Well, it’s here at last, the danger of frost is over, Chelsea has been and gone and you can let your hair down and open your purse at last. Your baskets and tubs can be planted up now, geraniums, petunias, busy lizzies, verbena and lobelia can be put out with gay abandon.
Make your displays tasteful with different shades of the same colour with calming foliage or go bonkers with a kaleidoscope of bright vibrant colours. It’s up to you, indulge your inner artist and paint with flowers. Whatever you choose though, make sure you use plenty of plants, allow a little room for spreading but fill the containers really generously in order to get that lovely voluptuous look and include some trailing subjects and maybe a taller specimen in the middle or towards the back.
As there are a lot of plants jostling for food and water ensure you use the biggest container you can, put a piece of plastic in the bottom of open wire baskets (cut a bit out of an old compost sack) to keep some moisture in the base. It will be covered by the basket liner. Also add some slow release fertilizer and a little water retaining gel. Continue to feed little and often all summer. Weak tomato fertilizer is ideal. Keep compost moist but not water logged. This may mean watering more than once a day in hot weather.
Remember to deadhead everywhere to encourage new flowers, and take off any dead tulip heads still remaining. Look out for caterpillars, slugs, lily beetle, green and black fly. Hand removal in the early stages will save a lot of grief later. Lily beetle are wily little devils, you have to creep up on them and crush between finger and thumb, they really do see you coming and fall on the ground upside down so you cannot see them, their backs are bright red so easy to spot when the right way up. Spray black and green fly, or run your fingers up the stem and squash them, wear rubber gloves if squeamish.
You can clip hedges that are in the way i.e. arches and corners and alongside paths, but do not disturb nesting birds. The proper cutting is done in August and September. Any topiary can be shaped up now.
There is an old saying amongst gardeners that hedges and edges make a garden, if they are straight and neat the eye does not linger on weeds.
Climbing roses start to throw out long fresh shoots, tie them in temporarily as they will flower next year and can replace some old spent wood when you do the autumn sort out and tying in.
Continue to pick put the side shoots of cordon tomatoes and feed and water regularly. Dramatic variations in watering will cause blossom end rot. Bush tomatoes only need food and water.
Provide water for the birds as it is hard for them to find clean water in dry weather. If you have a pond clear out duck weed, put it on the side to allow any creatures to get back in the water then it can go on the compost heap. If you don’t have a pond how about putting one in? The tiniest amount of water attracts beneficial wild life and the sound of tinkling water goes well with the evening g and t on the terrace.
Make sure any soft fruit is netted to protect it from the birds and if you grow brassicas cover and stake them too.
Continue to review borders, fill gaps as required and keep any new plants well watered, it is a good tip to fill the planting hole with water too to encourage the roots downwards. Make sure the hole is generous enough and break up the bottom or the plant will sit in a sump of water in the winter and may die.
Hardy perennials are the best buys as they come back year after year, but you can also fill spaces that are waiting for shrubs and perennials to bulk up with annual seeds. Just clear the weeds, fork over and scatter. Water before you scatter or all the seeds will end up in one spot.
Enjoy your garden and the lovely weather, I will be back with you next month.
Caroline