IN THE GARDEN
With Tina Hughes
Benefits of a wet winter
I think I must be getting old; either that or I'm
having a lot of fun because somehow we've
reached the mid-point of the year already. May
was a lovely month with record temperatures
and a glorious profusion of blossom
everywhere I looked, one positive benefit of all
the winter rain. After such a promising start
here's hoping that June and July are equally
benign for both the gardens and the gardeners.
Water, water everywhere...
A simple water feature can bring a garden to
life. I’ve made one using a large black plastic
gardening bucket hidden inside an ornamental
pot. Positioned in a sunny spot it requires almost
no maintenance, just topping up in dry weather.
I've planted a dwarf water lily, pinned down with
a large rock that the birds can stand on and some
common pond weed.
Coming up roses
Roses are in full bloom now.
Dead-head regularly unless
you want hips, and water well
to prevent mildew, especially
on roses growing against a
wall. Feed with poultry manure
or a general fertiliser to keep
them in peak condition. To
dead-head simply snap off
faded blooms or remove the
whole truss as they fade.
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Keeping pots
in condition
Keep pots and hanging
baskets in peak
condition by regular
and thorough watering,
feeding weekly and
dead-heading frequently.
Lobelia can look tatty
after a while. Trim
lightly to remove dead
flowers.