Guy de Maupassant, a floribunda rose.
The Garden Website for JUne
Garden Tours Revisited - Insects in the Veggie Garden - Harvesting and Planting - Fruits
It's Summer Break Out the Hose - Watering Tips - June Pruning
Roses After the Flowers - Taming Wisterias - June Lawn Care
June Introduction - June Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - June Garden Chores
June Garden Stars - Plant Police - Water Restrictions
June Flower Arrangement - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Peruvian Lily
It's Summer Break Out the Hose - Watering Tips - June Pruning
Roses After the Flowers - Taming Wisterias - June Lawn Care
June Introduction - June Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - June Garden Chores
June Garden Stars - Plant Police - Water Restrictions
June Flower Arrangement - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Peruvian Lily
June IntroLike all gardens, mine is in a constant state of flux as perennials multiply, shrubs expand and trees lengthen. Gardens evolve over time by a gardener’s sleight of hand, a plant’s genetics, the weather and ongoing maintenance or lack thereof. These factors all play a role in how plants mature over time. And yes, I have killed numerous plants in my lifetime whether it be from negligence, incorrect maintenance, planting the wrong plant in the wrong place and … on purpose. Sometimes a plant has to go because it’s just not working out due to one thing or t’other.
I think the biggest issue for most people, including myself, are trees. I’m a fool for them, and if I had enough land and money I would have my own personal arboretum (you could visit). I love tall majestic shade trees, like beech, oaks, maples, ashes and horse chestnuts (just to name a few), but because they have such large canopies they engulf gardens with their shade. Case in point, is my neighbour’s variegated tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera 'Aureomarginatum'. It was once a diminutive little tyke, but it hasn’t taken long to become an impressive specimen. This quickly growing tree is known to be a fast grower, but it’s also brittle resulting in broken branches when strong winds blow. Another issue is their extensive shallow roots, which will eventually damage both our driveways. To top it off, aphids are drawn to it. As they feed, the aphids secrete a sticky substance called honeydew that rains on the plants and cars below (check out my blog on the subject here). But besides all that, it is engulfing the front garden. It’s getting so big and casting so much shade, our sunny deck is sunny no more and the rose underneath it is not too happy. So why is it still standing, you ask? There are numerous reasons: it’s located in a perfect location to block the blinding summer sun that engulfs our living room. It is also very attractive. Its grey bark contrasts beautifully against the tulip-shaped flickering variegated green and chartreuse foliage. It also has lovely ‘bones’ so it looks good all year whether it is dressed in leaves or not. And that is the trouble with shade trees; they are nature’s beautiful umbrellas casting shade under their outstreched leafy limbs. But imagine a world without them. Imagine your garden without them. No thanks, what a sad and boring world it would be, never mind the lack of life-giving clean air. If you want a Zen moment check out the video of my neighbour's tree from my deck, click here. Cheers, Amanda Oh and feel free to check out my Facebook page! Just click here. Need Help?![]() Need help figuring what to do in your garden? Make an appointment for Amanda to come to your garden to show you how to grow food, sow seeds, prune, design beds etc. Get Amanda to teach you the ropes by making an appointment here.
Learn How to Prune![]() What to prune now? How to prune? What tools to use? How far can a plant be cut back? All are great questions. Register here for Amanda to teach you all about pruning your plants in your garden at your convenience.
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Amanda's Garden Blog
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June Garden Stars
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GARDEN tours Revisited
Here is a revisit of the garden tours from previous years since all tours have been cancelled due to Covid-19. Click on the links below:
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JUne PLANT COMBOThis stunning arrangement caused quite a stir during the Heritage Vancouver Garden Tour last year in 2019. It's a partially shaded location with the tall blue delphiniums are in a slightly sunnier spot. The bright pink astilbe is the perfect match for the deep blue spikes of a speedwell (Veronica) behind it and the soft blue waterfall Serbian bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue waterfall') is in the front beside the path. All prefer moist but well-draining, humus rich soil.
Watering Restrictions ContinueFor Metro Vancouver, B.C.
Water restrictions start May 1 and end October 15. If you don’t live in Metro Vancouver, contact your local municipality for their watering restrictions. Residential lawn watering schedule:
Even-numbered addresses: Wed and Sat, 4 to 9 a.m. Odd-numbered addresses: Thurs and Sun, 4 to 9 a.m. Trees, shrubs & flowers: Any day from 4 to 9 am for sprinklers, hand watering and drip irrigation. All hoses must have an automatic shut-off device. Non-residential (businesses) lawn watering schedule: Even-numbered addresses: Mon, 1 to 6 a.m., Fri 4 to 9 am. Odd-numbered addresses: Tues, 1 to 6 a.m., Fri 4 to 9 am Trees, shrubs & flowers: Any day from 1 to 9 am for sprinklers, hand watering and drip irrigation. All hoses must have an automatic shut-off device. For more information, click here Water Restriction Permits: They are available for new lawns and natural pest control such as Nematodes. To learn more click here. plant policeSuckers arising from the base of a tree and on the trunk are a common issue. They should be removed as soon as possible before they get to big to pull off. If they are too difficult to pull off, cut them off flush to the trunk so they don't regrow. If you allow them to grow, not only does your tree become a bush, it also saps the energy from the tree.
