How to keep your garden colourful throughout September
As we approach the end of the summer, our gardens may be beginning to look a bit bare. So if you’re looking to keep your flower beds bright and bold for the rest of the season, Joel’s mum Penny is here to help with her guide to the most colourful flowers to plant now. Plus she’ll be sharing her top pruning tips to help you ‘up your gardening’ game for next year.
WHAT JOBS SHOULD WE BE DOING IN THE GARDEN NOW?
As the leaves begin to fall and our flower beds start to look a bit bare, pruning is important to allow flowers to flourish next year.
Wisteria, rose and climbing shrubs such as Pyracantha should be pruned once they’ve finished flowering. TOP TIP: When pruning rambling roses, remove up to a third of stems that have flowered, and tie the rest to supports.
Deadhead dahlias and other perennials to encourage constant blooming so they will last until the end of the season.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO TACKLE OVERGROWN LAVENDER?
Lavender should be cut back at the end of the summer, when the flowers start to look a bit grey and the plant stops flowering.
Maintain a compact, bushy shape and avoid cutting into old wood - as this can prevent new branches from forming and may even kill the plant. TOP TIP: To avoid getting Lavender buds everywhere, use one hand to grab a handful of the flowers and the other to prune the stems beneath the leaf joint.
WHAT SHOULD WE BE PLANTING TO ADD COLOUR TO OUR GARDENS?:
Look out for plants such as Perennials, Crocosmia, Veronicastrum, Calendula and shrubs such as Salvia in your local garden centre to inject some colour into your garden. These plants are a more sustainable option as unlike many bedding plants, they won’t need to be taken out and replaced before next year.