My Garden Late June 2015 – What to Change for Spring 2016

Spring ended a week ago and I’m already looking forward to planning improvements in the garden for next spring.

This was an odd spring.  Iris, Sweet William and peonies bloomed heavily – but started late and ended fast.  I don’t think even my peonies lasted more than 8 days, which is very short.  We have many varieties that should bloom over a 2-3 week period, adding longer days to enjoy their scent and beautiful flowers.  But this year they didn’t.  They all bloomed together like an explosion of color.  It reminded me of fireworks, BOOM! then nothing.

Red Peony Next to Yellow Iris June 2015

What Worked This Spring

Dianthus under planted with peonies gave color and defined the border.  Keep this.

Dianthus from 2012 Pots Underplanting Peonies May 2015

Peonies everywhere.  We actually have about twice as many peonies as I want – in the sense of balancing the garden across seasons – which is a good news/bad news thing.  We lose space for all the summer and fall flowers but gain a gazillion beautiful pink, white and carmine flowers.  Too many peonies is not a bad problem to have!

What Didn’t Work So Well

Space.  I had lots of room between peonies and the garden edge in mid-May, several spots with about 18 inches of perfectly clear space.  Last year those spots were free all summer after I dead headed spent peony flowers.

Last August I put daylilies in some of the largest open spaces.  This year one of them is nearly invisible.

Can You See Me? Daylily Almost Hidden by Peonies and Older Daylily

This was planted in August of last year when there was plenty of space. Despite being shaded by the peonies this little guy is ready to bloom.

Close Up of Crowded Daylily Planted August 2014 with Lots of Space

We filled in the other spaces this spring with Coreopsis, Achillea, and delphiniums.  This year the peony plants were huge, far bigger than ever and even after dead heading the new flowers are too crowded.

We couldn’t even see the Coreopsis while the peonies bloomed.  Now they are deadheaded it is peeking out again.

Coreopsis Fighting for Room June 2015

Achillea disappeared under phlox branches broken by heavy rain last week.

Achillea and Centrathus Crowded Out – Had Been Plenty of Space

This poor delphinium is growing sideways.

Delphinium Growing Sideways from Under the Peony 2015

Spotty Flowering

The last week and a half have been flower deprived.  Oh, there are lots of flowers blooming but they are not clustered together and the eye skips right past.  It looks like nothing is blooming because everything is too scattered.

I need to re-think the delphiniums.  This one is beautiful and it needs the others moved closer.

Delphinium That Needs to Be Grouped

Move Flowers Out to Make Room

Without expanding the garden the only way to get more flowers together is to move something else and even remove some plants altogether.

The iris were beautiful for about 5 days, then the flowers were gone and I am left with messy looking leaves.  I need to research how to handle the plants with icky dead leaves; I think they need to be divided and the icky parts burned.

Sickly Iris in Prime Spot

The iris also are in some premier spots that are smack in the middle of the logical spot for more phlox and summer bloomers.  That needs to change.

We have volunteer orange daylilies to move out.

Volunteer Orange Daylilies to Move

And sedum that’s taking up space a prettier flower could use.

Sedum – Getting Crowded And It’s Not Pretty

I love Lamb’s Ears, the soft silvery sheen is so pretty and the leaves are irresistible to touch. But it is also big and takes up a lot of room smack in front.

Lamb’s Ear to Divide and Move

Every year the garden needs tweaks and this year is no different. Move some iris and orange daylilies out, rearrange other flowers to give them more space and concentrate the flowers instead of scattering a bloom here and there.  Spring 2016 will be beautiful!