Five Favourites, June 2026

Every month I am choosing five favourite plants to share from my garden. June is such a floriferous time of year that I had to be very selective! But I managed to narrow it down. One flower that didn’t make it this time is my gorgeous rose ‘Maria Lisa’ which is only just starting to open and deserves a post of her own – perhaps later this month.

So, Number One: Centranthus ruber

I have grown this in all my gardens and love it almost as much as the pollinators. It was initially given to me by friends and neighbours, and I have since passed some on to others. I love it for its colour – is it pink or red?

In addition, the fact that it will go on flowering intermittently all summer if cut back regularly leads me to hope that some hummingbird hawk moths will find it at some stage.

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Number Two: Stipa – both Stipa gigantea and Stipa tenuissima

Stipa gigantea (Golden Oats) needs a lot of space, but if you have a spot where screening in summer is useful, do consider this plant!

While taking photos today I noticed for the first time the tiny little yellow stamens and fluffy stigma(?) on the ends of the panicles, dangling in the breeze (making it very hard to photograph!)*

Stipa tenuissima also goes by the name of Nasella tenuissima these days. This past winter was cold and dry for several weeks and most of the larger clumps died. No fear! It is a prolific reseeder, ensuring I always have some fresh green ones by late spring.

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Number Three: Echinacea paradoxa

I look forward to this plant flowering in my Herb Bed each year, and it never disappoints. All the stages of it are simply beautiful – the first petals unfurling….

…then the drooping petals once the flower has fully opened…

…and then later the seedheads that remain standing until the winter (and look lovely with frost on them).

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Number Four: Euphorbia cornigera ‘Goldener Turm’

This dominates the Sunshine Bed for much of the year, in summer under the partial and very dry shade of three large trees. The oriental poppies have sadly all gone over now, but contrast beautifully with the chartreuse foliage.

This is one the Euphorbias I grow that deals rather well with dry conditions. It is a tough plant, enduring summer heat, strong winds and our cold winters too. Combined with that amazing lime green it is a winner any time of year!

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And Number Five: Physocarpus opulifolius “Diable d’Or”

I have several Physocarpus in The ‘Edge bed, and all vary slightly either in foliage colour or flowers.

This one has bright red flower buds that then open into a pale pink. The bees adore these flowers.

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So, that was my five for June. Had I posted a few days later my choices may have been different, but this is what I am enjoying most today! I would love to hear about your favourites. Perhaps you would like to join me. Just leave a link to your post in the comments below.

Have a lovely week,

and

Happy Gardening!

 

* For those interested, I found an excellent website describing the different parts of Stipa seedheads in great detail… https://plantsinparticular.co.uk/plant-portraits/stipa-gigantea/



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