I must have a short memory.
Every June I go out into the garden and the countryside and say to myself “WOW - I didn’t expect this to be so good!”. Maybe I have a goldfish gene pattern but this year more than ever I have been struck by the majesty of the trees, the hedgerows and the wildflowers. If you need inspiration, find a horse chestnut tree in the next week and stare. Yes, that is it. Just stare at it for several minutes - I dare you!
In fairness to my tiny brain, the spring showers has meant that everything is more lush than last year when we experienced a spring drought. Now, it is as if everything has been holding back like a taut bow and is finally able to show its full glory. It is a stretch to get away from being a garden designer based in Hampshire when I have so much to do in the garden!
I guess us humans are a bit like that too after the past year.
As an anti-dote, may I suggest you do not hold back with the summer bedding, the fresh paint on the shed, the tasteful repainting of outside walls and, dare I say it, some bunting for special occasions. With so many images of gardens and courtyards on the net, ideas have never been so accessible. Pots, tiles, coloured glass, broken ceramics, beads, mirrors, outside lighting (even wellies!) can all have a place if used judiciously with an eye to the style of the house and garden.
The trick is to integrate these ideas into the garden design as a whole, so there isn’t just one corner with an overload of concepts. With lighting especially, less is often more, but much can be achieved by using a careful touch.
So, when you are not going playing with new ideas, there are plenty of jobs to do this month:
• Putting out summer bedding hanging baskets and bedding now the frosts are over.
• Cutting down the stems of the spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils.
• Cutting and clipping Privet, box and evergreen honeysuckle hedges (Lonicera nitida)
• Philadelphus, Kolkwitzia, Weigela and Deutzia can all be pruned after they have flowered. In doing so the new growth will have time to develop in order that they may flower the following year.
• Give Clematis montana a good hacking if needed when they are over (they can take it!) and tie in other climbers.
• Remove stems of any variegated plants that are reverting to their original colour or the whole plant will ‘revert’.
• Divide Hosta as they come into growth and fill out any gaps in the borders with bedding.
• Stay on top of the weeds, especially the thugs such as ground elder, bindweed, mare’s tail and bramble: nothing like a spade to get them out.
• Give ailing plants a shot of liquid feed as that is the best way to give them a lift.
• Keep a close eye on the soil moisture levels as newly established plants can easily suffer.
• Evergreens such as Viburnum tinus and Choisya can also be cut and shaped once they have flowered.
• Roses can be deadheaded to encourage repeat flowering when they fade. Do this by cutting just above the first leaf below the faded bloom.
• Keep your lawn trimmed and edged but do not go mad if drought conditions appear.
As we know, there is still quite a journey to be made, but we have come an awfully long way in the past year. I, for one, will be celebrating that. Somehow, each year, I always seem to remember the strawberries and cream.