Early June at Chickadee Gardens

June is the prettiest time in my garden. Alas, I have not been spending as much time out there as life just twists and turns. Still, it's my healing place, my recharge-the-batteries place and I need it now more than ever. So a quick post this time with some images coming to you from Chickadee Gardens on a fine early June day.

A fairly new garden bed in the late afternoon after the California poppies have closed up shop for the night. This is Eschscholzia californica 'Mikado Red' that I introduced by a seed packet last autumn, hoping for the darker reddish colors. I still love the orange and cream ones but this part of the garden calls for vibrant wow colors. Also Phlomis russelliana is in full lemon yellow bloom and Diascia 'Coral Canyon' in the background is also starting to flower.

Out of our front door are many containers, these filled with Sedum oreganum and sempervivums. I have several containers out our shady front door (although these obviously sit in some sunshine) and on our deck, most of which have one plant per pot. I'm that kind of gardener. Plus, it's just easier.

Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty' is in bloom, too, the red flowers dangling just below the mottled foliage.

Camassia leichtlinii 'Semiplena' is a lovely pale yellow/cream semi-double camas. Newly planted last autumn, I am impressed at how tall and stately these are. While they are now just about finished blooming (this photo was from a couple of weeks ago), they are still lovely to behold.

View out the kitchen window to a Kolkwitzia amabalis in full bloom behind a Lagerstroemia 'Natchez'.

Fremontodendron californicum wrapping up its golden flowering for the year in front of a patch of Sidalcea campestris.

A few layers of texture. The spiky plant in front is the camas pictured above.

It's Diplacus aurantiacus 'Jeff's Tangerine' time of the year once more. This evergreen shrublet native to California and parts of Oregon has been a lovely plant for me. People often ask what it wants to be happy, I would say for me it's looked its best in full sun with well-drained soil and a bit of summer water to keep it from going dormant, which it tends to do in drier, hotter California.

Dianthus cruentus is new in the garden, having started seeds last year in the greenhouse. Oh my goodness, I love this wiry rockery plant first spotted in the Delos Garden at Sissinghurst. Mixed in with it are two other forms of California poppy that tend to come and go throughout the months.

Geum 'Totally Tangerine' totally still rocking it. I have had this particular plant for at least 12 years having brought it with me from the old garden. It hasn't spread much but oh my, it's a show stopper when in full bloom, which it is sadly just passed.

Polypodium scouleri, leatherleaf polypody is native to Oregon and is another transplant from the old garden. Here it mingles and rises above Oxalis oregana.

I am surprised to have a flower on a hardy fuchsia this time of the year. They usually don't get going until mid to late summer but this one, Fuchsia 'Lechlade Magician,' had a nice mild winter so is performing early.

Acer pseudoplantanus 'Esk Sunset' is still young in my garden having only been planted last year. Last summer the foliage was a bit burned in the heat of summer, this year I'm hoping to protect it until its large enough to weather heat better. That foliage is unreal.

Baptisia 'Wayne's World' is definitely my favorite false indigo for its smoky stems.

Morning at the edge of the meadow garden with bright sunlight behind.

I planted a Clematis montana at the base of an ornamental cherry tree (because let's face it, the cherry is pretty boring when not in flower) several years ago and it died. I planted a second and it died. I gave up. About five years later one of them decided to emerge and well, it's having a moment. I'm thrilled to see this, plus it's grown substantially this season. Hooray for covering up boring cherry tree leaves!

Silver and whites in the form of Cistus 'Blanche' on the right, grasses, Arctostaphylos 'Saint Helena', Dorycnium hirsutum and more. All are pretty much in full sun with a bout of late afternoon shade, south facing with reflected heat off of our house (metal siding) and compacted soil with gravel topdress. This is also where the Eryngium giganteum love to play and dominate (they are just barely visible at the very bottom of this photo).

A new to me plant from last summer, Dierama pulcherrium 'Alba' is blooming, something I didn't expect for a couple of years. Purchased at Windcliff in July.

Sedum spathulifolium mash up, likely 'Cape Blanco' and 'Purpureum', but bits of sedum get stuck in here and there all over the garden and are properly mixed up so I could be totally off.

Lovely Luma apiculata in its first year in the garden, given to me by a dear friend. I love this plant.

Eriogonum heracleoides, a native buckwheat with creamy white flowers on a low growing semi-evergreen shrublet. This is in sandy dry soil in pretty much full sun.

A second native buckwheat, this is Eriogonum compositum with larger, arrow shaped leaves.

Agave ovatifolia 'Frosty Blue' growing bit by bit! I'm thrilled to see this one settle in.

Salvia 'Brilliance' purchased from Windcliff in July has done remarkably well and has grown considerably in a short amount of time. I'm thrilled it's blooming so early, too. A definite new favorite and I'm glad Dan Hinkley recommended it to me.

Cistus ladanifer var. petiolatus ‘Bennett’s White’ has such a crisp, pretty white flower.

Dianthus deltoides 'Flashing Lights'

Eriophyllum lanatum, Oregon sunshine, in full bloom. 

Ceanothus thrysiflorus Cool Blue is supposed to be a variegated form of ceanothus, but this, dear readers, has reverted from its original lovely variegation to solid green leaves. Truth be told, the greener leaves are much sturdier and healthy than the weak variegated parts, so I am letting it do what it wants. It's so much happier, bigger and floriferous in its reversion.

It's all going full speed ahead around here and that includes a dip into open garden season. We're officially open this Saturday for the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon. Look us up! If you're not a member, it's a great organization I do recommend. If you can't afford a membership and are interested in visiting Saturday, get in touch. We don't wish to leave anyone out.

That's a wrap for this week at Chickadee Gardens. As always thank you so much for reading and commenting, we do love hearing from you. Happy gardening!