Innehållsförteckning för July 2016 från BBC Gardeners' World

• Content on the go Discover our award-winning digital edition for iPad in the AppStore – with instant access and a free 30-day trial when you subscribe for a year. Prefer to read on a desktop or Android device? Go to gb.zinio.com • Sweet as can pea Inspired by our sweet pea coverage in this issue? Discover more varieties to sow and grow in our gallery at pinterest.com/gwmag/sweet-peas • Great days out Make the most of the summer garden visiting season with our 2-for-1 Entry Card & Guide . Launched in the May 2016 issue and valid to April 2017, it gives you entry to 405 gardens. Order a copy for £5.50 at gardeners world.com/2-for-1-gardens • Time to discover the Secret Garden! This month’s subscription offer of two years for the…

Container display (prices may vary) 1 25cm pale terracotta pot x 1 (£6.99) 2 Pale-pink marguerite in a 1l pot x 1 (£3.99) 3 Pink flowered, bronzed leaf begonias x 6 (£3.99) 4 Coleus ‘Chocolate Mint’ in 9cm pots x 3 (£1.50 each) Coleus and begonias are often considered slightly old-fashioned, but it needn’t be that way. This display produces a contemporary feel, full of designer style, with the dark leaves providing real drama. The pretty pink blooms create a contrast and a striking focal point. A delicate marguerite ups the flower count, while adding a little height to the back. Water regularly and remove blooms as they fade for a display that will perform until the first frosts of autumn. 1 Fill a pot with peat-free multi-purpose compost until…

I’m pleased to see that yet again in The Full Monty (June issue), Monty has hit the nail on the head. I have long believed that art, in whatever form, should have no need for explanation; gardens are a case in point. I don’t want to rely on a definition to affect my enjoyment of what I experience when in a garden. I don’t have to analyse what I see to know whether I like it or not. I appreciate that in shows, such as Chelsea, the gardens are created to a brief, but I would recommend that people look at the garden before reading what it is about. This way, you can experience it and see how it affects you before the brief steers you in what might be…

Beetles are the most varied group of insects on the planet, with more different species than any other type of organism. Their success is generally put down to their tough wing-cases (elytra), which cover and protect the folded membranous flight wings, allowing them to squeeze into tight spaces to hide without damage. Plenty, though, live openly on leaves and flowers, actively flying about. Weevils are a large group of beetles with their short but stout jaws at the end of a snout – the rostrum. They use this to drill down into leaves, stems or buds, then lay an egg inside where the grub develops in secret. Though some weevils are considered pests, most are secretive insects living on wild plants, and leave, at worst, only minor nibblings. Richard Jones…

• Wise with water Hozelock has won the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Product of the Year with its Cloud Controller mobile app, hub and remote tap unit. Judge Deborah Meadon said: “This product allows us to water our gardens remotely from our phones.” £115, from John Lewis and Homebase. • Personal pollen forecast If you suffer from hay fever, the Benadryl Social Pollen Count free app, with an interactive map of Met Office data and pollen hot spot alerts, can help you pick the right time to go into your garden. Download from the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android; benadryl.co.uk • The hottest day out Head to the Great Dorset Chilli Festival on 30-31 July for cookery demos, music, street food and plants for sale. Adults £8,…

Do you feel as if you struggle to keep on top of your garden? Perhaps you’ve inherited a plot that needs a lot of work, don’t have the time or stamina you once had, or have a garden that’s tricky to deal with. I’m o en asked how to reduce garden maintenance without scrimping on style, and there’s always a way. Looking a er a garden should be enjoyable and creative, never a chore. It should work for you as much as you work for it. ‘Low-maintenance gardeningconjures up images of municipal planting, car parks and roundabouts. But there are many ways to reduce maintenance while ensuring a garden looks stylish. Most of it is about planning ahead, plus an initial input of energy (and sometimes money). Choices and shapes…

