Here comes the sun ...

The Thorngrove team are loving the seasonal rush of colour, and they’re ready to help you make the most of your garden says Kelsi-Dean Buck

Now I might jinx it just typing this but the last few weeks have brought some stunning garden weather – it’s been such a joy to wander the courtyard here at Thorngrove in Gillingham. We’ve made a few changes to our displays and the diverse selection of vibrant plants have frequently been stopping me in my tracks. It felt like spring took a little while to arrive this year but May’s been a beautiful month, and now as we move into June, we can finally look ahead to the official arrival of summer!

Our plant of the month for June is the Foxglove – also known as digitalis, a beautiful plant famous for their bell-shaped flowers. Picking yours up from us? Here’s a few care tips!

Digitalis prefers partial shade to full sun. Ideally, it should receive four to six hours of direct sunlight each day. Choose well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter, and keep the soil consistently moist – but not waterlogged. The tall varieties of digitalis may require staking or support to prevent them from bending or toppling over in strong winds. Do keep an eye out for common garden pests such as aphids, slugs, and snails. If you notice any infestations, treat them promptly using appropriate organic or chemical methods

Get the kids gardening

As I write this, it’s National Children’s Gardening Week and we’re running a special competition at Thorngrove to help your little ones get creative in the home and garden (visit our social media for more details), but even if the week is up by the time you read this, it’s still a brilliant time of year to get them interested in gardening!

Try making a butterfly-attracting garden – teach children about pollinators by creating a garden specifically designed to attract butterflies. Plant nectar-rich flowers like lavender, marigolds, and buddleia.

Or how about an upcycled container garden? Encourage children to repurpose items like old buckets, cans, or wooden crates to create unique container gardens.

Perhaps a pizza garden will capture their attention: help them design and plant a pizzathemed garden by choosing various Italian herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme, along with some tomatoes and peppers. You could also try creating bug hotels, pinecone bird feeders, hedgehog huts and more!

We have plenty of plants and garden essentials at Thorngrove (including bird feed!) to help you with these kinds of projects. Whatever you’re doing this month, we hope you get to enjoy the outdoors, and don’t forget the roses will be blooming!

We look forward to seeing you in the garden centre and café soon.