June in Bloom

Summer is full swing in my neck of the woods and along with it, my yard is full of lovely summer color.

While summer annuals like cosmos and zinnias are just getting going, perennials like shasta daisies, coneflowers, and daylilies are the star of the show in June.

A few years ago I planted this delightful pink tall phlox along the fence next to the driveway and they have really taken off this year! I just love the deeper pink ring around the “eye” of each of the flowers.

This year I also added few new flowers to my back corner flowerbed.

I needed some shorter flowers near the front, so I planted these sweet little coreopsis. I love the sunny pop of color they add along the edge.

I’ve also been on the lookout for different shapes of flowers to add some interest in my garden and this vintage red yarrow was just the ticket.

The botanical name is Achillea millefolium and I love its fine feathery foliage (fun fact! millefolium is Latin for “of a thousand leaves”) and the interesting fat-topped flower head with dozens of tiny flowers. Both of which are a nice contrast to my existing flowers.

Another flower I’ve had on my list to add is this Gaillardia.

Commonly known as blanket flower, this vibrant beauty is the state wildflower of Oklahoma.

You can see in growing wild along the highway throughout the summer and it is ideal for home gardens as well. This is a hybrid variety called ‘Arizona Sun’ and is a little more compact than the native wildflower.

I am obsessed with its vibrant red and yellow color combination and love that it is heat and drought tolerant AND BUNNY RESISTANT.

These June blooms have been such a wonderful gift this month.

Working in the yard and growing these flowers is an intentional, radical act of joy on my part. It brings me so much happiness, reminding me of everything that is beautiful, good, and true in the world. And I hope by sharing these photos that they do the same for you.

Love, Kelly