Tom Strowlger
@garden_with_tom
Welcome to flaming June. The month us gardeners can enjoy sunny, warm and long days in our green outdoor space. June is the halfway point of the gardening calendar; so far we have seen the garden grow from a state of dormancy into a colourful and lush green space. The garden is beautiful at this time of year and, although a gardener’s work is never really done, we should not feel guilty for enjoying the garden more than working on it this month.
We should walk amongst our plants and flowers on a daily basis. A gentle and relaxing stroll is both good for our wellbeing and for spotting any little jobs to maintain and improve the garden. We may notice that floral arrangements are overcrowded; if so we can thin them out and use the flower cuttings for indoor arrangements in a vase. The weeds in our garden will be growing rapidly in the warmer weather and even quicker if we have summer rainfall. We should pick a dry day and lift them by the roots to clear them from your garden and prevent them from sprouting back into life.
The lawn will be growing quickly if the weather is rainy and warm and slower if the weather is hot and dry. If the grass is growing quickly and is lush green, then we can cut it once per week. During dry spells grass can become straw like so we should cut the grass less often and on the highest setting to reduce stress and the risk of disease. We should also trim the edges of our lawns to keep them looking neat and tidy.
We can encourage butterflies and bees into the garden by letting a patch of grass grow to its natural height. If we want to create our own wildlife area in the garden, whatever the size, then we can choose a space to be a natural patch. The position should ideally be at the back of the garden and with part shade, this will encourage wildlife into the patch and prevent too much disturbance whilst enjoying the garden.
If entering the summer garden party a little late then don’t worry we can still plant out begonia, petunia, aster, salvia, rudbeckia, zinnia, verbena, dephinium, pansy, geranium, lobelia and thunbergia plugs to name a few of my own favourites. Once planted into your borders, beds, pots and tubs the established plugs will grow bigger and give you a summer of floral colour. We must remember to regularly water our plants and flowers to get the very best from them.
The rose flowering season is with us and many plants have had a first bloom in late spring continuing into early summer. We should deadhead the faded and spent rose flowers by pinching and pruning to ensure the plants energy is preserved for future blooms. We need to look out for aphids amongst the new growth and ideally remove them with a soapy spray or the gentle stroke of a clean and unused soft paintbrush.
June is a great month to take a step back from the gardening jobs and admire what we have created so far, whilst also taking note of what we want to see in the garden next summertime. The sun never completely sets on our gardening jobs and projects, but whilst the sun is shining we really must choose a peaceful spot for our deckchair and get comfortable.
Please do follow me on Instagram @garden_with_tom for more seasonal gardening advice and tips.
This month’s top tips:
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Pick out Sweet Pea buds to encourage more flowers
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Plant out your new Fuchsias
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Stake out any tall plants to reduce wind damage
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Open the ventilation in your greenhouse
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Lift, divide and replant clumps of snowdrops and bluebells
