Gardening in June

This Dames Rocket (Hesperis) is a very good plant in my garden. It seeds itself around and pops up in the Spring adding fragrance and color where ever it is.  It is quite tall - up to 5 - 7 feet.  These photos were taken on May 19 of the plants that are among the rhodos.  The colors look good together and they bloom about the same time.  Right now there is a very big purple one in full bloom in the woodland next to a rhodo.  This rhodo behind the garage finally bloomed this year.  I  had moved it years ago and I think it was not planted deep enough and has been sulking all these years.  It is a corner that does not get much watering or other attention.  This year it has had compost mulch  and more water.  It should continue to improve.

The columbines are  equally easy plants to have in the garden. They also seed themselves around and are easy to control.  The red one is still in bloom and these photos are from May 19th.  I don't think the red one is able to produce viable seed, but the plant has been very long lived  and hardy.  It is in the woodland.  The other blue and purple ones pop up all over the garden.  The purple ones are now finished blooming.   I have been dead heading them this year. 
I find that the lupines have been seeding themselves around a bit too.  I have rescued two little ones and transplanted them to spots by the hedge where I want them to be.  Right now the two lupines - one red and one purple/white are in full bloom.  There are a couple of foxgloves in the front garden area with them.   I could add dames rocket to this mix, and get some lupines into the woodland area.    The monkshood are coming into bloom now.  This makes me think that I really should have some delphiniums for at the front with the hollyhocks  and with the lupines.  They are more grand tall plants that would look good together. 
I have red valerine seeding itself around a bit too.  Its a nice plant, but its red runs to the orange colors.  I could get some of it into the back bed next to the yellow yarrow which is in bloom now and those colors would look good together I think.  The red looks good next to the blue of the california lilac which is in bloom now too.  I am not having much luck with my tall bearded german irises and I am not sure why.  Perhaps they need to be divided and given better soil.
I have cut back the daisies that were near the laverta and it is full of buds this year.  It should look good next week.  At the back the lovely lace cap hydrangea with the fuzzy big leaves is looking superb.  There is a low growing orange helenium next to the yellow yarrow and the combination is great for summer 'hot' colors.   This is on the new area at the back where there are now stepping stones and the stone path goes across the top next to the small bit of grass around the apple tree.  I have the edging done on this grass, compost put down on some of the new area, and the path weeded.  Yesterday, I moved some soil over top of the potatoes along with the lawn clippings.  I will need to get more compost out of my old compost bin to hill them up some more.  I watered the area yesterday and today, also.  The strawberries are looking pretty good with a small crop that should be ready soon.  Yesterday I took a couple more branches off my english oak tree.  They were getting close to Parmars clothes line.
I have been weeding at the front and have the daisies cut back, the grass pulled out of the siberian irises and the violets pulled out.  I have the rock path weeded up to the smoke bush with the little beds and the thyme circle weeded also.  The little rockery is doing fine.  I  have just one little area left to weed and clean up, at the front,  and then I will be looking at the area in front of the hedge... the two rectangles.  They are actually not as bad as I thought.  But the peonies do need attention.   I watered a bit at the front tonight, as I had transplanted some of the perennials and 3 dahlias out there a week or so ago and these plants were not getting enough water with the bits of rain we have had recently.  We could use a good downpour. 
Our photo upload site has been growing and getting more and more active, with the Flowers contest for prizes going on this month. Cyrus is doing reviews of photos from Facebook groups.  The reviews appear on Megashot and are linked to the Facebook Megashot groups.  This is bringing lots of hits and quite a few new members.  The contest engine and the explore engine are being tweaked to make them smarter all the time.  Cyrus has more and more photography information added to each community that the information pertains to.  I have no idea how he manages to get all this stuff done!