When to cut Rachel Siegfried runs a cut-flower farm, so it is her business to know the perfect way to cut sweet peas. “The best time of day for cutting is first thing in the morning or, failing that, in the early evening,” she says. “You should really avoid picking sweet peas in the heat of midday, when they will potentially be stressed and dehydrated, since this will reduce their vase life.” Do this every two to three days, thoroughly picking over every plant, removing any spent flowers and stems that you missed last time. According to Roger Parsons, National Collection holder, the perfect point at which to pick a stem is when the lower three flowers are fully open, but the top flower is only just unfurling. How to…

• Always choose healthy, vigorous, straight growth without any flower buds. These will form roots the quickest. • Try to take cuttings in the morning – the earlier the better so they are still turgid (full of water) • Use a sharp pair of secateurs, or knife that you use only for taking cuttings, so you have a clean cut. • Put material you have cut from the parent plant straight into a polythene bag. This will reduce evaporation from the foliage and delay wilting. • Work fast! Once you have taken the cut material you want from a plant, process and pot up the cuttings and place then where they are to root as quickly as you can. I always think of it as accident procedure: this patient is…

Compact Copper Spike Spotlight GU10 240v, diam 6.3cm. £88 + delivery 01462 486777, lightingforgardens.com Worcester 4- seater rattan effect furniture set With parasol. Table: 74cm x 110cm. £599.99 + delivery 0345 077 8888, homebase.co.uk King Lion Head Wall Fountain by Ambienté Stone-effect polyresin, 50cm x 30cm. £149.99 + delivery 0118 903 5210, primrose.co.uk Parallax Illusion Tall Trellis Garden Mirror 180cm x 75cm. £85 0115 965 6820, internetgardener.co.uk Farrow & Ball Dayroom Yellow For exterior walls. 5L for £65 + delivery 01202 876141, farrow-ball.com…

Lavender Awash with bees and butterflies in summer and fragrant when brushed past, lavender is a garden stalwart in a sunny, well-drained spot or pots. Flag iris The yellow flag in a garden pool is a ‘great escape’ for dragonfly larvae that climb up its leaves and stems as they emerge and dry themselves in the sun. Buddleia Not for nothing is this shrub known as the butterfly bush. When in flower its wand-like blooms attract small tortoiseshell and peacock butterflies. Crab apple The fruits when they fall will be devoured by birds and the blossom is loved by bees. A great multi-purpose tree for any garden. Hawthorn A British native that makes a great nesting site for birds and berries for food in autumn, too. A brilliant garden hedge…

Create space in grape bunches AS GRAPES swell rapidly this month, the individual fruits can vie for space in the bunch and, left to their own devices, will press against each other. This not only results in distorted grapes with the impressed mark of the neighbouring fruit, but can also give rise to fungal infections in the humid spaces within the bunch. Use a pair of long-bladed scissors to snip out every other young fruit. This will allow air to circulate through the bunch and channel the plant s sap into fewer, bigger and better quality grapes. MONEY SAVER TIP : KEEP WATCH ON CUCUMBERS Pick cucumbers as soon as they reach their expected size to enjoy them at their best and encourage more to form. Keep any excess in…

To ensure that you have hardening wood at the base of cutting material, such as this Cornus mas , gently bend the stem then cut below the point at which it resists. Prepare the cutting by removing the lower leaves, then cut the top leaves in half to reduce water stress as the cutting roots. Cut as cleanly as possible and pinch out the tips if they are really soft. Use a dibber to insert and firm the cuttings around the edge of a pot filled with gritty propagation compost. The grit helps to support the stems while retaining air at the roots. Soak the cuttings, then place in a cold frame or covered propagator – the more heat available the faster they will root. A cold frame will still…

