The Front Garden in June

 The Gertrude Jekyll English David Austin rose grows under the front sweet gum tree.  The crocosmias to the left have buds.  Beneath these taller plants there is a decorative oregano, dianthus, armeria, and a gentian cruciata.  The fern leafed peony is just behind the gentian.

 There is a pink flowering armeria under the fallen rose petals.  ARMERIA maritima (Sea Thrift) is a compact, evergreen perennial boasting round clusters of pink to lavender (or sometimes white) flowers borne atop slender stalks.  I have one white one and several pink ones.I cannot seem to get these plants to last very long - They need well drained soil.
        https://www.gardenia.net/plant/armeria-maritima-sea-thrift
        
        This compact evergreen plant grows only 6 to 12 inches high and from a woody tap root. The slowly expanding mounded tuft is composed of numerous stiff, linear (needle-shaped), dark-green leaves that usually have hairs along their margins. This dense rosette gives the appearance of a low-growing ornamental grass. In richer soils the leaves tend to fall outwards leaving an open center. Since it is evergreen, it should not be cut back to the ground in fall like many other perennials as that will affect spring bloom.  In mid-spring small pink to lavender (or sometimes white) flowers are produced in globular clusters subtended by purplish, papery bracts on the ends of slender, unbranched, leafless stalks that extend well above the foliage. Each flower has five petals joined at the base with five stamens and five separate styles. Deadhead entire flower stems to promote additional sporadic flowering throughout the summer. They can be used as cut flowers. The flowers are followed by papery seed heads with a single seed in each capsule.Sea thrift grows best in full sun in lean, very well-drained soil. The plants are drought tolerant and do not tolerate moist soils. They frequently rot in the center, killing the entire plant, in heavy clay soils that are too fertile, or after a prolonged wet and cool fall. Because of this they have a reputation for being short-lived. However, given the proper environment these plants can live for many years and require little maintenance.

 A close up of the Gertrude Jekyll rose.  Nicely fragrant.

 The stepping stones that lead up to the back of the little rockery, in the front garden.  After the fern leafted peony and gentian, we see the globalaria and the lithodara Grace Ward.  The bergenia and the mountain avens (dryas) surround the West Coast planter.  The planter has a primula auricola (I think) in it at the moment.  Behind the bergenias there are Japanese primulas.  To the right of the primulas there is a very nice hebe.  Along the little gold wall, at the back there is some wulfeni, and aubretia. Then there is the newly renovated part of this little rockery along the little gold rock wall.  Presently there are 3 saxifragias and a lewisia in this part of the renovation.  I am waiting for cooler weather in the Fall to move the saxifragias and their tufa rocks, out of the pots I have on the deck.  

 This is the gentian newly transplanted from the back little rockery.  The name on the gentian was 'depresso'.  Its the wrong name. GENTIANA Cruciata is the correct name.
Common Name: cross gentian  Height: 0.75 to 1.00 feet Spread: 1.00 to 1.75 feet
Bloom Time: August to September Bloom Description: Blue Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium Maintenance: Low  Flower: Showy, Good Cut  Attracts: Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Tolerate: Rabbit, Deer, Drought, Clay Soil 
Best grown in moist, well-draining soils in full sun to part shade. Easier to grow for the average gardener compared to other species of Gentian. Tolerant of drought and many soil types include clay. Plants do not tolerate root disturbance, and transplanting should be avoided once established. The best time to divide large clumps is in early spring just as new growth begins.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Gentiana cruciata, commonly called cross gentian, is a herbaceous perennial native to forest edges, rocky pastures, grasslands, and dry meadows in Europe and western Asia. This plant slowly forms a clump about 8-12" tall and 12-18" wide. The lanceolate leaves (1-3" long) are bright green, glossy, and oppositely attached to the upright stems. The truly blue, trumpet-shaped flowers emerge in a cluster tucked into the leaf axils on the upper part of the stems from late summer into fall. Attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators
The specific epithet cruciata means "crossed" and refers to the shape of the leaves as viewed from above.
'Blue Cross' has a generally more compact and bushy habit compared to the species, and reaches 8-10" tall. The unopened flower buds are creamy white and intensify in color to a deep blue as they mature and open, creating a bicolor effect.
Problems
No major pest or disease problems reported. Deer and rabbit resistant.
Garden Uses
A beautiful accent plant for the front of a mixed border. Also suitable for rock gardens, woodland gardens, and container plantings. Makes an excellent cut flower.

This is the right one:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentiana_cruciata#:~:text=The%20flowers%20are%20violet%2Dblue,The%20fruit%20is%20a%20capsule.   See the images 
Gentiana cruciata, the star gentian or cross gentian, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the Gentianaceae family.
Close-up on a flower of Gentiana cruciata
Gentiana cruciata is a hemicryptophyte scapose plant of small size, reaching on average 20–40 centimetres (7.9–15.7 in) in height.[3] It has erect stems, the leaves are large, ovate-lanceolate, semiamplexicaul, about 3–8 centimetres (1.2–3.1 in) long. The flowers are violet-blue trumpets with 4 petals, clustered in the axils of upper leaves.[3] The flowering period extends from June to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite and pollinated by insects (entomogamy). The fruit is a capsule. The seeds are dispersed by gravity alone (barochory).
Habitat
This plant prefers dry calcareous soil in forest edges, bushy slopes, pastures, grasslands and dry meadows, at an altitude of 200–1,600 metres (660–5,250 ft) above sea level.
Host for Phengaris rebeli
Phengaris rebeli is an endangered butterfly which feeds upon G. cruciata. Female P. rebeli lay their eggs on the upper side of G. cruciata leaves and three to four weeks later, the P. rebeli larvae emerge and begin to feed on the seeds and flowers of this grassland plant. After the P. rebeli reaches its fourth larval instar, it drops to the ground to be picked up by Myrmica schencki ants and brought to their nests.
Female P. rebeli prefer to lay eggs on G. cruciata growing in clumps rather than individual plants, and on the taller plants, as they are less shaded and allow the eggs to grow and develop faster.

