Top Ten Plants June 2025

‘Rambling Rector’, or the ‘naughty vicar’ as many have affectionately called it, looks stunning in June 2025. Most of its long stems are covered in large clusters of small, semi-double, beautiful, creamy-white, strongly scented roses. However, it’s extremely vigorous, meaning it ideally should be planted against the trunk of a tall, stout tree. It looks wonderful planted against a house wall, but it would need regular pruning at the end of the season. Plus, it needs to be properly tied into strong, taut wire to hold the numerous vigorous stems in place.

• Flowers from June to July
• Hardy
• Grows to 750cm tall and 150cm wide
• Well-drained, fertile soil
• Sun or part shade
• Exposed

Peony flowers are some of the most glamorous and have been grown in gardens for centuries. Once established, they are easy to grow. Just remember to plant them shallowly, with the ‘eyes’ no more than 2cm below the soil. If planted too deep, they may not flower. ‘Helen Hayes’ has beautiful, double-petaled, deep-pink, scented flowers, carried on strong stems with dark green, glossy leaves.  

• Flowers in June
• Hardy
• Grows to 90cm tall and 40cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Full sun
• Sheltered

Not only has this very pretty dwarf mock orange been crowned RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year 2025. But it is also the world’s first pink philadelphus! Its short stature makes it perfect for the smaller garden and/or growing in containers. The flowers are hugely scented, borne on gently arching stems. And the bonus is it requires no pruning and is very low-maintenance.

NB – image below is of Philadelphus ‘Belle Étoile’

• Flowers from May to July
• Hardy
• Grows to 150cm tall and 150cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Sun or part shade
• Exposed

There are hundreds of varieties of this easy-to-grow genus to choose from. Most of which produce great numbers of flowers and, as a result, are great to include in a flower border. ‘Elke’ has a neat, carpeting habit, with a long flowering period, making it perfect for the front of borders. The flowers are a striking shade of deep pink, with paler edges and a white centre. This, if cut back after flowering, may reward you with a second flush later in the season.

• Flowers from May to August
• Hardy
• Grows to 23cm tall and 30cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Sun or light shade
• Exposed

This is a relatively new introduction of these popular half-hardy, mega-long-flowering plants. Its overall flower colour is a delightful shade of peachy-pink. This is carried on the end of long, thin, arching stems and is highly attractive to pollinating insects. Its other great advantages are an extremely long period of flowering and that it also makes a great cut flower. In June 2025, this variety really stands out in beds and borders.

• Flowers from June to September
• Hardy
• Grows to 120cm tall and 20cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Sun or part shade
• Sheltered

This is another long-flowering plant producing broad, domed-headed clusters of flowers on tall, narrow, stiff stems above feathery leaves. The flowers on this plant are a soft lilac-pink colour, which fade to almost white as they age. It makes a superb display in June 2025 gardens, and continues blooming for weeks.

• Flowers from June to September
• Hardy
• Grows to 70cm tall and 45cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Sun or part shade
• Sheltered

This is an amazingly versatile, tough perennial covered in pretty, daisy flowers for months on end. It grows into a delightful, soft-looking mound covered in small white flowers that turn pink as they age. It’s an extremely adaptable plant and, once established, will self-seed in the most unlikely places, often in and against walls. It can be planted in front of borders, containers, and/or gravel or rock gardens. Or even in crevices between paving slabs! A superb low-maintenance choice for June 2025.

• Flowers from June to August
• Hardy
• Grows to 40cm tall and 100cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Sun or part shade
• Exposed

This unusual, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub has a graceful arching habit and produces beautiful, deep wine-red, magnolia-like flowers. They have a cream centre and a delicate sweet scent. They flower intermittently for months on end, then come autumn, the leaves turn a delightful shade of gold before falling to the ground later in the season.

• Flowers from May to September
• Hardy
• Grows to 300cm tall and 450cm wide
• Moist but well-drained soil
• Full sun
• Sheltered

Deutzia’s are easy-to-grow and care for shrubs that deserve to be more widely planted in gardens. At this time of year, they are profusely covered in pretty flowers. And ‘Strawberry Fields’ produces clusters of small, pretty pink and white, star-shaped flowers. Due to its reasonable size, it can also be grown in large containers. Several cultivars are available with white flowers. This one really shines in June 2025, offering a romantic splash of colour.

• Flowers from June to July
• Hardy
• Grows to 200cm tall and 200cm wide
• Well-drained, moderately fertile soil
• Sun or part shade
• Exposed

Another easy-to-care-for shrub that comes into its own during the summer months is the tree mallow. A fast-growing evergreen which flowers for months on end. It produces pretty, medium-sized, white flowers streaked with delightful dark purple veining in the centre. Best planted in a sheltered spot out of cold winds and away from frost pockets. Deadheading spent flowers will prolong flowering. Look out for its brilliant flowers in June 2025.

• Flowers from April to October
• Frost tender
• Grows to 150cm tall and 100cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Full sun
• Sheltered