Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up June: Welcome to my Long Island Garden!

Welcome!

Welcome to my zone 7b Long Island garden and I hope you enjoy your visit! The month of June has been the rainiest I can remember and the temperatures have been mostly in the upper 60's and low 70's, with the exception of a couple of days in the high 70's and just this week one day at 88 degrees, which felt like a heat wave! The foggy morning and evening skies and on and off showers have certainly delivered an abundance of moisture to the garden, hence all the plants have been thriving with lots of blooms. I find myself spending a lot of time in my own garden between working with clients, as being surrounded by plants brings on a feeling of peace and happiness. 

Itoh Peony 'Bartzella' in early June

As we start our stroll, let's take a moment to reflect back on just a week ago, with Itoh Peony 'Bartzella' along the patio border in full bloom. Their large yellow blooms are a sight to behold and last for only a short time, so I made sure to capture the moment. They are accompanied by Salvia 'May Night', which is still in full bloom.

Itoh Peony 'Bartzella'

Here is Peony 'Bartzella' up close. 'Bartzella' is a cross between a tree and herbaceous Peony, so its stems are sturdy and do not flop over with the weight of the flowers. I wish it would bloom longer than it does, but at least the foliage is attractive too!

Allium 'Globemaster'

Allium 'Globemaster' is in bloom poolside accompanied by Weeping Japanese Maple in the backdrop, and Spirea and Daylilies aside it.  This view is also from just a week ago before the blooms started to fade. 

Rhododendron 'Elegans'

The Rhododendrons had a wonderful season which I just had to share. This is a view from the end of May into the first week in June.

Patio Garden

Presently along the patio border is dwarf Spirea 'Candy Corn' now blooming, displaying its delicate rosy-pink clusters of flowers along with the spiked blooms of Lamb's Ear (Stachys). Balloon Flower (Platycodon 'Komachi') is starting to form buds and Echinacea 'Pow Wow' is starting to form its first flowers.

Patio Garden: Spirea Double Play 'Candy Corn' and Lamb's Ear (Stachys)

I am enjoying the 'Candy Corn' Spirea as it is a smaller, more compact variety of Spirea, only reaching a height of about two feet, and its branches and foliage are a fiery reddish-pink in early spring.

Perimeter Garden-Kousa Dogwood

Along the northern perimeter, Kousa Dogwood 'Greensleeves' is putting on quite a show for the month of June and will bloom for some time. I love the greenish-white flowers on this particular variety.

Perimeter Garden- Double Knock Out Roses!

It seems to be a good season for Double Knock Out Rose as well, despite all the rain. Also in view is Weeping Norway Spruce, and the foliage of Nandina 'Obsession' and Sedum 'Pure Joy'.

Patio Border

Salvia 'Blue By You', a taller and longer blooming variety of  Sage is accompanied by the variegated foliage of Osmanthus along the patio border. To the right is Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar and Heuchera 'Caramel' (Coral Bells). With a little deadheading, the blooms of 'Blue By You' will last into late summer.

Pool Border

Here is a present view of the pool border with Allium 'Globemaster', accompanied by Daylily 'Stella D Oro' and Spirea 'Limemound', which are now in bloom. Up on the waterfall, the Spruce, Variegated Boxwood and Juniper added three years ago are finally getting established and sending out a lot of new growth.

Spirea & Nepeta

With all the newer dwarf varieties of Nepeta (Catmint) on the market, I am enjoying Nepeta 'Little Trudy' in a planter by the back stoop along with Spirea 'Candy Corn' in a planter behind it. 'Little Trudy' stays at a more compact size of  just eight to ten inches high by twelve to sixteen inches wide.

Driveway Border West-Weeping Norway Spruce

As we move towards the driveway border, here is Spirea 'Magic Carpet' with Salvia 'Caradonna', Weeping Norway Spruce, Dwarf Norway Spruce and Japanese Garden Juniper.  Have I mentioned that I am a fan of Weeping Norway Spruce and dwarf conifers? You may have guessed that by now!

Driveway Border-Spirea 'Magic Carpet' and Salvia 'Caradonna'

Here is a closer view of the Spirea and Salvia 'Caradonna', along with Japanese Iris.