Dividing irises BEARDED IRISES (so-called because of the row of hair-like outgrowths on their ‘fall’ petals) are one of the most spectacular early summer plants. The elaborate flowers come in a range of colours, from maroon and purple, to pink, yellow, orange and white. They’re often intricately veined or bordered by a contrasting shade, and are carried among a forest of handsome, sword-like leaves. When conditions are right for them, they’re glorious plants. Those conditions are full sun and well-drained soil, and by digging up and dividing old, overcrowded clumps that are starting to fizzle out in the centre, you can reinvigorate them, as well as making more. The best time to do this is immediately after flowering, as the plants will then have a year to establish themselves before…

How to reverse your pot’s decline Disaster! The container you lovingly planted up a couple of weeks ago looks limp and lifeless, and you’re wondering whether to start again from scratch. Only a few days ago you watered it well. Take heart, all may not be lost. The trick is to gradually drip water onto the compost. Set a hose nozzle on top to give a slow trickle and let the water slowly percolate through all the pores in the soil and reach the roots. After drying out, many composts are hard to moisten, especially peat-based ones. Water may run off them. Don’t be fooled by water coming out of the bottom of the pot – it may simply have run through the gaps, which is especially likely if you…

Gardeners don’t need to be told how much benefit we’re getting from being in, and working on, our gardens – we feel it every time we step outside (if you can turn a blind eye to the odd errant weed or aphid). However tiny our growing spaces, they feed us in every way. So a new study into the positive links between gardens and health, by The King’s Fund, may be a ‘told you so’ moment for gardeners, but it’s a real break-through. These influential health policy advisors are calling on doctors to prescribe gardening on the NHS. Their evidence shows compelling, real-life stories of how gardening is already being used to help ease a range of problems, from dementia and mobility in older patients, to stress and diet among…

“Proper digging is really a system of trenches and always done with a spade” I have extolled the virtues of no-dig veg growing on these pages before and my knees, belonging as they do to someone at least 20 years older than the rest of me, wince every time I lift a spade, but that doesn’t stop me mourning the demise of digging. I learnt to dig from two sources. The first was Ronnie Gould and the second was the 1961 edition of the RHS’s The Vegetable Garden Displayed, which was an update of the ‘Dig For Victory’ guidebook issued in the war. Ronnie worked one day a week for my parents during the winter. Just digging. He also dug for other people. The sum of his toolshed was a…

• Hostas are particularly vulnerable to slug attack so perservere with Eraza, which contains metaldehyde, and be vigilant to pick slugs off if you see them! plant pauper • If you put too many pellets around you are merely attracting snails. Use the pellets sparingly, placing half a dozen or so around your hosta. Not too close, either. Warm, dry or misty conditions are fine. Replenish pellets after heavy rain. Consider nematodes, too. Verdun • Horticultural grit spread around the plants will also discourage slugs and snails. KT53 • I spray my hostas with a garlic spray that I make up by putting one whole garlic bulb slightly crushed into a container of water, leave for a week, then spray the hostas all over. Reapply if it rains. Chrissy the…

HEREFORDSHIRE Ralph Court Gardens Bromyard, Herefordshire, HR7 4LU These gardens aim to transport you around the globe, into a fantasy world and beyond. Set in the grounds of a gothic rectory, these eclectic gardens host mythological creatures, a pirate galleon and the familiar characters at the ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party‘. Open 1 Mar-31 Oct, daily, 10am-5pm. Adults/OAPs £7.50, children (3-16) £5. Card not valid on charity days. Tel: 01885 483225, ralphcourtgardens.co.uk Moors Meadow Garden, Bromyard, Herefordshire, HR7 4LZ This enchanting seven-acre hillside garden combines original design with many intriguing sculptures. Open all year, by appointment, 9am-5pm. Adults/OAPs £6, children (4-16) £1. Single visitor discount: 20%. Tel: 01885 410318, moorsmeadow.co.uk Nearby The Time Machine Museum, The Old Bakery, 12 The Square, Bromyard, Herefordshire, HR7 4BP Step inside…

