Midsummer, and the garden is awash with colour. There is always plenty of work to be done, but make the most of the long summer evenings, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labours earlier in the year. At this time of year gardens are not only full of colour, but the scent of flowers such as roses and sweet peas fills the air, especially towards the end of the day. It’s the perfect time for an impromptu evening party!

 

Watering

Make sure the birds have enough water during spells of dry weather, and be sure to keep new and young plants well-watered all through the summer. Plants in containers are particularly susceptible to drought, so give them plenty of water (hanging baskets may require watering twice a day) and feed with a suitable plant food once every two weeks.

 

Get ahead

Now is the time to order spring-flowering bulbs online. There are some great bargains to be had. Look for a selection that will give you colour from the earliest snowdrop all the way through to alliums and lilies. Plan for holidays

Plan ahead

… particularly if you have a newly planted garden; ask a kind neighbour to do the watering for you while you are away so you don’t come back to a sea of dead plants.

 

 

Pruning Wisteria

Prune wisteria by cutting back the whippy growths made during the summer so they are within five or six buds of the main stem. This encourages the formation of flower buds for next year. The second prune should be done in February.