Seven great ways to extend summer in your garden!

Okay, okay, I have a new garden, but I haven’t really done much there yet. So, there’s not much to show, just a few containers, and various plants that I’ve begged, stolen or borrowed!

I have had many plants sitting around in small pots for a long time, but that makes it quite difficult to maintain them and give them enough water. So last week I was manically making up mixed containers, with all sorts of stuff. I think I broke a few gardening rules there, but the results will be amazing, I think!

How is summer going for you? A few rainy days reminds us that autumn isn’t far away, it’ll be hard to imagine darker evenings again. To be honest, I think we have been super lucky with the weather since March, a welcome change, especially during “you know what”!

I wanted to chat about the end of summer in my blog this month, and to give you a few tips to make your garden autumn-proof. You can keep it looking colourful and interesting longer than you ever have before!

Seven great ways to extend summer in your garden!

Feeding 

How is your feeding regime going? Have you started “Feeding Thursdays” yet, as I suggested?? You can keep feeding patio plants and bedding plants with Flower Power right up until the end of the summer, and they will keep performing for you. You’ll be having a colourful garden way after other displays have faded away…

Why not try Richard Jackson’s Flower Power Pouches to extend your summer by a few weeks..??

Tidying up

It’s true that the end of the summer can start to tire a garden out, but by keeping on top of deadheading, you can still keep it looking fairly pristine. It’s also a good time to tidy up the greenhouse and shed, ready for the winter. After a summer of wear and tear, you might also find that your deck or patio needs cleaning down, but it just so turns out we’ve got something that can help you!

Coming up on 9th August, we have the Greenworks Pressure Washing set, it makes light work of garden cleaning! No elbow grease required!

Time for planning

The end of summer and into autumn is planting time for spring bulbs. Yes, I know spring seems quite a way off, but a little planning now will go a long way! Hyacinths, Daffodils, Crocus and such need to be planted by October, whilst Tulips are happy to wait a bit. Tulips can be prone to fungal disease, so waiting until after the first frosts means the soil is effectively “sterilised”. Remember to try out the “lasagne method”, where you layer many different types of bulbs in a single container. This gives you a constant procession of blooms and makes the most of the space. You can also use this method in the border.

Go online now and plan your spring garden, we have some very special offers for Daffodils and Tulips, in particular!

Structure

Don’t be too quick to cut down your border plants, sometimes the decaying blooms can be immensely decorative, and the seed heads can be enjoyed by birds. Not to mention, the amazing winter structure as snow and frost clothes the plants.

Hydrangea in particular give excellent colour changes into the autumn, as the pink blooms turn green, and later brown. This decaying procession is an art in itself.

The Hydrangea Pinky Winky from Plants2Gardens is the perfect Hydrangea for summer and autumn colour, and it’s available on special offer right now!

The late show

Some hardy perennials are super happy to arrive late to the garden party! If you want that ethereal autumn look in your border, make sure you plant some Asters, Japanese Anemones and Chrysanthemums. They often don’t bloom until the shorter days come in September.

But for patios, you also have options too! The August Gardening Product of the Month is an utterly fabulous Autumn & Winter Tub Kit of plants and pots from Thompson & Morgan, to see you through to next year with colour and form. A mix of Pansies with foliage plants and grasses, which love the cooler temperatures.

Berries of the unexpected

Growing a few plants with colourful berries won’t just make your garden colourful, it will also give the birds an essential autumn food source. Mahonia Soft Caress from Thompson & Morgan is a former RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year award winner – and carries bright blue berries after the citrus blooms fade. A handsome shrub for a small garden or patio pot, with delicate foliage and form.

Leafy Colours

Late summer to autumn also brings vibrant leaf colours in many plants, due to the changes in seasons. Some years, when it’s a little warmer later, can give the best displays. Why not plant your garden to consider how the autumn look will affect it?

I thoroughly recommend Acer Katsura from Plants2Gardens, in our plant range; the autumn colours are out of this world, with vibrant orange hues on compact trees. A real luxury Acer!

There you go… no excuse to let summer fade in your garden!!

See you next month,

Michael 🙂