The garden at this point in June seems like an entirely new one—so different from the early spring palette. A salmon-orange Gladiolus from years ago brashly turned up in the Southern border today. I almost admired it for being so bold, but in the end I cut it and placed it in a nice vase indoors. Beebalm is in full bloom, Echinacea is maturing in many parts of the garden and last year’s Allium ‘Drumstick’ is back. All are attracting bees. A hummingbird visited the beebalm yesterday. There have been a few other hummingbirds this year, but now that the beebalm is blooming perhaps there will be many more.
Foxglove
A Foxglove mystery may be solved. This Foxglove has been in the garden since 2008 or 2009 and I thought it had caramel in the name, but never could find the tag. The coloring is creamy when the flowers first appear. Inside the flowers are yellow with reddish-brown veins and a hairy lip. Today I researched it a bit and hope I have it identified properly now. Could this be Digitalis ferruginea (‘Gelber Herold’, ‘Yellow Herald’, Rusty Foxglove)?
Almanac
Today the weather was clear, hot and very humid, reaching 93°F. before severe thunderstorms passed through this evening. The winds overturned a bench and a flowerpot, but otherwise things seem ok for us. Some of our neighbors are reporting trees down, cable service lost and even roof damage.
Irises and Spiderwort
Iris Border
Despite the heat I chose today to dig up some of the dozens and dozens of Spiderwort that have aggressively expanded throughout most of the borders. I had to dig up many irises in order to get to the roots of the Spiderwort, so now there is a lot of work to replant some of the irises and find a good home for the rest. Fortunately the high temperature tomorrow will be a nice 81°F. so the work should be enjoyable. The irises have needed division for years, but actually they bloomed incredibly well this spring anyway. The amount of Spiderwort I managed to dig today is just a small portion of the total I want to remove.
Tradescantia (Spiderwort)
This white one looked so innocent and beautiful this morning. Actually this particular clump has not spread like the others, but it is getting very large.
Tradescantia (Spiderwort)
Garden Fauna
A variety of birds fill the garden with color and song. Fireflies or lightning bugs have been out in the evenings for several weeks. Frogs sing frequently and incessantly, though I have not seen one in the garden. A couple of little bunnies are nibbling Thyme in the meditation circle. No sign yet of the 17-year cicadas.
pbmGarden 
Your temperatures are so much higher than ours at the moment! I’m not sure about your ID of the foxglove, but whatever it is I like it a lot. Christina
Thankfully the humidity was cleared out some by the storm last night and the weekend weather is supposed to be nice. Just a couple of days of those high temperatures really stressed the emerging Shasta Daisies and the Hydrangea.
So glad you escaped fairly lightly from your storm, not nice when nature explodes in the garden. Your foxglove is beautiful, a nice change from the usual form and the white flower on your tradescantia is so lovely. This is a lovely time of year, with so many flowers coming, one after the other so quickly. You say you will be having 81F, to us here that is very hot, that is when I flake out in the shade with a good book and a long cold drink!
There was quite a lot of damage all around the state–we were fortunate but many were less so. If we could have 81F all summer, what a treat that would be! But by all means you should enjoy yourself reading in the shade sipping a cold drink. That sounds like a great way to beat the heat! Susie
The foxglove may be a cultivar of D. ferr. but it isn’t the straight species which has much smaller flowers. The species native spiderwort does seed like crazy and is suitable for a meadow or natural area. I had to remove it from my rock garden. However, the cultivated varieties do not seed and are safe to grow in a perennial border. I like the spot of orange.
I rather like that orange gladioli for daring to bloom in that position! Your planting is beautifully colour coordinated. Mine is a bit chaotic in comparison! I’m afraid I can’t help with identifying the foxglove, but it is quite a charming colour. Lovely photos Susie.
Thank you Cathy. Most everything here is happenstance rather than planned. The garden has evolved away from most of my original plans for it. I’ve enjoyed the orange gladioli indoors. I should add more glads this summer. Your garden is always quite lovely and doesn’t come across at all as chaotic. Susie
Hi Susie, I’m pretty sure your digitalis is a ferruginea type but I have the species (d. ferruginea) in my garden, which self seeds discretely and it looks smaller flowered than yours, and shorter too, so I guess you have some kind of cultivar of d. ferruginea growing in your garden.
It’s a shame you cut that orange gladiolus, it looked perfectly ‘out of place’ without clashing with the surroundings, you know like some kind of focal point.
Hi Alberto. I appreciate your help identifying the foxglove. Would it be correct to refer to it as d. ferruginea Hybrid? At any rate, this foxglove returns fairly well, but haven’t had much luck with others. I agree about the focal point but don’t worry too much for the orange gladiolus. It is enjoying a place of honor indoors in the air conditioning! The colors in that section of the garden have shifted completely away from the way I planned it originally. Susie
Well I’m not sure yours is an hybrid, maybe it looks bigger in pictures or it’s just some richer soil you have. I’ll post some pictures of mine soon and then you’ll decide.
Susie how lovely…monarda is my feature plant at the end of the month and yours is gorgeous as are all the flowers…you are still a week or 2 ahead of me.
Thanks a bunch Donna! I know I’ll enjoy reading your feature on monarda. The leaves on mine show mildew already from all the rain and humidity, but they’re still a treat to me. I love their fragrance. Susie
The Foxglove looks very interesting. I haven’t seen this color before. Love the cobalt blue jar in the middle of the plot.
I have very limited success with Foxglove but really love them. This is the only one that has stayed around more than a year or two. I found that pot in an antique store and fell in love with the color and shape. Made in Ohio or someplace like that. I usually keep it inside but now that I’ve tried it in the garden I like it there too.
How pretty is that blue pot with the pink-purple flowers!
Thanks Cindy. Pink yarrow and magenta Rose Campion do well in that area. My favorite pot–the color is almost periwinkle. Susie
I love anything orange in the garden I do confess! i always enjoy wandering around your garden and your June borders look most cheerful. Malc
I appreciate that Malc. The extra rains this year have helped keep the garden looking fresh longer than usual.
This is ANOTHER wonderful post. I love the photographs and writing. Spending time with this blog is always a teaching moment for me from a favorite gardener of mine.