looking back at my photos from June last year, amongst the roses there are the perennials - erysimums, geums, geraniums and oriental poppies - the biennials - foxgloves, etc as has been said - and also quite a lot of bulbs (or similar) - camassia, siberian iris, alliums. I also have a couple of young elder trees, which are always a mass of flowers in early June
As Marlorena says, the biennials can usually be found as plants in early spring in garden centres to flower this year and won't be very expensive as they are easily grown from seed (for next year, sow some seed in the summer). Erysimums are perennial but if you buy them as plants in March/April (provided we get a 'normal' spring, i.e. not like last year) and plant them out, they will flower this year - not as extravagant as Lyn's established plants, but a splash of colour. Geraniums and geums may do if you buy them a bigger, but that's starting to cost a bit more and bedding plants will be cheaper per unit of colour impact.
Planning further ahead, Alliums and camassia planted this autumn will flower next summer. Trees, shrubs (weigela, lilac) and also siberian iris take a few years to get going.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Hardy annuals sown in modules in your cold greenhouse so you can plant them out without too much root disturbance might have a better chance of flowering in June than the tender types. Not guaranteed though, it would be weather-dependent.
Hardy annuals include things like nigella (love-in-a-mist), calendula (pot marigolds), limanthes (poached-egg plant), shirley poppies, cornflowers etc.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Looked at my photos of last year, taken on 30th June last year. Apart from aforementioned geraniums and geums. I had some snap dragons which had come back from previous year so not sure if they would flower from seed sown now, sweet peas sown January and planted out Easter weekend , poppies , pansy's and some daisy types which some may class as a weed, but they filled a fair few colour gaps in my garden last year and are still in flower now so it can stay
You already have so much good advice and help, but I just wanted to add about plugs or small plants I don't know but I wonder if you can get salvias like Amistad, there are others pinks and whites? Amistad is a deep purple. Just that some cuttings I only took late last year are trying to flower in a frost free blow away at the moment. People say these make lovely big plants quite quickly, and I can say they are very floriferous.
Look up some geraniums like Rozanne, they seem to flower non stop for months from June, though I have seen it somewhere quoted as May, not sure how early they start though, also I think one called Azure rush is long flowering. Rozanne is like a small non clingy Clematis it sort of grows along the ground, though I think if you cut it it clumps a bit more? I only bought one last year to try. I am so impressed by its flower power. It might work well under or around your roses. (Just checked, they are available as plugs.)
Although I also understand the want to start seeds yourself, buying a few good strong flowering things might pay dividends for this year.
Wow, thanks for all the great advice and suggestions! I am really excited now and have set myself a challenge to see how much colour I can pack in for mid June. All of the above are now on my very extensive shopping list!
Seedlings need good light levels to grow strong and sturdy so not much point sowing before the spring equinox unless you can provide artificial light and warmth. However, it may be worth, in future years, sowing some hardy annuals in September and over wintering them will help you get flowers earlier than a spring sowing. This info from the RHS should guide you - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=390
For this year, as stated above, buying plug plants and growing them on in pots is the way to go for this June but be careful about putting tender plants out before the last of the frosts in May. You'll find trays of more obvious plants such as impatiens, lobelia, marigolds and so on in garden centres, DIY stores and some supermarkets and they'll make good, cheap fillers if you look after them well - shelter, good compost, feeding and watering till they can go outside.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Do you go to any nurseries ? Nurseries usually have a clearance/accident corner . I have bought plants at a next to nothing price ,you can usually split these up ,making three plants from one.I sometimes keep these in the green house and they don't take long to pull round.
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As Marlorena says, the biennials can usually be found as plants in early spring in garden centres to flower this year and won't be very expensive as they are easily grown from seed (for next year, sow some seed in the summer). Erysimums are perennial but if you buy them as plants in March/April (provided we get a 'normal' spring, i.e. not like last year) and plant them out, they will flower this year - not as extravagant as Lyn's established plants, but a splash of colour. Geraniums and geums may do if you buy them a bigger, but that's starting to cost a bit more and bedding plants will be cheaper per unit of colour impact.
Planning further ahead, Alliums and camassia planted this autumn will flower next summer. Trees, shrubs (weigela, lilac) and also siberian iris take a few years to get going.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
You already have so much good advice and help, but I just wanted to add about plugs or small plants I don't know but I wonder if you can get salvias like Amistad, there are others pinks and whites? Amistad is a deep purple.
Just that some cuttings I only took late last year are trying to flower in a frost free blow away at the moment.
People say these make lovely big plants quite quickly, and I can say they are very floriferous.
Look up some geraniums like Rozanne, they seem to flower non stop for months from June, though I have seen it somewhere quoted as May, not sure how early they start though, also I think one called Azure rush is long flowering.
Rozanne is like a small non clingy Clematis it sort of grows along the ground, though I think if you cut it it clumps a bit more?
I only bought one last year to try. I am so impressed by its flower power.
It might work well under or around your roses.
(Just checked, they are available as plugs.)
Although I also understand the want to start seeds yourself, buying a few good strong flowering things might pay dividends for this year.
Have a look on the Secret Garden topic.
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1024298/the-secret-garden-club/p1
For this year, as stated above, buying plug plants and growing them on in pots is the way to go for this June but be careful about putting tender plants out before the last of the frosts in May. You'll find trays of more obvious plants such as impatiens, lobelia, marigolds and so on in garden centres, DIY stores and some supermarkets and they'll make good, cheap fillers if you look after them well - shelter, good compost, feeding and watering till they can go outside.
I have bought plants at a next to nothing price ,you can usually split these up ,making three plants from one.I sometimes keep these in the green house and they don't take long to pull round.