Garden Delights For Midsummer
Marie K Fisher
We have once again reached the wonderful magical time of midsummer, when the garden is aglow with sensational blooms and a fantastic array of colors. Many of these wonderful blooms fill the air with their tantalising perfume.
I often pause for a while especially at twilight when the scent from the blooms are at their stongest, and feel extremely proud of the effort that I have put into my garden.
This is when I really appreciate how worthwhile it has all been.
No doubt your garden is looking really special as well, but if by any chance you feel there are any gaps, or plants that you think could be doing better, might I suggest that you take some inspiration from some of these wonderful blooms which I find truly magnificent.
In my opinion these are some of the blooms that will enhance any garden and delight the senses with their combined scents.
Rose eglanteria - This sweet briar rose is valued for the strong apple aroma which comes from the leaves, but there is also much more than a pink flower in summer, it is followed by a deep red in the autumn. I think that it is an extremely handsome bush, and it also makes an impenetrable hedge.
Agastache faoeniculum (anise hyssop) - This is a stately herbaceous perennial, whose silver green leaves release a liquorice aniseed fragrance. The rich violet blue color flowers are particularly loved by bees, butterflies and goldfinches among others. I find the rich beautiful color delightful when it bursts into my garden in the late summer, and lasts right through to autumn. Cytisus battandeiri (Moroccan Broom) - When planted around the walls of the house or around the patio, the crushed pineapple aroma which comes from the cones of the yellow blossom will pervade the air. It truly excites the senses on the warm still days of June and July, with its wonderful aroma wafting into the house or patio area. It should be encouraged to flower freely so that you get the most from this absolutely wonderful flower.
Magnolia grandiflora - The large chalices are a joy in late summer with a wonderful lemon zest aroma. It should be helped to bloom when young by espalier-training the shoots against a warm sunny wall. Train them horizontally, and shorten new shoots to five leaves in August.
Dianthus (Brymton Red) - These lovely old fashioned dianthus have a lingering clove fragrance and the "Brymton red" is a true peacock among them. They yield a brilliant display of single deep red flowers laced with darker markings, and are just scintilating in June. Be sure to deadhead flowers weekly to channel your plants energy into producing more shoots and blooms.
Eucryphia nymansay - This elegant evergreen is famous for its summer and autumn display of large honey scented white flowers. The flower is coveted by nectar seeking bees. It needs a warm and sunny location. I absolutely adore these.
Ferdinand Pitchard - This is an old fashioned rose with the beckoning smell of fresh picked raspberries. The globular pink blooms striped with crimson and purple will be your reward for planting this fatastic rose. It thrives on humis rich soil in full sunlight, and it will bring color to the summer season most beautifully.
Other Flowers To Bring A Fesival Of Color And Delight.
Gladiolus communis - Until recently people looked down their noses at gladiolus but they do make really good border flowers. They are excellent at cramming the other colors, and they barely take any space at ground level.
Scabiosa "Ace of Spades" - This is one for the chocoholics, "Ace of Spades" is a mass of velvet and maroon with little white pins that have a pincushion effect. What a beautiful flower this is, nestle them among the green foliage of alchemilla for comptempory color scheming. Allow the last flowers to self-sow.
Delphinium Belladonna Group - If you are looking for grace and charm then Belladonna hybrids are for you. They are ideal for summoning a romantic effect, look wonderful around cottages, and bring an English type of charm to your garden. For a full season of color grow with peonies, poppies and dahlias. Cut down the first spikes once they have flowered for a second flush of blooms.
Papaver " Lady Frederick Moore" - A charming peach poppy is much softer on the eye than the traditional pillar box red oriental, and is easier to blend with the pastels of early summer. Grow in the sun and hope for gentle weather to prolong this tissue paper like flower.
Monarda "Capricorn" - Think magenta, think hardy geranium? Why not try an unusual monarda instead with its beautiful aromatic foliage and spidery petals totally adored by bees. The stunning color and shapes make it a good contender with spikes of lythrum and veronica, best planted in the sun where the soil does not get too dry nor the space too crowded.
LLathyrus latifolius - A delightful sweet pea that is everlasting but without the sweet scent,so you can never quite have it all. However, with the strong aromas from the flowers above this pretty flower, I think that it is worth having in your garden. The flowers are much bigger than the annual L.odoratus,with iridescent shells for petals and twining tendrils that obliginly twirlup small trees or wires on sunny fences. Give them the occasional folier feed and cut down last years foliage in winter.
Acunthus mallis - Most perennials have unremarkable leaves, but not this stunning bear's breeches. Acunthus makes a versatile backdrop for classic herbaceous borders or jungle style foliage. The dark glossy leaves and spikes of dusky hooded flowers will make a show all summer long. Water well in dry summers.
Achillea "Walther Funcke" - If pastels are not your bag, spice things up instead with paprika shades of "Walter Funcke"! Add a scattering of yellow day lilies and mix in the wispy blonde leaves of ponytail grass, (Stipa tenuissima), for good measure. It makes a compact drought tolerant mix for a sunny border where space is tight.
Thalictrum delavayi - Verbena bonariensis is not the only see-through plant. The tall meadow rue is wonderful airy for the front of a border, with perenial ferny foliage and clouds of tiny, fluffy flowers on skinny purple stems. Grow on the cool side of the garden where the soil does not get too dry in summer.
These are just a few of my favorite wonderfully scented flowers and plants that I think will add a soft to dramatic color to your garden. So why not let your imagination and flair for color work magic on your garden. I can tell you that I feel like a true artist when my garden is in full bloom.
About the author: Marie K Fisher is an avid gardening enthusiast with a passion for exotic flowers and wondeful colors. She is a regular contributor to Garden Center Showplace a leading online Garden Center. For more details of the superb range of products offered, and also more Featured Articles And Tips on Gardening visit http://www.gardencent ershowplace.com
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