June Garden Party

Welcome back for our June Garden Party!

To celebrate summer, we're hosting a monthly Garden Party!
I shared features from our May Garden Party earlier this week.

In case you missed them, you can check them out here.

Before we get started, I thought I'd share one of my garden favorites with you. It's a plant that I rarely ever see in person, in garden centers or even in garden catalogs.

It's called a sundrop. It's from the evening primrose family and it's botanical name is oenothera fruticosa.

Sundrops are native to the eastern United States and often grow as wildflowers in open meadows.

They bloom in early summer with bright lemon yellow flowers that remind me of buttercups.

The open in bright daylight and close in the evening.

They grow from dense, spreading roots that can easily be divided.

One of the special things about this plant is that it made it's way to my garden as a gift from a friend many years ago. What started as a small clump has become a drift that has survived all kinds of garden upheavel. Every year about this time, it just makes me smile!

Most perennials can be divided and it's actually a good way to rejuvenate a plant every few years. It keeps then from getting too large and creates wonderful new plants in the process.  The rule of thumb is to divide spring and summer bloomers in the fall. And divide fall bloomers in the spring. I can't think of a better gift than a plant from your garden - it's personal and thrifty too! 

Have you ever shared a plant with a friend?

Now on to this month's party. I'm not big on party rules, so let's keep it simple...
*Link up any outdoor/garden related projects you'd like to share - what's growing in your yard or garden, patio gardens, landscaping ideas, garden furniture or décor and of course we love porches, patios and garden parties!

*A link back would be appreciated, especially if you'd like to be considered for a feature.

*We'll start a new party on the second weekend of the month and share features throughout the month. Feel free to link up as often as you like. And it's okay to link up the same project to our Garden Party and our Be Inspired Party held every Tuesday.

I can't wait to see what's happening in your outdoor space!