Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now: June in Seattle
June in Seattle is also known as “Juneuary,” thanks to our famously rainy early summers. But there are still plenty of flowers to enjoy at this time of year, and you could argue they look even better glistening with raindrops. Read on to learn about the Japanese Snowbell, the Pacific Mock Orange, and Creeping Honeysuckle.
June 26, 2018
Summer doesn’t always mean sunshine, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of flowers.
It’s June! And while the summer solstice provides longer daylight hours, June in Seattle doesn’t always feel like summer. Also known as “Juneuary,” the weather can often be cool and wet in the Pacific Northwest around this time. But do not despair! There are numerous beautiful plants in bloom throughout June and many can appear even more charming dripping with summer rain.
Japanese Snowbell Tree
Japanese Snowbell Tree (Styrax japonicus) is stunningly elegant in rain or shine. The clusters of hanging bell-shaped white flowers sway gently in the breeze and have a slight fragrance that makes walking beneath these trees a feast for the senses. Native to China, Japan, and Korea, the Snowbell tree does well in our temperate climate, thriving in partial sun to partial shade and moist, rich soil.
Shown Above: Japanese Snowbell Tree – Styrax japonicus
Staying fairly petite, this tree grows to be 15'-25' tall with a lovely pyramidal structure that becomes more dome-shaped with age. Smooth, pale gray bark and clean horizontal branches give this tree an elegant form year-round, but it also requires careful pruning. This tree is an excellent choice for woodland gardens, or to feature as a striking accent in the landscape. While delightful to walk beneath for a better view of the flowers, be cautious about planting this tree near smooth walkways, as the tiny, hard fruits that form mid-summer can be slippery when crushed underfoot.
Pacific Mock Orange
Our featured shrub this month is a beloved native shrub, the Pacific Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii). In its natural habitat, Philadelphus grows in the understory beneath tall canopies of Douglas Fir and Big Leaf Maple in dappled shade with loamy soil. If grown in shady conditions, this tall shrub will grow into an elegant, open form with finely arching branches. Philadelphus will also tolerate sunnier areas, growing into a bushy, densely branching shrub that could easily be trained as a hedge.
Shown Above: Pacific Mock Orange – Philadelphus lewisii
Leafing out late in May, delicate white buds form soon after the leaves, and bloom profusely through June, with double bloom cultivars like ‘Goose Creek’ blooming slightly later than the species. We love this shrub for its delicate flowers and unique, intense fragrance. A mix of Neroli orange blossoms and flowering cherry, these blooms fill the air with a mild, sweet scent. An excellent choice for woodland and native plant gardens or as a seasonal screen, this shrub will continue to delight you after blooming, as its flower petals fall to the ground, creating the fleeting appearance of fallen snow.
Honeysuckle
One of our favorite plants that begins blooming in June is the Honeysuckle (Lonicera). This incredibly versatile genus has many uses in small gardens and large landscapes. Beloved as a climbing vine for its showy flowers, sweet fragrance, and honey-like nectar, Lonicera has many other forms that tend to be lesser known.
Shown Above: Creeping Honeysuckle – Lonicera crassifolia
This month we wanted to feature the tiny, yet enchanting groundcover – Creeping Honeysuckle (Lonicera crassifolia). This little rambling vine has shiny, round leaves that stay deep green year-round and trail in dense clusters along woody stems. The flowers emerge as rosy pink buds and mature into showy clusters of flowers ranging from white to pink and orange. We love this little vine for its adorable evergreen leaves and bright flowers. This vine is not only lovely when in bloom, it also functions as a hardy evergreen base for containers and hanging baskets. Like many loniceras it thrives in full sun with regular water and while it doesn’t spread far, it will trail over the edge of pots nicely.
What else is blooming?
This post is part of our ongoing “What’s Blooming” series. As we add more, we’ll update the list here, so you can continue learning about the lovely plants blooming (or otherwise looking great) in the Seattle area each month.
April
What’s Blooming Now: A Quick Guide for Spring Plants in Seattle Wondering what's blooming in Seattle in the spring? Maybe you’ve noticed some flowers on your walks around town and don’t know what they are? We are certainly big fans of when the flowers start peeking out in the spring. Here is a quick guide to some of our favorites that you will find in Seattle.
May
What’s Blooming Now: In Seattle, Dogwood Trees! Are you wondering: “What are those trees blooming in late spring, with large flowers in shades of pink or white?” They might be dogwoods, a powerhouse of landscape design that has a number of great cultivars and varieties. Here are a few of our favorite dogwood varieties, along with some details about their care and preferences.
July
What’s Blooming Now: Moon Gardens in July How much do you love a moon garden? When designing your landscape, don’t forget you can plan not only for the experience of the garden in the daytime, but also the late night hours! These blooming plants are great candidates for a beautiful (and great smelling) night garden.
August
What’s Blooming Now, In August: Hydrangeas Hydrangeas may be well-known, but did you there are a variety of different types? From the aptly-named ‘Incrediball’ to even a climbing version (really!) — here a the details on a few of our favorites, recommendations on where to plant them, and how to make sure they get what the need to be a champ bloomer.