Metal Box Lantern Ideal for a colourful party and will house night-light candles. Available in aqua, dark blue, light blue and green. Height 20cm. £14.99, dobbies.com Chrome-Effect Glass Hurricane Lantern A contemporary lantern, ideal for the centre of a table. Chrome effect and glass finish. Height 27.4cm. £18, diy.com Solar Metal Candle Lanterns A pair of black lanterns designed to hang or sit on a table top. Amber flickering light with on/off switch. £35.99, argos.co.uk See page 54 for more ideas on how to make your garden the perfect place to relax in the evening…

Some made us laugh, others made us wince, and all made us proud, as nearly 10,000 of you suggested names for the anniversary sweet pea, launched to mark our 25th birthday in March. Your suggestions paint a fascinating snapshot of Britain in 2016. Celebrity names commemorated stars lost this year, from Bowie, Cilla and Alan Rickman, to Beeb stars Terry Wogan and Ronnie Corbett. Thin White Duke became a strong contender, while the year’s royal celebrations made Her Majesty and Lilibet top of the regal poll. From comedy corner, Peas & Kews, Blanche du Pois and Sweety McPea-Face made us all chuckle, and Lord Greensward was the clever choice of cruciverbalists (clue: 14 letters, anag.). The final selection fell to our judging panel, comprising our longest-serving contributor Alan Titchmarsh; sweet…

1 ’Erewhon’ A striking scented bicolour that’s excellent for cutting. 2 ’Mollie Rilstone’ Has pretty picotee flowers with a delicious fragrance. 3 ’King Edward VII’ A highly fragrant magenta heirloom variety. AGM 4 ’White Supreme’ A vigorous variety with long stems and good fragrance. AGM 5 ’Dynasty’ This is a reliable variety, popular for its strong colour. 6 ’Dark Passion’ A gorgeous, velvety, dark blue. 7 ‘Matucana’ Descended from the original sweet pea, this old variety is still one of the best. 8 ’Just Julia’ Excellent mid blue, bred by Roger Parsons. Has a strong scent and growing habit. AGM 9 ’Midnight’ One of the darkest varieties, with a sweet scent, but seed can be hard to find. 10 ’Mrs Bernard Jones’ A strong-growing climber with fragrant white flowers flushed…

“ Cuttings have the great advantage of exactly replicating the parent plant ” Like most people, I’ve always wanted more plants than I could afford. So I have always liked propagating plants – sowing seeds with insouciance and dividing with abandon. But for a while I was rather wary of cuttings. It seemed to be a method that required techniques and skills that I did not have – or at least did not feel that I had. It also seemed to be rather a faff, involving misters and polythene bags, hormone rooting powder, special compost mixes and, last but not least, the rather alarming-sounding ‘bottom heat’. It was all too much. I wanted to flow not fiddle. My garden was not, heaven forbid, a laboratory but a studio where creativity…

WINTER WONDERS Avoid having dead spaces in winter by flanking walls with climbers or planters filled with evergreen ferns. TRICK THE EYE Add false depth with striped paving, such as rows of brick, laid closer the further they are from the main view. BOXING CLEVER Create a false sense of space with perspective tricks, such as rows of ever decreasing box balls, which make the area seem longer. MELLOW YELLOW Choose pale but warming shades for rendered walls. A pale, primrose-yellow tone works very well. SHADY CUSTOMERS Hostas, tree ferns, foxgloves and tiarella will thrive in the shady and damp conditions of a courtyard. LET THERE BE LIGHT Hang inexpensive crystals or even a mirror ball. It sounds gimmicky, but will make light in the area dance. WATERY ILLUSIONS A…

“ Gardening and nature conservation are comfortable bedfellows’’ For me there are two things that go hand-in-hand: gardening and nature conservation. A garden, for me, is every bit as much about wildlife as it is about plants. My interest in growing things began as a direct result of a fascination with nature; I joined the Wharfedale Naturalists’ Society in my hometown of Ilkley, Yorkshire, at the age of eight and I am still a member. Birdwatching trips, nature walks and rambles on the moors, down by the river and in the local woods were a weekly treat and it seemed only natural to cultivate a garden that brought nature right up to my doorstep. That feeling – and the belief in our responsibility for the stewardship of the natural world…

