You may be wondering why I’m talking about Midsummer gardens already when we’re only in the first half of June, the first of the summer months. But that’s because (confusingly in many ways) the Summer Solstice, Midsummer, occurs in mid-late June.
In the midst of helping my daughter move house, my eldest son’s wedding and moving house and garden myself, I still make time to be in the garden and let my mind wander. The wedding bouquet reminded me that British Flowers Week falls near the Summer Solstice and I found this an interesting combination of events.
It led me to consider our midsummer gardens: what we may have growing; how the plants may be growing; and which flowers and flowering shrubs would thrive in a British midsummer garden. And so this blog was written instead of the planned one. (btw there’ s more on British Flowers Week and bridal bouquets towards the end of the blog)
British Gardens in Summer
My first thought was whether there was a garden style that looks at its best in June, around the time of the solstice that is quintessentially British. Personally, I don’t think that there is.
We have such a range of garden styles in this country. From traditional formal gardens full of topiary via modern formal gardens with tall architectural plants and minimalist gardens with large metallic planters and white alliums to cottage gardens full of informal flower groupings and blowsy peonies.
We have a range of garden styles because of differing taste; different practical needs, and the constraints and freedoms of the garden setting. By this last I mean that you can certainly have both a cottage style garden and a minimalist garden in your northern city garden (although perhaps not at the same time!) But the flowers which will grow in these midsummer gardens will vary to those growing in a garden of a similar style that is situated on the rural south coast. Location, or rather climate and microclimate, will affect your choice of plants whatever style you fancy.
Midsummer Weather and Flowering Garden Plants
As we gardeners often know to our cost, we have no control over the weather. Although we may reduce some of the worse effects, by offering frost protection and shade from the sun.
The sun – the primary source of life on earth. And in our midsummer gardens we do like to sit and enjoy those long, light evenings.
But did you know that the length of the daylight hours has been the one constant element for millions of years that tells the flowering plants when they should bloom?
Personally, I find that mind blowing! Photoperiodism is the term for the plants’ reaction to day length. It affects a number of the plants functions, but here we’re interested in flowering. As well as day length, the plants must also be mature enough in order to bloom.
Long day plants are those which flower when the day length is longer than a specified time. For some, the temperature has to be right as well. For many long day plants this means funnily enough, that the days, and frequently the nights, have to be warm. As a generalism, we can consider this to mean they will come into flower when there are no frosty nights.
Of course the term ‘long day’ is not as simple as the length of the sunlight hours. Some short day plants actually require more sunlight hours than long day plants! But generally speaking, it is the long day plants that will be flowering in our midsummer gardens.
Now in the UK, although we often have cold and damp weather, we would be unlucky to be experiencing frosts after May. So by the time of the Summer Solstice in the third week of June, our flowering long day plants that also like warmth should be blooming.
Flowers for Midsummer Gardens
Enough of the science for now, here are my flower suggestions for midsummer gardens that you can enjoy now. They should be on sale in nurseries and garden centres – in bloom! Which means if you don’t already have them growing in your garden you can indulge in a spot of retail therapy (see blog link below for tips on plant buying).
These suggestions only include smaller flowering plants, ie annuals, herbaceous perennials, bulbs and tubers. I’ve excluded flowering shrubs purely because more of us will find it easier to make room for smaller plants in flower borders. And also because most of the suggestions will grow happily in containers on balconies and patios. If you add some into borders in your front garden or in pots next to your car we can all revel in blooming, scented midsummer gardens!
Midsummer Gardens – Annuals
Sweet peas
Sweet peas, Lathyrus odoratus, are a cottage garden classic. An annual climber, they can be started off as seeds in autumn to flower the following summer or sown in the spring. If you don’t have the room to grow them from seed, most garden centres have small pots of them for sale from for you to grow on at home. In June they’ll be sold as garden ready.
Lathyrus odoratus can be found in a range of colours from a dark purple-black through to delicate pinks and whites. The more you pick them, the more flowers they produce. Sweet peas will grow happily up a wicker frame in a container as well as through metal obelisks in your flower border. There is a National Collection of Lathyrus in West Sussex. (Info and link for Plant Heritage’s National Collections is below)
Annual cornflower
The vivid blue of our native cornflower, Centaurea cyanus, Batchelor’s buttons, is a welcome sight in any garden. Wildflower meadows are informal planting, but cornflowers have a place in many formal gardens with their electric blue petals adding a zing to monochrome or green planting schemes.
