Gardening by Month - July

July is a lovely month to enjoy the garden in all its glory. Whether you’re entertaining or sitting back and taking it easy, find time to make the most of your outdoor space.

If your garden blooms are fading, plant some herbaceous perennials, which are Garsons Plants of the Month. These reliable flowering plants mix well with other plants and can be used to refresh your garden pots. They need minimal care and deliver great value, so treat yourself to some flowering perennials.

Take the ‘little and often’ approach to maintaining your summer garden:

• Keep on top of weeds by pulling them up before they take over.
• Cut back any flowers that have faded. Deadhead blooms, especially roses, to encourage more flowers. Shrubs such as lavender and rosemary benefit from a good prune with shears after they’ve stopped flowering, otherwise they become straggly.
• Be water-wise! Use a water butt and add a thick layer of organic mulch around your plants to help them retain moisture. Mulching also adds nutrients to the soil, which promotes plant health.
• Feed flowering plants, herbs and vegetables regularly. Ask for advice in the garden centre or choose an all-purpose feed and check the instructions on the packaging.

All this will help your garden look good right through the summer and into autumn. Remember birds and other wildlife by keeping a bird bath topped up, as well as a water source at ground level.

Until next month, have a glorious summer in your garden!