June in the water garden

I was very busy in the garden in June.  I did not seem to have time to photo the on going renovating, weeding and watering.  I estimate that I was spending approximately 30 hours a week in the garden.  I have most of the garden rooms cleaned up.  I only have the woodland to finish weeding, pruning and removing the sumacs, sweet cicely,  etc.   Then I  will only have regular weeding and watering maintenance to do.  And the fun part:  finding new plants that I might  like to have in the garden.

 The globe flower in the tub garden on the deck.  This tub garden has 2 pots of water iris, 2 gold fish and a lovely little miniature yellow water lily.  The globe flower is in a pot of its own beside the tub . I must keep the globe flower well watered and the tub topped up.  It seems to lose quite a lot of water to evaporation. 

 The big golden globes are tall and iridescent.  My photos do not seem to quite capture that glory.

 A close up.  Trollius Chinensis. Globe flower.  2 - 2.5 inch bowl-shaped golden yellow to orange flowers.  Blooms in Spring.  3 feet (90 cm)tall.  Placement: Borders, beside wet areas.  Care:  Plant in moist soil in area with morning sun and afternoon shade.  Intolerant to heat.  There is another of these Globe flowers in a black gallon pot sitting on the shelf of the pond.  It may need a bigger pot. It is in bloom now on July 10th.  The white pot also contains a hyacinth and several crocuses  that bloom in the spring before the globe flower is up.

 The little solar fountain is an added attraction in the pond; especially to the humming birds.  They like to try and get a shower in it.

 Japanese water Iris

 A close up of this gorgeous iris

 I also have a pure white Japanese iris.  It too has multiplied.  The blooms seemed to be very tall this year and flopping about.   Some of the research on them.  Its a bit confusing.  But if you go to the website you can see new varieties.
JAPANESE IRISES    https://socji.org/the-iris-of-japan/
much confusion over naming these irises
iris ensata, the Japanese iris, Japanese water iris (Japanese: hanashōbu), formerly I. kaempferi, is a species of flowering plant of the family Iridaceae, native to Japan, China, Korea and Russia, and widely cultivated as an ornamental plant. Japanese iris may also refer to I. sanguinea and I. laevigata, both native to Japan.
Iris ensata is an erect herbaceous perennial growing to 80 cm (31 in) tall, with strap-shaped leaves. The flower, appearing in midsummer, is purple with a flash of yellow on the falls. The bluish purple color of the flowers is an example of the copigmentation phenomenon.
Habitat
Widely distributed throughout the Japanese archipelago and elsewhere, I. ensata is very hardy down to −20 °C (−4 °F). It prefers a boggy or marshy environment and soil with a low (acidic) pH. In favourable conditions it will eventually form sizable clumps.
Iris ensata var. ensata) grows in the wet land and is the most extensively cultivated variety in Japanese gardens. According to the place where it was cultivated, I. ensata is classified into three strains – the Edo (Tokyo), Higo (Kumamoto Prefecture) and Ise (Mie Prefecture).
Upon being introduced to the west in the mid-19th century, a new chapter was opened in the cultivation of this species. In America it was intensively hybridised to produce many new cultivars. Perhaps the most influential breeders in the United States have been Arlie Payne of Indiana, the Marx family of Oregon, Arthur Hazzard of Michigan, and Currier McEwan of Maine. Between them they have produced plants with large blooms and a wide range of colours. In the UK interest in this plant has been equally strong. The national collection is held at the Marwood Hill Gardens in Barnstaple, Devon.[4]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_ensata#/media/File:Iris_ensata_var_ensata2.jpg  PICTURE Shows my iris.
The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit:-[5]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_ensata#cite_note-13   includes 'Gallery"

'Aldridge Visitor'[6]
'Alpine Majesty'[7]
'Barr Purple East'[8]
'Caprician Butterfly'[9]
'Crystal Halo'[10]
'Flying Tiger'[11]
'Frilled Enchantment'[12] Iris ensata 'Frilled Enchantment'
Japanese water iris 'Frilled Enchantment'
'The Great Mogul'[13]
'Hue and Cry'[14]
'Katy Mendez'[15]
'The Mancunian'[16]
'Returning Tide'[17]
'Rose Queen'[18]
'Southern Son'[19]
'Variegata'[20]  Japanese water iris 'Variegata'  This one is on my wish list.

 These are the Siberian Irises that I had originally purchased.  When I get time I should like to find them again.  I only have the white one and this deep blue one left.  I think it is "Steve", although it blooms just behind The David.
Siberian Iris
      Ceasar’s Brother – blue/gold             Miss Dulth – reddish purple
      Silver Edge – silver/blue                Perry’s Blue – pale blue
      Steve – dark blue                        Ruby Wine – wine/white
      White Swirl – white                      Anniversary – white/yellow
      Butter & Sugar – white/yellow
I am adding the list of other Irises from previous purchases.  I have a few tall Dutch iries left.  The bronze and golden one is particularly lovely.

Dutch iris – white perfection – 20”
    • Frans hals – bronze & purple
    • Blue wedgewood
    • Old original light blue and yellow
    • Bronze beauty – yellow/bronze
Dwarf Dutch iris
    • J.S. Dyt – 6” reddish purlpe late Spring
    • Cantab – blue – 6”

    • Reticulata
    • Species Danfordiae – yellow/brown spots 6 – 8”

Japanese Iris – Kaempferi – unnamed white
                             Kaempferi – beni-botan-  royal purple
                     

Tall Bearded Iris
      Indian Hills – purple/gold               GayParasol – silver white/rose falls
      Wabash – white/blue                      Gala Madrid – yellow / orchid
      Sir Knight – dark blue/purple            Loop the Loop – purple border On white
      Indian Chief – bronze/red/carmine        Royal Touch – dark purple
      Miss Houston – light blue                Twist of Fate – light blue & black
      Superstition- deep maroon/black          Snow Cloud- sky blue & white
      Indigo – deep blue/all one color         Study in Black – black
      Orchidium – fuschia                      Cranberry Ice – berry red
      Starring Roll – huge frilled yellow      Chinese Treasure – pink & white
Of the Tall Bearded Iris I have (I think it is) Indian Chief all over the garden.  Starring Roll - I must move some of this one into the Iris bed behind the old garage when I get that area cleaned up.  Indigo which is huge  and also must be moved with the golden one.  I cannot remember any other ones in bloom.

 The bird of the month having a both.  House sparrow.

 There are quite a few birds using the bird bath as long as I keep it clean and filled up.

 The honeysuckle in bloom, also on the deck.  Not my favourite plant.  I might replace it with some of the Jasmine that is very fragrant and in bloom now.  Also a vine with small white blossoms.  

 the Lilac Time saxifragia -- in a big white pot with a tufa rock and a couple other saxes.  There is also another pot with a tufa rock and more saxes.  All to eventually moved to the little renovated rockery in the front garden.

 the maltese cross.  The butterflies like it, so I now have a few of them growing around the garden.  The pink/silver lychnis puts on a great show in the boulevard garden now.  More on this later.

A photo of the whole pond.  The mermaid is back in its spot by the pendula willow.