July generally offers us some of the longest, warmest days of the year that continue late into the evening though alas, our days are already getting shorter. Fear not, there is so much of our summer yet to come. High Summer means, nature is blooming in its fullest glory, generally filling our borders and patio containers with masses of colour, we have glorious foliage and possibly our best flower displays of the year, this month. So, let’s make the most of this good weather. This is the perfect time in the cool of the evening for pottering about after work. Let’s remember to water regularly and feed our plants,

CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY

Watching a garden grow and flourish under our own personal care is hard to beat. A garden can mean anything and everything, from just a few much loved potted herbs on the balcony to a vegetable plot and of course in between and beyond. Let’s enjoy our gardens, large or small, just let’s be creative. We may have a tiny space but it can be simply fabulous. Let’s encourage our friends and family outdoors for picnics, soirees, scavenger hunts, garden quizzes, ‘I spy games’, using plants names, trees and vegetables or let’s host some breakfast and supper barbecues, etc..

Some Gardeners believe, less is more when planning our gardens, the space around our plants is just as important as the plants themselves. Then, others believe cramming plants in, helps avoid clumps of weeds forming. Introducing curves adds a sense of motion and flow and gradually reveals different aspects of the garden, i.e.…textures can be feathery, spiky, etc… Leaf surfaces can be glossy, bumpy, fuzzy, wrinkled and so on. Adding a bench or a table and chairs in the garden gives an instant feeling of calm. If possible, position so that we can admire our moon, sunsets and stars, then to make it even more special, maybe plant some flowers that release their scent in the early evening, such as Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Night Scented Stock, Nicotiana Sylvestris, just adore this plant definitely, a must-have for me, every single solitary summer….

CONTAINERS AND WATERING

One most important thing that I have learned, particularly over the last 10 years or so, (as in this time, there has been a tremendous upsurge in the sales of more unusual species of annuals,)…. is to ensure I use large containers for planting these annuals. Our previous years’ hot spells saw me watering my ‘unmentionable number of containers’ !, on a frequent basis. I dread to think how much more time it would have taken had I not got large pots. A trick passed onto me by a friend, several years ago, was to always line the base of a container with some aluminium foil, in order to create an inner saucer that will retain moisture even if the soil itself has dried out. This is especially useful when using smaller containers and particularly, terracotta pots as they are more porous so compost dries out more quickly. Other Gardeners use old jumpers in order to line the base and sides of hanging baskets and some pots but obviously, the latter does not have the same effect. Another important thing is to make sure we have enough drainage holes to suit the style of our planting. – I have a friend who drills holes in the sides of his pots as well, for air circulation and more drainage. Some containers, especially those growing exotic plants can be embedded in the ground but yet are containerised. Don’t some containers seem to work better with particular plants, for example, glazed pots look great planted with Japanese Maples and Camelias while stone pots can create a classical look. As some potted plants die back, we can lift the pot out and replace it with some beauty about to burst into life. Some incredible, long lasting highly recommended pot plants are Succulents, they are almost impossible to lose as they are so tolerant. We can create our own little heaven with a display of carefully chosen succulents.

Another treat that I am determined to buy myself this summer is organic seaweed tonic. It is extra special as it is made from a single source of seaweed and it is cold pressed and of course, this all helps retain the maximum goodness. Finally, some people swear that to make water go further, water thoroughly less frequently, rather than little and often. Perhaps, make sure we are watering the base of our plants and avoid wetting the leaves as generally, they don’t absorb any water, (sometimes, I question this, re foliar feeding ? ) Some Gardeners think, even wetting the leaf tissue can encourage fungal disease. Some again, place buckets under their hanging baskets to catch excess water that can then be used in other areas.

PESTS AND DISEASES

Codling Moth – Maybe spray this to keep apples maggot-free.
Asparagus Beetles – These beetles and their larvae can often be spotted on ferns, either remove by hand or spray with a suitable insecticide.
Mullein Moth Caterpillars – These usually appear on verbascum or buddleia. They can completely decimate the foliage, so be vigilant and pick off any that you find.
Lily Beetle – These red beetles can strip lilies, again remove by hand or whatever…
Plum Moth – Best to spray plums in order to keep them free of maggots.
Aphids – These can appear in huge numbers overnight, so watch closely especially in the greenhouse or conservatory.
Pear Midge – This causes young pear fruits to turn black and fall off. The adults lay their eggs in April and May and the grubs feed inside the fruitlet. Dispose of any fruitlets that you find.

WONDERFUL NEWS

Dame Mary Berry, has launched this year’s Great British Garden Scheme. The aim is to encourage the public to open their gardens between the 16th and the 24th July for coffee mornings, afternoon teas or Prosecco by candlelight to help raise money for nursing and health charities. What A Wonderful Idea.

The Royal Horticultural Society, ( RHS ) is moving away from using the term ‘pests’ when referring to slugs and snails in order to change perceptions. Only 9 out of 44 recognised species of slugs and snails in The UK are likely to nibble our plants. Slugs and snails actually play a vital role in the garden ecosystem by recycling dead plants and animal waste, as well as being a food source for wildlife.

Again, some garden centres in The UK have partnered with sustainable plant pot designers to install recycling bins for plastic pots across 69 of its garden centres, providing an easy way for customers to recycle any pots they aren’t planning to reuse.

There Is Always Room To Go Upwards. Why Not Try Vertical Planting By Adding A Trellis Or Galvanised Wiring To A Wall Or Fence And Train Climbing Non Invasive Evergreen Climbers, Honeysuckle, Climbing Roses, Clematis etc..

Might Do, Maybe July Jobs

1. If you find that you seem to be particularly tasty to gnats, maybe rub some fresh mint leaves over your skin.
2. Make your own cold cure by gathering fresh rosemary from the garden and plunging it in a bowl of boiling water. Inhale the infusion.
3. Flies hate chives, so let’s keep a pot of them on our kitchen windowsill to discourage the airborne pests from entering our homes.
4. Basil originally came from India and is happiest in a humid climate. Best to grow these plants either indoors or in a sheltered spot with the top half of a plastic drink bottle covering it for protection from the elements.
5. Sage plants need to be replaced every few years as the older they are, the less flavour they have, take cuttings in order to grow new plants.
6. A new sprig of herbs scattered onto the charcoal at a barbecue will give a lovely aroma while waiting for the food to cook.
7. Remember, a few well-placed large pots can give a much more spacious feel to our balcony than dozens of tiny ones.
8. If we are potting-on, a clever tip is to put a smaller used pot inside the bigger chosen pot and fill around it with soil so that the space left when we lift the small pot out is the right size for the plant.
9. When we stop for a tea break, maybe give our grass some too! Open a tea bag and sprinkle the tea on our lawns, it makes a great natural fertiliser…..

“A flowerless room is a soulless room, to my way of thinking, but even one solitary little vase of a living flower may redeem it”.

Vita Sackville West