PRUNE SPRING SHOOTS • Soft shoots can be cut back to the base of where they started growing in the spring. Prune to just above a leaf, where there will be a bud. Summer pruning is often overlooked, but it’s one of the most important times to cut back many woody plants, especially fruit trees and bushes, and spring flowering ornamental shrubs. Rather than cutting into old woody stems and branches, summer pruning involves trimming the soft green shoots of spring. Reducing the number and length of vigorous shoots will be beneficial to plants, allowing light through to ripen developing fruit, as well as wood, and reducing the leaf area from which water can be lost in hot weather. Pruning also allows air to circulate through the foliage, and helps…

JULY settles into an easy stride and changes slowly. The garden loses some energy but gains a sleekness and fullness that hasn’t yet begun to lose its lustre. But there is a shift of season. Fruit and vegetable plants that grew and developed over winter and early spring – triggered then by light rather than heat – are now producing a harvest and slowing their growth. Perhaps the most dramatic crop in the vegetable garden now is elephant garlic. Strictly speaking it’s not garlic at all but leeks, though the huge heads look, smell and taste like garlic, albeit subtler and less strong than their smaller cousins. I find myself using them more and more. The cloves are planted in September and October, like garlic, and when harvested, left to…

ROOTED FUCHSIA CUTTINGS should be potted into progressively bigger pots until they’re ready to go on display. The roots don’t develop well if they’re plunged straight into a large pot. To see whether they’re ready to pot on, check the base of the pot – if the roots are just reaching the drainage holes, then transplant into a slightly larger pot. Water before and after the move. Soak the compost in the pot of cuttings and allow to drain. This will help to limit root damage. Knock the cuttings from their pot. Carefully use your fingers to tease apart the roots. Jiggle compost to fall from the roots. Take care not to snap the roots from the base. Repot each cutting into a new pot. Put fresh compost in the…

DISCARD the spent rhizomes (fat stems lying on the surface of the earth) at the centre of the plant that have no shoots. Select healthy, vigorous rhizomes from the outside, each with a fan of leaves. SHORTEN any long roots to 3cm or so – longer roots will only die back, and shortening encourages the development of new roots. Cut back the fan of leaves to 15cm to prevent excessive moisture loss. CUT off the end of each rhizome with sharp secateurs so that the healthy chunk remaining is 8cm-10cm long. The trimming of rhizomes makes it easier to replant and grow on the healthiest part. PLANT the prepared rhizomes in a sunny spot in free-draining soil enriched with rotted manure or compost and a dusting of fertiliser. The tops…

Baby frogs, toads and newts start emerging from garden ponds at this time of year, seeking cool, sheltered spots where they can forage for small invertebrate food in safety. Ensure they have plenty of shelter to hide from predators such as blackbirds and grass snakes, by keeping the margins and surrounding areas of your pond well planted. What’s more, low-growing plants around the pond can be a lifeline for baby frogs in hot summers as they can get stuck, and die, on hot stones and paving slabs. Here are some good plant choices: LOW-GROWING and tolerant of some shade, lady’s mantle is the perfect leafy choice to protect baby amphibians. Plant this one in free-draining soil. NEWTS use the leaves to lay eggs in spring; and floating foliage on the…

DAVID SAYS Soil will be loose and open after potatoes have been lifted, so use a border fork to break up any large clods, level the area and then lightly tread to consolidate the ground. Q What can I plant after early potatoes? As the summer harvest starts to come in, you can be faced with large areas of bare soil – particularly where you’ve lifted crops of early potatoes. This space needs filling if you’re to make efficient use of your soil and maximise the amount that you can produce from your plot. First and second early potatoes are often chosen by gardeners who have limited space as they’re quick to mature. By contrast, maincrop varieties are slower to crop and take up a lot of room in spring…

