Lavender is prized for its richly fragrant flowers and aromatic foliage, which provide the garden with colour for several months of the year. It can also deter pests such as cats and rats, making it great for borders and containers.
They are easy to grow if they are placed in a sunny location, but they do require one annual job to keep them growing back bushy, according to Monty Don. In a blog post from last year, Monty said: “To avoid woody, leggy plants, lavender should be pruned every year.
“The best time to do this is as soon as the flowers start to fade, which, depending on the variety, can be any time between midsummer and the end of August.
“But do not wait for the seed heads to form or the flowers to turn brown, as you want to allow the maximum amount of time for regrowth before winter.”
The gardening expert recommended to cut back hard to a compact shape, but make sure to leave some new shoots on each stem.
This is because lavender will often not regrow from bare wood, so you risk killing the plant.
Monty added: “These new shoots will grow fast and provide an attractive and healthy cover to protect the plant in winter and provide the basis of next year’s display.”
When it comes to watering lavender in the summer months, aim to water deeply but not too frequently, ensuring the water drains well.
Established plants generally need watering less, especially those in the ground, but if you have a newly planted container plant, make to provide regular hydration.
July and August are also great months to cut long grass, water plants deeply, create new strawberry plants, and prune fruit trees.