Insects in the Veggie GardenCaterpillars: Ragged leaves with chunks taken out of them rolled leaves and green, brown or black droppings are signs that caterpillars have infested your plants. These eating machines quickly devour plants, oftentimes leaving only the leaf veins. To control, handpick, spray with soap, or use bacillus thuringiensis (Bt, thuricide), a bacteriacide that only kills caterpillars.
Earwigs: Create a trap for them by mixing 1 part soy sauce with 1 part olive oil in a small plastic lidded tub. Make 3 or 4 holes an inch from the rim around the container large enough for the earwigs to enter. Bury the container, just up to the holes. Check every few days and discard any victims and replace the solution when necessary. Harvest & PlantHarvest: Don’t forget to harvest all your delicious produce. Check daily; they ripen quickly. For more on harvesting click here.
More Harvests: For continuous and prolonged harvests, sow seeds of the same crop such as beans every 2 weeks. To earn more about successive gardening click here. Crop Failure? It happens but there's still time to give it another go by planting more seeds and/or planting starter plants. Garden centres and nurseries should still have some in stock. Harvest But Keep On Planting Veggies! Once you've harvested your lettuce, your radishes and any other crop, use the empty space to plant more goodies. Sow beans, corn, melons, cucumbers, squash, zucchini seeds. Or buy starter plants of your favorite veggies at your local garden centres. Rhubarb & Asparagus: Stop harvesting this month as they need to build up reserves for next years’ crop.
Potatoes: To protect potatoes from turning green and to get more spuds, hill soil around the growing stems and over the base of the plants. Harvest ‘new’ potatoes when plants are in flower. Either harvest the entire plant or use your hand to pluck out a few. For more on spuds click here. Secure tomatoes to their support as they grow to prevent bent and broken stems. Don’t let their soil dry out! Mulch with straw or torn shredded newspaper. For Trouble with Tomatoes click here. For The Life of a Tomato click here.
FruitsFruit Thinning: Inspect fruit trees after they abort their excess fruit during ‘June Drop’ and thin any overcrowded fruit clusters and runts.
Raspberries and Cane Fruit: Stake the new canes of raspberries, blackberries and other cane fruit. Cover ripening berries with row covers or nets to protect them from animals. Wilting raspberry canes may not be due to drought, but raspberry cane borers. Cut back the wilted canes at least 6 inches past where the wilting has stopped. Check the cut off stem and there should be a wee bug in there. Grapes: Too many grape clusters produce teeny weeny grapes. Prune off every other cluster or more for fewer clusters and larger grapes. For more on pruning grapes click here. It's summer, break out the hose!It's summer and as the temperatures rise plants work harder and need to replace the water lost through there leaves.
Bare soil dries out quickly with summer heat and bright sunshine. A 3 inch layer of an organic mulch on top of the soil provides protection from the sun and reduces evaporation. It also insulates the soil, which reduces temperature fluctuations. The mulch also suppresses weeds. Watering TipsHere’s a few tips on how to water efficiently and effectively.
Watering on a slope? Tricky stuff. Water runs off sloped land and erodes the soil in the process. The steeper the grade the drier the soil. To water, set up the sprinkler so it has a gentle flow for 20 to 30 minutes. Wait for 20 minutes for it to soak in, then put it on again for another 20 minutes. Repeat the process until the ground is thoroughly wetting to at least an inch.
Drought GardeningThe hot summer sun and lack of rain makes growing plants rather difficult, but there are ways to staunch the effects of such extreme conditions. To learn effective methods of gardening with little water click here.
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June Garden ChoresPlease note that coloured text are linked to another page on this website or another website. Most of the pictures are also linked and will redirect you if you click on them.
Spring Bulbs: Remove the spent blossoms, but leave their foliage until it turns yellow, then you can cut it off or dig them up. Store the bulbs by placing them in paper bags or cardboard boxes. Dust generously with cinnamon to prevent fungi and disease. Store in a dark dry area until fall, when you can replant them. If you don't want to wait until their leaves turn yellow, dig them up being careful not to detach th stems from the bulbs. If you don’t want to dig them up, plant other plants around them to hide the withering foliage.