Anne Swithinbank A keen fruit, vegetable and houseplant grower, Anne was formerly the glasshouse supervisor at RHS Garden Wisley. Bob Flowerdew Bob is an organic gardener and a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time. Bunny Guinness Bunny is a winner of Chelsea Gold Medals and has designed everything from public parks to city gardens. Q How do I create a wildflower meadow in a small space? Gordon E Treacy, Shropshire A ANNE SAYS If you want an annual wildflower meadow, choose field poppies, corn cockle and corn marigolds, which will need annual soil tillage. But you could sow them mixed with grasses and perennials (knapweeds, meadowsweet, clovers, sorrel), enjoy them in the first year, then let the perennials and grasses take over. Scour soil and keep adding…

How you can help butterflies in your garden The best plants for nectar Creating the right habitats Welcoming the rare species arriving in gardens Advice from the experts Monty shows how to save £££s by collecting seed Carol on how to get great results using less water Alan shares his favourite flowers for late colour FREE * 100 alliums Perfect for attracting pollinators to your garden * Just pay £5.65 postage FLOWER PROBLEM SOLVER Banish pests and diseases from your blooms this summer RELISH YOUR HARVEST Recipe ideas to help you preserve your bounty and tackle gluts PLUS Joe on garden lighting › Quick tips for hedge cutting › Tiny garden inspiration and more...…

Having a plant named after you is a great honour, and I am very fortunate to have this fabulous dahlia named after me. It’s a white, single-flowered dahlia and the petals have distinctive pink veining, radiating out from the golden-yellow centre. Best of all, it’s really robust (perhaps that’s why it got its name!) and pretty hassle-free to grow, which can’t be said for all dahlias. It looks best grown in a mixed border, or in a more contemporary setting alongside grasses with bronze tones. Its deep bronze foliage and dark stems create a built-in foil to show off the flowers, which means it usually contrasts well with any neighbouring plants. Grow it in a sunny spot in rich garden soil, deadhead and feed regularly, and it will keep flowering…

Going bananas I was eager to see what I could do to get some lovely pots going in my garden (Summer pots special, May issue). Monty, what were you thinking? Banana plants! I loved the look of the pots, but can’t imagine having most of those plants in pots in my garden, as they’d be impractical. Then there’s the glamour of the pots sitting in the grounds of the Jewel Garden. It would have been nice for us humble readers to see basic and practical summer pots perhaps with advice on how to make our geraniums and petunias look good. Kate deLacy, Wiltshire Multi-use tree In reply to Ben Lawrence’s letter (June issue) asking about a cat-proof tree to attract birds, I’ve a crab apple tree in my small garden…

“Let’s welcome and challenge teenagers to lead the way” I am privileged to spend my time with a group of creative, enthusiastic and fearless teenagers who dedicate their spare time every week to gardening. At the Writhlington School Orchid Project young people from 11 to 18 are engaged in gardening in its widest sense. Jacob is a botanist, Jess is a grower and potting is her thing, Chloe loves the propagation lab, James makes plant apps – and everyone loves the shows we take part in. My pupils learn faster than me, are more observant, solve problems more creatively, are more ready to take on challenges and see a world full of plant possibilities. To welcome teenagers we need to recognise these talents in schools, communities, gardens and horticultural shows.…

• Easton Walled Gardens Sweet Pea Week visiteaston.co.uk, 01476 530063 100 varieties on show, 3-10 July, 11am-4pm. Adults £7, children £3. Easton, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG33 5AP (In our 2 for 1 Guide) • Forde Abbey Sweet Pea Fortnight fordeabbey.co.uk, 01460 220231 Up to 80 varieties on show, 9-24 July, 10am-4.30pm. Adults £10, under 15s free. Forde Abbey, Chard, Somerset TA20 4LU (In our 2 for 1 Guide) • Green & Gorgeous greenandgorgeousflowers.  co.uk, 07977 445041 Pick your own sweet peas every Saturday, 9am-4pm (call first to check availability). Little Stoke, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 6AX • RHS Harlow Carr Sweet Pea Show rhs.org.uk/ harlowcarr, 0845 265 8070 9-10 July, 9.30am-6pm. Adults £10 (members free), children 5-16 years £5.50. Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG3 1QB • Parham House and Gardens parhaminsussex.co.uk, 01903 742021…

