As your garden bursts into bloom this August, experts recommend one crucial task to ensure your green space stays lush and healthy. With the balmy weather and long, bright days, many Brits are spending more time in their gardens hosting barbecues, alfresco lunches or simply settling down with a good book, reports the Mirror.
This also means that many of us are striving to make our gardens as attractive as possible. After all, there’s nothing quite like stepping outside to a stunning, nature-filled view. One excellent way to achieve this is by flexing your gardening skills and planting a variety of flowers. Some of the most popular and easiest flowers to cultivate in the UK include lavender and roses.
Roses offer vibrant blooms, a delightful scent and romantic connotations. Lavender, on the other hand, carries a sweet fragrance and is known to attract pollinators – which can further enhance your garden.
However, while both flowers are relatively low-maintenance, experts suggest there is one vital task that should be carried out in August to keep them looking tidy and healthy.
Pruning is a common chore for any gardener, and roses and lavender are no exception. Both flowers greatly benefit from a summer trim.
Pruning is not just about maintaining the aesthetic appeal of your flower borders. By trimming away dead, wilting or excess blooms and leaves, you help redirect energy and resources back to the plant.
This can stimulate your flowers to produce fresh blooms and can lead to a more vibrant appearance. Consequently, it will assist your garden in maintaining a lush summer look.
Another significant advantage of pruning is that it can help control disease by cutting away afflicted parts of the plant. This way, you can help halt the spread.
As reported by Country Living, senior gardener at Bowood country estate Phil Nichols advised: “Cut back rambling roses by about a third to help manage their growth.”
He added: “Lavender can be trimmed back slightly beyond this year’s flowers to keep the plant compact.”
He also recommended continuing to feed your flowering plants during the summer to supply them with energy. In particular, he suggested that seaweed feed is a good option at this time of year.
Another important task that Phil recommended getting stuck into is deadheading, which includes most annual and perennial plants. Deadheading involves removing dead flower blooms to encourage further blooming.