Deadhead: Remove the spent flowers from tree peonies, garden peonies, lilacs, rhododendrons and spring flowering perennials such as lungworts (Pulmonaria), iris, hellebores, violets, oriental lilies, cranesbill geraniums, bergenia and anything else that has formed a seed head. Deadheading allows the plant to spend its energy on the plant and not creating seeds. Plants also look better once they’ve been cleaned up. Weed: Buttercups and other creepers spread far and wide, while dandelions and other tap rooted plants delve into unknown depths. Pluck off or mow their flower heads if you don’t have the time to hand weed - before they go to seed. Pick a day when the ground is damp or after watering as they are easier to remove. Stop Weeds! To prevent weeds from regrowing after weeding a bed, lay 3 inches of an organic mulch on top of the soil and around plants. Don't dig it in, just lay it on the ground. For more on mulch click here. Compost: The more you add to the pile and turn it, the sooner all your kitchen scraps become compost. Add water when necessary as moisture helps with the decomposing process. Pile too wet? Add strips of newspaper or dried leaves. Don’t add meat products, dairy, fat or any cooked food. For more on composting click here.
Water: Check your garden for any thirsty plants. Water deeply and thoroughly to avoid shallow roots. If in doubt, dig down with a trowel or shovel and have a look to see how far the water has soaked in. Apply water to the entire soil surface so the dry soil does suck the moisture away. Heather: Once winter heather, Erica carnea, finishes flowering cut it back to keep plants compact. Don’t cut back to far, not into the woody growth, as stems won’t regrow. For more on heathers click here.
Stake Plants: Peonies, delphiniums, garden phlox, oriental poppies and other tall and top heavy flower laden plants will collapse if they are not supported adequately. Check the garden often for plants in need of propping up. Peony & Ants: Ants on your peonies? Not to worry; they do no harm. The ants protect the flowers from harmful insects and in return the peonies allow the ants to feed on their nectar. Mind the Gap: Fill in any areas in your garden beds that are bare or are in need of a dash of colour. The easiest way to do this is to go to your local nursery and look for a suitable plant or plants. Another simple option is to fill the gap with a decorative planter full of flowers. Containers: Pot up some planters for summer if you haven't already done so. For those already planted, inspect them daily to make sure they are receiving adequate water. Ones exposed to afternoon sun and those crammed with plants will dry out quickly. To help with the watering, place a drainage tray under each pot to collect and hold the water. Wet the soil thoroughly so it drains in the tray below. Discard any remaining water after 30 minutes. Hanging baskets, especially moss types, dry out quickly and at least need daily watering. For a thorough soaking and to perk up overly dry plants, dunk the basket in a bucket of water until it stops bubbling. For more on growing in containers click here.
Pruning & Bird Nests: Before pruning trees, shrubs and hedges, make sure there are no nesting birds within. Birdies are still taking care of their young.
Sow Biennial Seeds: Sow wallflowers, foxgloves, honesty, hollyhocks inside in pots or outside in an area where they receive shade in the afternoon. Keep soil moist until seed germinate, which may mean watering gently a few times a day on hot days. Follow the instructions on the seed packets for seed spacing, planting depth and other pertinent information. For more on sowing seeds click here. Cuttings: Take softwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs and trees, perennials, climbers, woody herbs: hydrangeas, buddleias, deciduous magnolias, fuchsias. Take cuttings in the morning as they are full of moisture. For more detail click here. ![]() Tropical Plants from Indoors to Outdoors:
Bougainvilleas and other tropical plants that have been grown inside need to be acclimatized before vacationing outside for the summer. Put them outside in the shade first for a few hours then bring them back inside. Every day after that, take them back outside increasing the sun, wind and duration each day. Coleus and Dusty Miller: Remove their flower as soon as they form to increase bushiness, prolong their life and to keep them more compact.
Houseplants - Inside: Sad houseplants with pale leaves, scraggily growth that lack vigour and need daily watering probably need to be repotted. If they are potbound, repot into a container just one or two size larger. Use fresh potting soil and keep them in a bright location until they perk up. Since the sun is back in town check houseplants that maybe receiving too much light from a south or west facing window. Move them away for now until fall when the sun is not so fierce.
PruningShrubs: Prune weigela, mock orange and other spring flowering shrubs right after they finish flowering. Don't just shear off their tops as they need to be thinned. The best way to do it is to get down on your hands and knees and remove all dead growth from inside the plant. Prune out at their base, any diseased, broken, weak and branches that cross. This method is essential to helps shrubs look their best and prolongs their life. The best time to thin most shrubs is right after flowering.