Softwood What? Young, soft, flexible shoot tips, taken mainly from deciduous shrubs, hardy and tender perennials, climbers and some trees. When? Spring and early summer. Cut in the morning when stems are full of moisture. ALSO GOOD FOR Buddleia Campanula Deciduous magnolia Fuchsia Hydrangea Lavatera Pelargonium Perovskia Woody herbs 1 Cut only new growth from the parent plant at the stem tips and bring indoors to prepare short cuttings. 2 Take three or four similar cuttings, then cut just below a leaf joint and remove all the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting. 3 Push the cuttings deep into very free-draining compost, around the edges of a plastic pot. Keep moist and label them. Semi-ripe What? Mature growth from the current season – hardy climbers, woody herbs, shrubs…

Monitor available light Few courtyards are totally without light. Observe the area through the day and across the seasons to understand the lightest and darkest spots. This will inform your choice of plants and ensure you have the widest possible palette. Contract out electrical work Wall-mounted water features require a power supply. This is best left to the experts – checkatrade.com is a source of local tradespeople who could carry out the simple wiring job. Make sure ponds are safe Ponds can present a hazard for young children. Make them safe by installing a functional or ornamental steel mesh above or just below the water surface. Disguise pendant supports Make crystals or mini-mirror balls appear to float by hanging them on basket brackets. Use fishing line, which is strong and…

• Plant a pot of pollen and nectar-rich plants, perfect for a tiny plot, balcony or doorstep. • Grow single flowers rather than doubles – rich in pollen and nectar, they attract butterflies and bees. • Sow a patch of wildflowers, however small. A sunny spot with nettles can become an egg-laying site for small tortoiseshell, red admiral, peacock and painted lady butterflies. • Plant thickly in beds and borders to offer cover for all manner of creatures. • Stop using pesticides and start allowing natural predators to build up. It takes time, so be patient. • Use mechanical slug deterrents – stiff copper collars around hostas are effective at getting them through the ground without being eaten. • Let birds control pests, be it chafer grubs and leatherjackets in…

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STEP BY STEP Cut back geraniums HARDY, HERBACEOUS geraniums can start to look messy this month, when the majority of the flowers have finished and the stems become leggy and flop flat on the surface of the soil. Take your courage in both hands and cut the stems back and your plants will produce new shoots and foliage, which may go on to yield a second flush of blooms in autumn. Use a pair of hand shears to roughly cut back the stems by about half their height. Add this soft material to the compost heap. Cut off remaining spent flowers and prune back weak stems to the base of the plant to channel energy into stronger stems. Use secateurs to cut each of the remaining stems to just…

Propagate a native hedge A WONDERFUL spring-flowering addition to a native hedge is Cornus mas, so save money by propagating it now. Take semi-ripe cuttings with stems that have begun to harden for winter. The cutting will have soft growth on the top and newly hardened wood at the base. Some hedge plants are not easy to root, so take more cuttings than you need and use fresh rooting gel. This method is suitable for other hedging natives, such as Cornus sanguinea (dogwood), Euonymus europaeus (spindle) and Viburnum opulus (guelder rose). Keep the cuttings in a cold frame and water regularly to stop them drying out. There’s little need to water if you keep the cuttings in a closed propagator, but ventilate regularly to avoid fungal rot. Cuttings should root…

JULY IS THE ideal month to set out young cabbages, winter cauliflowers and Brussels sprouts. Fork through the soil, and add a general fertiliser and dusting of lime, if soil is acidic. Do not apply organic matter. Walk over the entire surface to firm it. 1 Mark out each row with a string line. Set out the plants, allowing 30cm between compact cabbages and 40cm for large varieties and Brussels sprouts. 2 Soak roots thoroughly before planting in holes large enough to accommodate the roots. 3 Push down at the base of the stems to firm the plants in to the soil, and water them in.…

