Summer

The garden in July

High summer — watering and harvesting dominate; keep deadheading for a long second flush.

Sow & plant

  • Sow autumn salad and oriental greens
  • Sow biennials for next spring
  • Take softwood cuttings of shrubs

Jobs & pruning

  • Water containers daily in heat
  • Trim hedges and lavender after flowering
  • Feed pots and hungry crops

In season & in bloom

  • Lavender, daylilies and hydrangeas
  • Beans, courgettes and soft fruit

Plants for this month