 Another view of the gentian.  It has two stems with tiny blue flowers, with four petals beginning to open now.  It seems to have been a successful transplant.

The iberis at the corner of the junction of the stone paths.

 I like this rock.  It is going to be the feature rock in the smoke tree bed.  It is surrounded by Armeria that need far better drainage.  There is a white one.  I must get some good drainage rock around them.  I need to keep the silver sedum from growing into their allotted space.

 The smoke tree looks good with its under planting of silver/red sedum with the red Mrs. Bradshaw geum in flower.

 This is the transplanted saxifragias from the back rockery, and the lewisia  down a bit from the saxefragias.

Saxifragia paniculata - Grows on the top level of the little rockery next to the 
 Mossy red saxifragia.  Have added chicken grit and pea gravel and a bit of compost from the back bin.
      *****Moved to front little rockery reno on June 11, 2020 

Saxifragia - Mossy Saxifrage  Alpino Rose– red – woodland edger
      Saxifraga Arendsii - Sun to part shade, height 4 - 6 ", Spread - 12 inches
 Blooms: April - June.  Saxifrage form a low evergreen cusion of tiny shiny leaves. Small star shaped flowers appear in Spring.  Excellent in rock gardens. 
        *****Moved to front little rockery reno on June 11, 2020. It is beside the paniculata on the top level with the gold small rocks and has a small pieces of tufa rock between this one and the above paniculata. They both have top dressing of the chicken scratch stuff.
Since this photo I have moved the Saxifragia that was in the Butchardt Gardens Cement pot, into this little back rockery.   I gave the pot to Paul S. along with other plastic and terra cotta pots.  He was happy to get the cement pot, as it has 'historical significance' in the alpine gardening clubs.  It came from Rex Murfitt's home before he moved out to the retirement home.  We have since lost Rex.  Paul is taking good care of his saxifragias.  
Saxifragia  in Butchart Gardens cement pot from R. M. Home:   
        Gerard Manley Hopkins'   clone burseriana
Certainly one of the better burseriana's, selected by H.L.Foster 1972.  Close to the typical var. but more dense and compact growing.  Like most burseriana's best in a very well drained soil because in our climate burseriana's suffer from too much moisture in autumn and winter.  Splendid of course in tufastone and in a through.  Slower growth and rooting.
        - I have a piece of this one in the big tufa rock with the Lilac Time
        - bloomed early Spring 2020 with large white flowers close to the foliage.The foliage looks rather like pine needles

 The far end of the little rockery showing the hebe, the wulfeni and the aubretia.

 The lewisia from Cannor.  There were 2 lewisias in the pot when bought.  Only one survived.  Not sure which color it is.  Hope it is the orange/gold one.   

Lewisia cotyledon 'Rainbow

Featured snippet from the web

This strain of our native Siskiyou Lewisia contains a stunning range of flower colors. Pink to orange to white to yellow and permutations in-between. ... Excellent, long blooming, easy to grow container plant but not difficult in the ground given rock garden conditions. Drainage is crucial, in average to enriched soil.

Saxifragia - Mossy Saxifrage  Alpino Rose– red – woodland edger
      Saxifraga Arendsii - Sun to part shade, height 4 - 6 ", Spread - 12 inches
Blooms: April - June.  Saxifrage form a low evergreen cusion of tiny shiny leaves. Small star shaped flowers appear in Spring.  Excellent in rock gardens. 
This mossy saxifragia and the others are doing much better since I moved them.  This one is even starting to bloom again.   

-Paniculata from the back rockery moved to the front in May 2020

Best planted in cool summer climates in part shade locations. Prefers moist, gritty, well-drained soils in part shade. Good tolerance for morning sun. Established plants have some drought tolerance. New rosettes form at the stolon ends or at the base of the rosette, resulting in plants sometimes expanding to form small colonies. Plants often struggle (thin out in the middle) in hot, dry and humid summers south of USDA Zone 6. Plants are difficult to grow well in the St. Louis climate.

Saxifraga paniculata is a circumboreal species that is native to rocky ledges and crevices in Europe, eastern Asia and North America south to New England and the Great Lakes. It is a stoloniferous perennial that typically forms a spreading basal rosette (to 6" tall) of flat, leathery, finely-serrate, oblong to obovate leaves (each to 1.5" long) with silvery encrustations on the margins. Flowers (each to 1/2" diameter) bloom in elongated clusters atop upright stems rising well above the rosette to 12" tall. Flower color is variable, ranging from white to creamy white to pink to yellow sometimes with purple spotting. Flowers bloom mid-June to August. Plants of this species are divided into three subspecies: S. paniculata subsp. paniculata (central Europe), S. paniculata subsp. cartilaginea (Causcasus) and S. paniculata subsp. laestadii (Norway, Iceland and North America).

Saxifraga paniculata is an alpine species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family, with native distribution in the temperate northern hemisphere. Common names include alpine saxifrage, encrusted saxifrage, lifelong saxifrage, lime-encrusted saxifrage, livelong saxifrage, White Mountain saxifrage,(aizoon) and silver saxifrage.