Keep bird baths topped up WATER IS essential for birds, which can become dehydrated and lethargic when they can’t drink regularly. Natural sources of water can dry up quickly in hot weather, so make sure that your birdbath and any shallow wildlife ponds are kept filled with fresh water. Take time to scrub out algae from birdbaths, but don’t use chemical cleaners. Birds also use water for bathing and preening to keep their feathers clean and in good condition for efficient flying, while in very hot weather bathing helps to cool their bodies. Remove debris from ponds CHECK YOUR pond at least once a week for dead foliage floating on the surface of the water, removing it before it sinks. Dead and dying leaves from surrounding trees, shrubs and herbaceous…

KEEP FEEDING POLLINATORS Encourage continual blooming and prolong sources of nectar and pollen for pollinators by deadheading faded flowers. Cut back perennial wildflower meadows to ground level and rake up the clippings to keep fertility down, aiding the growth of wildflowers. Take semi-ripe cuttings of wildlife-friendly plants such as lavender and rosemary. Thoroughly clean and rinse out your bird feeders and, if possible, move your bird-feeding station to another part of the garden, to help prevent the build up of disease. Throw out any old or mouldy food. Ensure there are lots of lush, low-growing plants around the edge of your pond to protect baby frogs, toads and newts from predators such as blackbirds and grass snakes (see above). Leave out a dish of water for small mammals such as…

Fresh herbs are one of the simplest ways to add flavour to your food. Most of us are familiar with common herbs such as thyme and rosemary, but many of the more exotic herbs popular in Moroccan, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern cuisines are just as easy to grow, and will give you that authentic taste. They’re versatile herbs and can be easily adapted to European dishes, for example, lemon basil and lemongrass are good substitutes for lemon thyme in fish and chicken dishes, and Chinese chives make a fantastic addition to omelettes or a fish pie. You can find these herbs at herb nurseries and many garden centres. And, as they like warm, sunny conditions, most are perfect for growing on your kitchen windowsill. Moroccan mint Flavour Fresh and…

When you’ve worked towards growing a good crop for months, or even years, it can be upsetting to find your fruit and veg discoloured, eaten or disfigured. So we’ve put together a guide to help you identify the pests, diseases and disorders that can stop your crops from being tip top. We’ll explain what the problem is and how to deal with it. Some of these are best tackled in other seasons, especially with apple and pear trees, but by identifying symptoms now you can be armed to prevent the same happening again next year. Diagnosis is the key to coping with lurgies and beasties and the problem may simply be improved by a better watering or feeding regime. So go out and have a good look at your plot…

Will the real heron stand up? Here’s a picture of a regular visitor to my garden, maybe looking for a mate or perhaps some tasty frogspawn? Hilary Bradshaw, Colne, Lancashire We say This heron deterrent doesn’t seem to be doing its job too well! Decoy herons should be moved around from time to time to be most effective. Alien flowers land on Earth This amazing tulip appeared in my garden, has anyone seen one like it before? Tina Murray, Kent Whilst cutting the grass a few weeks back I found this mutant daisy, I think it’s quite lovely. Gail Jackson Knight, Scotland We say This crazy daisy shape has been caused by fasciation. Cover Star For my birthday this year, my friend really put in the…

“For the gardener, the moments of splenetic frustration are few and far between; for the chef they are his daily fare” You’ll have noticed more and more of late that many of our national gardening shows and festivals have come to include food as a part of their remit – BBC Gardeners’ World Live and The Good Food Show being just one example. It’s not surprising – they are comfortable bedfellows; the food we gardeners grow is taken to the kitchen where it is cooked. But a gardening friend and I fell into talking recently about the different temperaments of chefs and gardeners. Now there is a can of worms! Let me differentiate, right from the start, between cooks and chefs. Mary Berry is, by her own admission, a cook;…