The Garden Year: June

We’re spending more and more time in the garden, in part thanks to the nice weather, but also because there’s so much to be done and because of lockdown. We’re fortunate to have a garden, we know that, but it’s also a lot of work. But it’s rewarding too.

The flower of the month has to be roses, ours are really starting to bloom and we’re deadheading to keep the flowers coming. My greenhouse is starting to become full and I’m constantly going over the pots i have available, and what I plan to plant where. I’m sure it changes each time, and I just hope I have enough space for everything that needs planting out.

With the weather so nice it’s also been a good time to take my houseplants out for a really good water. We lost the orchids over the winter, I’m not sure if it was too much or too little water. I’m determined to try again though.

houseplants having a drink outside

June in the garden

  • Add some butterfly-attracting plants, such as aubretia, rocket, valerian, lavender, scabiosa, honesty and buddleja.

  • Give houseplants an airing outside, and a good drink.

  • Regularly deadhead perennials and roses to encourage more flowers.

  • Water containers, bedding plants and vegetables regularly.

  • Look after your strawberry plants, and aim to beat your garden’s wildlife to them.

  • Feed tomatoes, peppers and similar vegetables every two weeks - read the instructions, and make sure you dilute it!

“TheGardenYear

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The Garden Year: May

My garden has started to really come to life, and we’ve spent some time over the last few weekends trying to tame it. It looks best in spring, but that also is the time that we also have to prune hard, and often the cuttings are more suitable to our green bin than our compost bins.

But it’s a time of year when we know summer is on its way and it’s time to sow and plant out in earnest. Usually it’s the month to look forward to RHS Chelsea, and this year, it will be quite different. We should still be doing the Chelsea chop, which is about as hard as discarding the weaker seedlings. The chop involves cutting perennials back by half, to make sturdier plants and encourage more flowers.

May in the garden

It really is the month where we gear up for lots of activity, whether that’s weeding - and no doubt plenty of it or pruning. Usually its a time for summer bedding, and again, that’s different again this year with gardens centres remaining closed.

On my to do list:

  • Nurturing my seedlings in the greenhouse, potting them on to give them the best chance of providing edibles later on.

  • This year I’m also growing some flowers from seeds, so

  • Continue to cut back and tidy the shrubs in our garden, with the euonymus high on our list.

  • There’s still some jasmine care to do - my jasmine’s provide one of those mindful tasks, removing the dried ends by hand is strangely therapeutic.

  • Keeping an eye out on my strawberries and the cherry tree - we’re already chasing off pigeons!

  • Sow some more seeds, with squash, courgettes and more lettuce and herbs on my list.

  • Reduce the height of our lilac once its finished flowering, but in the meantime enjoy those flowers and their scent!

Link up any gardening post

This monthly gardening linky is open to any garden related post, whether it’s planning your own garden, an update on your space, or a garden you’ve visited and enjoyed, or like mine a list of things to do in the garden this month.

All posts are welcome, whether old or new.

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        The Garden Year: April
      
    

    

      
    

  


  

  
    




  
What with everything going on - and by that I mean working at home, home life as well as adjusting to the ‘new normal’ - I realised that I hadn’t posted my monthly Garden Year link-up.  And so I’m putting that right, as now, more than ever I think we want - and need - to see garden loveliness.
The posts for the year ahead will take a different approach and will feature on a plant of the month.  For April, there’s no better choice, than magnolias.  They really are magnificent.  
And sorely lacking in my own garden.  We did have a small plant for a good few years, but lost it one harsh winter.  I was never convinced it was in the right spot, which is probably a contributing factor as why we’ve never replaced it.  The other, is lack of space in our large-shrubbed and tree-filled garden!






























  
If you’re thinking of adding a magnolia to your garden then opt for somewhere in full sun to light shade, in slightly acidic or neutral soil.  They’re not keen on wind, or frost or waterlogged soil.  And best of all they require little if any pruning, so if you have the right conditions they really are an almost maintenance-free plant, and pretty with it too.
April in the garden
It’s the month when things really start to take off.  For us, it’s when we start pruning and re-taming in earnest, but this year we’re taking it a little more slowly so we don’t overload ourselves, and the council’s waste collection teams, which are already depleted due to the coronavirus situation.
On my to do list:
  • Tidy up the various jasmine plants, removing the twiggy growth from last year
  • Give the ivy on the patio its first ‘trim’ of the season
  • Deadhead the flower heads from the sedums which were left on overwinter
  • Repair and reattach some trellis which has come away from the fence
  • Start cutting the euonymus back so the hardy fuchsia and the recently discovered pyracantha can grown upright.
  • Move our tall black patio pots back into place - they’d been moved when our neighbour had his  building work going on.  Three of them are quite fragile though so we will either replace them all, or maybe just one, and move the fragile pots so they’re part of the beds and use them to add height in a couple of areas.
  • Uncover the pizza oven and extend the space on the patio for our new barbecue
  • Get sowing in the greenhouse.  I’ve sown some seeds already, but need to get started with tomatoes, lettuce, herbs and beans at the minimum.
Link up any gardening post
This monthly gardening linky is open to any garden related post, whether it’s planning your own garden, an update on your space, or a garden you’ve visited and enjoyed, or like mine a list of things to do in the garden this month.  
All posts are welcome, whether old or new.



























  
    
“TheGardenYear

  




  
    



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