June 21st
Today I pruned the peonies back taking off the heavy past prime blooms to allow space in the garden. The surrounding phlox paniculata will greatly appreciate my work, for they prefer air flow around them. One of the major cause for powdery mildew on phlox is the lack of air flow.

I also pruned up the Blue Muffin Viburnum to allow understory plantings enough light to bloom.
It always amazes me on how fast plants can fill in to maturity, just like children they are small young plants turn around and they are full grown.

Pruning and dead heading are two chores that reap many rewards so feel free to clip..clip!

The cooler weather has allowed me to transplant many of my perennials that have outgrown their designated place. So early mornings my shovel has divided many and gave them new homes in empty places provided by NEW garden beds. Ah the joy of perennials the multiply so readily.

Last week I helped a elderly neighbor divide Siberian iris which she then kindly gave many to me.
In return I walked home with gift only to return shortly with three varieties of Monarda 'bee balm' for her garden. Remember fellow gardeners there is much joy in sharing Nature's beauty!
Rachel

June has arrived with a slow start for my many May/June blooms. As a gardener and a designer one thing that we can never count on is the weather. This year 2009 has thus far been colder than most years. This has caused many of the plants to bloom almost two weeks behind normal bloom time. As a landscape designer this can really upset my plans for transition in the gardens.

Another unexpected weather twist is the rainfall which has been far more than our normal Spring. Which has given has many overcast cloudy days, and reducing necessary BTU's for plants to germinate.

So in essence I am saying never count on the weather in our Midwest or any where else as being a constant. We must learn to work with what ever our weather is at the given time. May your 'Blooms' whether late or on time give you many joys!
Rachel