Livinghouse

The past couple of weeks have brought us some glorious sunshine – a rare event for the UK, I’m sure you’ll agree! With another perfect sunny weekend coming up; here are our tips for keeping your garden in tip-top condition this summer…

Lawn Mowing

The British summer brings great conditions for lawn growth. The mixture of sunshine and showers is the perfect combination for a lush green grass.

Unfortunately this means that you need to spend more time mowing during the summer months. The best advice for mowing at the peak of summer is to do it regularly. This way you keep it under control, and it‘s less of a chore each time.

The longer you leave it, the harder the job becomes when you get round to it. So we recommend getting out with the mower every 1-2 weeks.

That being said; don’t assume that cutting the lawn as low as possible is the best course of action. Longer turf wears better and supresses harmful weeds, so it’s more effective to trim the grass regularly, to the highest your mower will allow.

Pruning and Deadheading

Deadheading is important at this time of year – not only does it remove the unsightly, wilted brown flowers; it also encourages re-blooming, which is vital for the health of your plants.

Aim to prune back all spring-blooming bushes by mid-summer so they can begin new growth for next spring.

It’s best to prune your summer blooms on cool days to avoid immediately exposing the inner leaves to harsh sunlight.

Planting

Flowers:

Most of your bulbs should have been planted in spring. However, there’s still just about time to plant some herbaceous perennials like dahlias or cannas. These will need a well-watered flowerbed, with plenty of sunlight.

It’s also not too late to plant quick-blooming summer seeds such as sunflowers and nasturtiums. Sunflowers in particular are a perfect flower to be planting right now, especially if you have children who want to get involved. They’re fast growing, and easy to take care of, so your kids can enjoy watching them grow!

Fruit & Veg:

If you’re thinking of growing your own food this summer, there are plenty options to choose from.

If it’s your first attempt, it’s easiest to start with smaller fruits, which can be grown in pots or window boxes. Tomatoes, strawberries, green beans, and chillies are cheap, fast-growing, and take only a little effort to look after.

Which ones do you like to eat? The best choices would be the ones that you’ll get something out of at the end – that way you can enjoy the fruits of your labour and minimise wastage of food you don’t even eat.

Our favourite piece of advice for this summer is just make the most of your garden, get outside and enjoy it while the good weather lasts!