Fragrant flowers and foliage

JUNE is a lovely month to be in the garden – everything is bursting into bloom and you can really enjoy being outside.

With the evenings getting longer and brighter you can use your garden or patio as a great extension to your home – whether it’s in the countryside or in a smaller, but equally treasured, urban environment.

It’s also traditionally the time to plant out bedding plants which are so much part of the floral display of a summer garden. In addition to looking good, some plants also taste good. Herbs have some of the most beautiful flowers in the garden, and are edible.

So, thrifty tip for the month is … if you plant a selection of flowering edible herbs you will have a beautiful garden good enough to eat.

You can make any herb produce more flowers by planting them in a well drained site or container in a sunny location. When planting a herb that you want to flower use some organic compost and feed in the planting hole then plant the herb, water at the base and keep the soil moist throughout the growing season. Along with basil, sage and mint, chives are delightful edible treats with beautiful flowers and make lovely pollinator plants.

You could also let your herbs bolt – when the plant changes from being mainly leaf-based to a plant that has mostly flowers and stems.

Once a herb has bolted, when the weather gets hot and dry, it loses its flavour and produces flowers that are rich with nectar that attract bees and butterflies.

If you want to attract moths, then try plants with white flowers that release their scent in the evening such as tobacco plants or night scented stocks.

Another aromatic addition to the garden is the scented-leaved pelargonium – commonly known as geranium – that brings foliage, fragrance and flowers to any outside space.

They had some huge disco hits, including this one, and now Odyssey will be playing live in Reading on Friday, June 9 at the Disco Abbey event being organised by Blue Collar – https:// www.facebook.com/ odysseyNY

Savour the Flavour – Fish and Chip Song

This local acoustic pop band have released their new album Crikey! It’s Savour the Flavour. It’s worth a listen –http://www.flavoursong. co.uk/

We should aim to do at least two resistance exercise sessions a week. They are designed to improve strength and endurance - this can be done through body-weight exercises or using weights. Whilst in the park look out for objects you can use. For example, use a park bench to perform some triceps dips, high step-ups, or elevated glute bridges.

Outdoor gyms

Many outdoor spaces are now equipped with free outdoor gyms. With the cost-ofliving crisis among us and most of us cutting back on spending, these free outdoor spaces are a great way to access workout equipment.

aroma and pink flowers; ‘Prince of Orange’ with a strong orange scent and pale purple and white flowers; and ‘Deerwood Lavender Lass’ a semitrailing plant with olive green leaves and rosy-mauve flowers.

The extra light and warmth this month encourages the garden to put on an exuberant burst of growth – especially fruit trees. Apple trees struggle to bring all their fruit to maturity which results in the ‘June drop’ of smaller fruits. To give a helping hand, the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) recommends that you also thin out some of the small apples left behind by hand or with secateurs.

This will improve the size and quality of those left behind resulting in a better crop.

You’ll normally find a variety of cardiovascular and resistance-based equipment, such as cross trainers, stationary bikes, rowers, chest and leg press, and pull up bars.

Find your closest gym by searching for the following in Google or similar search engines: n The Great Outdoor Gym Company n Fresh Air Fitness n Wicksteed n For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/ health-tips

There are a variety of fragrances –lemon, rose, lavender, cinnamon, apple – created from natural oils within the leaves that are released when brushed with fingers or hands, and sometimes after a summer shower. Scentedleaved pelargoniums are best grown in containers in the sunny position. They can withstand chills outside especially if grown next to a house wall, but not frosts and if temperatures dip they are best brought inside over winter. Cuttings can be taken in late summer.

Popular varieties include ‘Attar of Roses’ with pale green foliage, a rosy

Other jobs on the RHS Gardener’s Checklist for June include… n Tie in climbing or rambling roses n Pinch out side shoots on tomatoes n Mow lawns at least once a week n Recycle grass clippings n Begin feeding potted flowers n Protect brassicas from cabbage white caterpillars n Plant out dahlias n Be water wise and try to use grey water in the garden n Watch out for mould on fruit, especially strawberries n Weed regularly