Gardens

Plants&Gardens

BEST OF BORDERS AND BEDS

July and August are great months for enjoying the fruits of your gardening labours. Summer planting should be at its best in borders and beds, the lawn’s first flush has hopefully calmed down, and early quick-return crops are ready to harvest and savour…

Now is an ideal time to get inspired by the creations of others. Take days out to visit Royal Horticultural Society and National Trust gardens, or shows like the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park. Check out national collections if you’re away on holiday, and at home keep a look-out for private gardens open under the National Garden Scheme. Local garden trails in support of local charities are a great source of tea and cake while you’re picking up ideas!

Of course, there’s still plenty to do in your own garden, mainly around keeping up the borders and lawn and maintaining the productivity of your veg plot. Lis Morris, lecturer in Horticulture and Sustainable Technologies at University Centre Reaseheath, in Cheshire, advises: “One of the most important jobs for July is regular dead-heading of bedding plants and perennials. This keeps your plants looking attractive and encourages more blooms, which is great for insects too. Regular watering and feeding also lengthens the flowering season, for containers and baskets in particular.

“July is also fantastic for sowing seeds, as soil and air temperatures are high. Long, warm days with good light levels speed up germination. This enables you to extend your vegetable cropping and boost your stocks of perennials and biennials.”

Also on Lis’s to-do list are:

• Cut back early summer perennials such as hardy geraniums and delphiniums after flowering, for a second flush • Hoe and hand-weed borders, so weeds don’t have time to set seed • Pick sweet peas every few days; remove pods to prolong flowering • Give dahlias a liquid feed and stake up the shoots of tall varieties • Plant autumn bulbs such as nerines, colchicums and sternbergia • Sow wallflowers for next spring • Continue to sow quick-growing crops like salad, carrots and French beans. For more on Reaseheath’s horticulture courses see reaseheath.ac.uk

TOP TIP Sow pansies now to allow them time to develop before planting

“July is out in autumn

fantastic for sowing seeds”

Pansies: think ahead Dead-head roses and apply feed

Remove pods

WHAT NOT TO GROW

Beware what you’re allowing to ourish on your patch. According to surveyors stokemont.com some plants and trees can actually reduce the value of your home

Japanese knotweed

An invasive plant with bamboo-like red shoots and shovel-shaped leaves, Japanese knotweed can grow up to 3 metres tall in spring and summer. Even worse, its roots can reach 20 metres underground, disrupting pipework and drains and weakening paving or structural foundations.

Ivy

Common across Europe, English ivy is dangerous to your house. A strong climber, this garden invader could easily penetrate cracks in the walls, damaging the mortar and introducing damp or leaks. It can produce an unpleasant skin reaction too.

Giant hogweed

Similar to Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed is also invasive and can spread fast. More easily spotted in June and July, this cow-parsley-like plant has thick stems with purple spots and white umbrella-shaped flowers. Its sap is phototoxic and can cause severe skin burns, which makes it costly to have removed.

Poplar, willow and oak trees

While most trees cause no harm, large trees like poplar, willow and oak can be dangerous if growing close to a property. Shallow root systems can spread out to 40 metres and take up 1,000 litres of water and nutrients from the soil. Seek expert advice!

Himalayan balsam

Himalayan balsam grows to 2-3 metres tall and has pink flowers in summer and early autumn. Despite its pretty colours, this invasive plant can spread seeds 800 metres away, killing other plants and reducing biodiversity by stealing light, nutrients and water.