Japanese Iris Blooming!

This Japanese Iris is a clump that made its way outside the fence, branching off from the original iris patch that my mother planted back in the 1960's. It is a nice memory to still have a piece of it remaining after all these years.

Front Lawn

As we approach the front lawn, Heuchera 'Caramel' (Coral Bells) on the main island bed have certainly been enjoying all the rain, and Osmanthus 'Goshiki' is also pushing out some new growth, which has a pinkish hue to it. Weeping Norway Spruce, two Weeping Japanese Maples and Blue Atlas Cedar are in the backdrop.

Driveway Border East

I had replaced the coreopsis along the driveway border with these three Dwarf Norway Spruce, which have taken well to their home. They are accompanied by Golden 'Skylands' Oriental Spruce, Coral Bark Maple, Golden Hinoki Cypress 'Verdoni',  Weigela 'Spilled Wine' and Nepeta 'Walkers Low'.

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 enjoy seeing what you have growing in your garden. 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 Woods, Image-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. 

IN THE NEWS! Our home was selected to be on the local garden tour, "A Little Garden Music and Art," for the third time! It was a rainy day, but visitors came from near and far to see our garden and it was an honor to be part of this amazing venue!

Also, sending out a big thank you to FeedSpot for including A Guide to Northeastern Gardening in their top 20 Best New York Gardening Blogs. It is an honor plus be sure to check out the other blogs that made the list!

My sixth book, The Houseplant Guide: How to Easily Select & Maintain Indoor Plants is celebrating five months since publication! If you are into houseplants, this may be the book for you! I cover over 120 plant selections with full color photographs of each one and detailed descriptions on care and maintenance.

Other Places to Find Me:

You can visit my Author Page to learn about and Purchase My Books, each one focusing on different aspects of gardening, including landscape ideas, design principles, gardening by month for all-season interest, gardening tips and maintenance, shade gardening, gardening inspiration and more. And also be sure to check out my newest publication, The Houseplant Guide, to guide you on your houseplant journey!

Check out my newsletter Northeastern Gardening News for monthly updates all to do with gardening! It's free to subscribe and receive monthly updates right into your inbox!

Find me on Instagram at Northeastern Gardening and Facebook at A Guide to Northeastern Gardening Blog & Author Page.

Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2025. All rights reserved. 

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 Woods, Image-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. 

Visit my Author Page!

Are you an avid gardener or wanting to learn?  My books can help you! 

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations  

Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden

Shade Gardening for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

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

This Month in the Garden: The Garden Path

Follow the Path 

Welcome to This Month in the Garden!  On a recent trip to my most favorite place on this planet, all it took was a pick up truck with surfboard going through the Tunnel of Trees to reflect on my true passion. There was something about the symbolism of this view, yet so simple, that put everything into perspective. 

The Garden Path: Tunnel of Trees, Kauai

I was born a gardener without even knowing it, but it was the influence of the people in my life that encouraged me to continue with a dream, which I hadn't known I had yet. To expand on this thought, I have had several people in my life, both family and friends, who have had some impact on the path I took. From my mother buying me seeds to grow and my father stopping on the side of the road to rescue a tree, to my next door neighbor, who took me on tours of her garden daily, each experience lead me deeper into what I would love most. I even discovered in my later years that my great grandfather was the head gardener at Beechwood Mansion in Rhode Island. This was made known to me while writing my third book and chatting with my cousin about the road that took me to becoming a gardener. I continue to write today and in my wildest dreams, I never thought it would result in becoming the author of four books, with a fifth on the way!

Follow your dreams.

I guess the moral of this story is to follow your path and find where it leads you. Today it brings me great joy to be able to educate others about horticulture and gardening and perhaps lead them to follow their garden path.

I hope you enjoyed this month's post and perhaps I inspired you just a bit. Be sure to stop by on the 1st. and 15th. of each month as I continue to share gardening tips, information and horticultural adventures! Until we meet again...be well, be happy and as always...Happy Gardening!

 For gardening inspiration and design tips visit: My Author Page and Books

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations 

Dream, Garden, Grow! -Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden. 

SEE MY NEW BOOK!-NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2022. All rights reserved.