8. Your June garden is lovely. The Roses...yum! Happy almost solstice. :)

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    1. Thank you Beth. I am amazed by your collection of roses. I can see how you love them!

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  9. Lee, you can always relax in your garden, I understand that you like to sit in the evening with a cup of tea and admire the garden. I like the Double Red Knock rose, but as I already wrote to you here, it is not possible to buy it. I also love the edge of the pool with plants.

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    1. Thank you Nadezda. Your June garden is amazing! You may not be able to get Knock Out Roses, but your Calla Lily and Peony are gorgeous! Happy Bloom Day!

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  10. Amazing but love the 'welcoming committee' frogs with mugs.
    I visited you via Floral Friday Foto. My entry is numbered #11.
    Please join and share your posts with us https://esmesalon.com/tag/wordlesswednesday/

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  11. Everything is full June loveliness! I love the baptisa and the Weeping blue Atlas Cedar.

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    1. Thank you! I love your collection of cacti and succulents. The variegated Hercules is amazing!

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  12. What a lovely post ! You are truly blessed to have a garden which is not less than heaven. I am moved by the beauty of foliage plants and those roses. Thanks for sharing with Garden Affair.

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    1. Thank you Arun for your kind words and thank you for hosting. I am so happy for you that your heat is over and that you are getting some rain. The plants will appreciate it!

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  13. Beautiful...My blue indigo likes to spread......Michelle

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    1. Thank you for visiting Michelle, and I enjoyed your June post! Fortunately my Indigo is in a confined space, but it does get huge by early-summer.

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  14. Oh, wow! Your garden is stunning! I keep trying to garden but uh fail, epically. This is beautiful

    Ash @ Essentially Ash
    Want to follow me on Bookstagram, booktok, add my snapchat or check out my photography?

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    1. Thank you for visiting and for your kind words. Keep trying...I have made gardeners out of a lot of people!

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Thank you for visiting. I love reading your comments and knowing you have been here, and will try to reciprocate on your blog. If you have any questions I will try my very best to answer them. As always...HAPPY GARDENING!