Centaurea cyanus is a superb plant for pollinators and has been around in Britain since at least the Iron Age. There are now white, pink, purple and even black varieties available.
Night-scented stock
Matthiola longipetala, evening stock, night-scented stock, has, as the name suggests, a fragrance to enjoy when sitting in the garden after work. Flowers are white, pale purple, mid-purple, or pink.
NB during the day, especially if in full sun, the flowers may look wilted.
Midsummer Gardens – Herbaceous Perennials
Giant Scabious
Giant Scabious, Cephalaria gigantea, is a bit on the large side to fit in a pot when it’s fully grown. It is a wow factor plant, as the foliage is decorative and the flowers whether they’re in bud, in bloom or as seed heads are fascinating. See below for blog solely on Cephalaria gigantea.
White Valerian
The more usual red valerian Centranthus ruber, is found in gardens, hedgerows and growing in walls, particularly in the West Country. However, I more often use the white form, Centranthus ruber albus, in planting designs. It lightens shady spots under trees as it is a reliable border plant for those difficult areas. Deadheaded, they’ll bloom all summer long. There is also a pale pink form, Centranthus ruber var coccineus. All are lightly scented, so this is more effective en masse.
Midsummer Gardens – Small Perennials
Pinks
Dianthus, also known as cottage garden pinks, are a cottage garden favourite. Some varieties have a rich clove like scent, others have a lighter aroma. There are a range of Dianthus cultivars and varieties from alpines suitable for rock gardens to long stemmed carnations that can be picked and taken into the house as cut flowers.
There are National Collections of Malmaison Dianthus in Aberdeen and Suffolk. This is the strongly fragrant, old cut flower variety, not a hardy cottage garden pink but worth seeing and smelling if you can.
Deadnettle
Deadnettle, Lamium maculatum, is a good ground covering small perennial border plant. With green or variegated leaf forms and flower colours of white, pale pink and dark pink available, there’s a variety to suit most gardens. It will happily tolerate dry shade.
Nemesia
These are small tender perennials often grown as summer bedding plants. In sheltered gardens they may survive the winter, otherwise grow them in pots and protect from frost.
Sweetly vanilla scented there is a wide selection of cultivars from subtle whites through to bi-coloured purple and yellow flowers.
Midsummer Gardens – Bulbs, Corms and Tubers
Chocolate Cosmos
Cosmos astrosanguineus – Chocolate Cosmos – the name says it all, really! With chocolate maroon petals and a rich chocolate scent it’s a winner. Chocolate Cosmos is a tender perennial, the tuber will need frost protection over winter, so it is often better grown in a pot.
Hemerocallis
Hemerocallis, day lilies, are so called as each bloom lasts a day (or thereabouts). The plant makes up for this by having multiple blooms on a single stem. There is a National Collection of pre 1977 day lilies at Antony House in Cornwall, best seen late June – mid July.
and finally
Although they may be different types of flowering plant – annuals or perennials – one thing that all the above will have in common, is that they will be growing at a pre-defined rate in our midsummer gardens.
British Flowers Week has been an event since 2013 and always falls just before the Summer Solstice. A celebration of seasonal British flowers grown for us to enjoy in our houses and at our weddings. Yes, my (now) daughter-in-law had seasonal flowers in her bouquet and I’ll be writing about those particular flowers in a week or two. Once I’ve had chance to work my way through all the photos and check that she and Nathan are happy with blog.
National Plant Collections are held by Plant Heritage members and are a registered and documented collection of a group of plants. These can be linked botanically by plant group, or perhaps have a shared history or geography. They form a critical resource both for research and to maintain genetic diversity.
For further gardening advice and inspiration, check out Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below and our monthly Tipsheet – You could come and find us on Instagram Pinterest and Facebook too.
Happy Summer Solstice!
Related Gardening articles you may enjoy from our Award Winning Blog
Gardening Tips
How not to buy Garden Plants
8 Ways to Keep Cool in Your Garden
Midsummers Day in Your Garden – 3 Flowers, 3 Fruits, 3 Tasks
Midsummer Gardening Tasks for June
Planting Design Ideas
Shakespeare – Midsummer Nights Dream – Garden Design Inspiration
Giant Scabious, Wildlife Friendly Architectural Plant
5 Tall Flowers for Midsummer Gardens
Sunflowers and the Summer Solstice
5 Scented Flowering Shrubs for a Midsummer Garden
Edible Gardening
Strawberries and champagne – Grow your own Wimbledon treat
Herbs for Summer Salads
Short story – flash fiction
A Walled Garden on a Summer’s Afternoon
