Gardening by Month - July
July is a lovely month to enjoy the garden in bloom, so take the time to appreciate your outdoor space while the days are long and hopefully fine. New plants will establish quickly in the warm soil, so long as you keep them watered in dry weather.
Treat yourself to your favourites from the stunning range of herbaceous perennials at Garsons. Perennials flower every year, making them great value additions to the garden. Some flowering perennials will bloom over several months. You can fill your flower borders and many of them are happy to be grown in containers.
A reliable perennial for garden borders is the hardy geranium, or cranesbill. It’s not to be confused with bedding geraniums. Depending on the variety, it can flower from May through to November. Hardy geraniums will tolerate a wide range of growing conditions to provide colour every year. They have an abundance of pink or pale violet flowers and a compact mound of foliage, or they can grow to 80cm tall with rich purple flowers. They’re great for ground cover and keeping the weeds down.
The cosmos is another summer perennial favourite. The big, bright flowers provide long-lasting summer colour in shades of dark red and pink through to white. The daisy-like flowers can grow tall, and bees love them. Grow cosmos in a sunny spot, and deadhead for long-lasting summer colour.
The Japanese anemone thrives in light to partial shade but will tolerate full sun, as long as there is sufficient moisture in the soil. Late summer and early autumn varieties range from pink flowers through to pure white, in single or double blooms.
Some flowering perennials provide long-lasting displays, with a succession of flowers opening over several months. These include varieties of Rudbeckia and Echinacea, both valued for their outstanding garden performance. Ornamental grasses often go well with perennials.
Bees and butterflies love many perennials, so you can help wildlife at the same time as bringing colour to your garden. Aim for long-lasting displays, with a succession of flowers opening over several months,
Cover the soil of your borders and containers with a mulch, such as decorative bark. It helps retain moisture and encourages deeper roots that need less watering. Lastly, keep bird baths topped up, and leave out a small bowl of water at ground level for wildlife to drink from.
Until next month, enjoy your summer garden!