Trees: Remove dead branches, broken ones, diseased growth and suckers. Cut off suckers that arise from the base of the tree and tree trunk. Remove any watersprouts that grow along stem branches. When removing suckers and watersprouts, cut them off flush with the stem and/or roots. Evergreens: Prune or shear your cedar hedges and other conifers when the new growth turns a dark green. For more on pruning click here. Roses; After the FlowersRoses perform best with rich soil, 6 hours of sun and moist soil, especially when they are in flower. Thirsty plants produce smaller and fewer blossoms on weakened plants. Keep rose bushes pumping out more flowers by removing the dead flowers, preferably at petal fall. Instead of just plucking off the blossoms, initiate bigger and stronger blooms by cutting the stem just above a five or seven leaflet leaf. Follow the same procedure when cutting off the flowers for floral arrangements. Removing spent roses stimulates new side-shoots, producing more flowers and eliminating seed production. Fertilize with compost, well-rotted manure or an organic fertilizer after each flush of blossoms. Roses benefit from a soil that is mulched. Add 3 inches of recycled wood chips or another organic mulch.
Climbing Roses: Their long supple canes don't have the ability of clinging to a support so they must be tied as they grow. If possible tie them so they grow horizontally to encourage more flowers. Taming WisteriaTame wisteria vines and prompt more flowers by pruning all side shoots to a few buds. The remaining stem should only be 4 to 6 inches long. Flowering spurs should develop in a year or two. Repeat this process again in winter to continue to tame the beast and produce more flowers.
Lawn Care for JUneSummer is a critical time for our northern grasses as they don't like the heat and the accompanying drought. These conditions make them susceptible to weeds, patchiness, and most importantly, grubs - oh no!
Keep lawns healthier and happier by giving them one inch of water a week, minimum and by raising the lawnmower to 3 to 4 inches. The longer grass prevents insects from depositing their eggs so they hone-in on shorter grass as well as mossy lawns. Fertilize lawns with a high nitrogen food (first number is highest) if you didn’t last month, but be prepared for a flush of new growth and a few extra mowing cuts. Select a slow release or an organic product. For more on fertilizing lawns click here. June Arrangement
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Plant of the month
Peruvian Lily
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Common Name: Peruvian Lily, Lily of the Incas, Princess Lilies
Botanical Name: Alstroemeria aurea Form: upright bushy clumps Family: Alstroemeriaceae Genus: Alstroemeria Species: aurea Plant Type: rhizomatous herbaceous perennial Mature Size: 1 to 3 feet x 1 to 2 feet Growth: fast Origin: South America Hardiness Zone: 8 to 10 Foliage: narrow, lance-shaped and twisted up to 4 inches long Flowers: lily shaped wide funnels held in umbels with prominent stamens from June until frost, pinks, reds, salmon, mauves, yellows, purple, white with colourful streaks or spotting depending on the cultivar and variety. Black speckles are common on their 3 petals but their 2 sepals are wider and either have few or no dots. Fruit: capsules with viable seeds Stems: slender and long with flower clusters on top Exposure: best in full sun in the morning to partial shade in the afternoon, avoid full sun in hot climates Soil: best in organically rich, moist soil and must drain well, dislikes soggy soil Uses: containers, borders, accent, cutting garden, foundation plantings, butterfly, hummingbird and pollinator gardens Propagation: divide rhizomes in fall, seeds Problems: Prone to root rots if kept too wet. Botrytis blight occurs in hot, humid climates. Comments: Their rhizomes are brittle and easily break so be careful when handling. Alstroemerias are commercially grown for their superb performance as a cut flower. They are found in florists as well as grocery stores throughout the world. Not only do they outlast other flowers in floral arrangements, they come in a plethora of colours, colour combinations with either spots or stripes on their petals. Alstroemerias flower freely all summer long all the way through autumn until frost. You are lucky if you live in Zones 8 to 10, as they grow freely outdoors. If you live in Zone 7, protect them with a winter mulch. In cooler zones, grow in containers and bring them indoors before the first frost. Induce dormancy by restricting water, but don’t allow them to dry out. Place in a cool, but frost tree location with filtered sunlight. There are many hybrid strains and cultivars available including dwarf varieties. For cut flowers, pluck each stem from their base, close to the roots. This encourages new stems and more flowers to replace the ones you’ve removed. Be careful when planting, transplanting and repotting as their fleshy rhizomes, that look more like tubers, are brittle and break easily. Plantings grow in width, not height, as the rhizomes freely multiply underground. Plants benefit with 3 inches of an organic mulch, but keep it away from their stems. Plants rot in soggy soil so make sure drainage is good. In hot climates provide them with dappled shade especially in the afternoon. |
Landscape Job Postings
For landscapers looking for work and landscape companies looking to hire.
If you are looking for work or if you wish to post a position please go to Job Postings. Landscapers, post your contact info here.
If you are looking for work or if you wish to post a position please go to Job Postings. Landscapers, post your contact info here.
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for the tropical Gardener

While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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