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Gardening Journal: Plant of the month – Libertia grandiflora

As we say goodbye to May we say hello to June - the first of the summer months. As the weather warms up more and more plants start to flower and reward us with a riot of colour and scent. It’s a great time to go and see what other people have been up to so make a point of clearing some space in the diary and get out and see what ideas you can acquire and adapt for your own garden.  So check out the NGS schedule and see whats open locally to get further inspiration for next years garden project.

Libertia originates from New Zealand and is known as the New Zealand Iris to some. In fact, Libertia is the only New Zealand genus in the worldwide Iris family. There are eight species in New Zealand and half of them have only recently been identified as being distinctive. The genus receives its charming name from a nineteenth century Belgian woman, Marie-Anne Libert, who studied mosses, lichens and their unassuming relatives.

Although it is described as suited to a position in full sun, that has not been my experience as plants growing in a completely open aspect tend to look a little scruffy. I have found that they are better placed in a situation where it will receive dappled shade for part of the day. I have also found that they do best out of the way of the worst of the winter winds too and are quite capable of withstanding dry soil conditions once established.

This plant should ultimately be used as a textural addition to a planting scheme, its striking leaves being the main point of focus with the flowers in mid summer considered a bonus. I love to see it at the edge of a mixed shrub border where its leaves contrast with the mound like shapes of the shrubs. Good companions include Ceratostigma willmontianum, Choisya Aztec Pearl and Viburnm x juddhii. Adding alittle underplanting of something like Bergenia, Ajuga & Geranium Rozanne you have a great little scheme which will provide you with colour, form and texture for most for the year.

Jobs to be doing this month include:
Ornamental Garden.

• Lightly trim box balls – traditionally on Derby Day 6th June!! Would be nice to encourage the box topiary to grow larger while retaining the shape.
• Deadheading – Salvias as the flower heads go over, penstemons, roses etc.
• Spray any plants infected with aphids or black fly.
• Weed!!!
• Prune early flowering clematis.
• Cut back foliage of tulips.
• Trim other shrubs to shape as necessary.
• Plant warm season grasses such as penisetum and panicum.
• Treat bindweed/groundelder and other invasive weeds growing among other plants by applying a glyphosate based weedkiller to their leaves.
• Prune ornamental cherries after their flowers have faded.
• There is still time to sow quick germinating annuals such as cosmos.
• Sow winter bedding such as violas etc.
• Cut back oriental poppies/pulmonaria etc after they have flowered. Remove all leaf as well to allow for fresh leave to sprout.
• Remove reverted shoots form variegated shrubs etc.

Vegetable Garden.

• Direct Sow carrots for autumn and winter harvest.
• Sow Florence fennel and chicory.
• Plant out leeks once they are pencil thick.
• Put straw round strawberries.
• Water potatoes for good sized tubers.
• Feed tomatoes regularly.
• Ventilate greenhouse.
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