There are some things that are nothing like anything else on earth.
Sciatica is one of them: I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Unfortunately, in my world, it is a professional hazard and everyone I know at the mucky end of gardening, landscaping and horticulture has suffered from it at one time or another.
There are some advantages to being laid up with an ice pack under your back and unable to do any heavy lifting: my herbs in pots are getting a new lease of life, I am lightly watering regularly and have had time to reorganize my routines. Light pruning is a huge adventure after staring at the ceiling and pill popping: soon I’ll be on to cutting back the herbaceous plants that are beginning to go over so they can produce a new flush of flowers in late summer. I can scribble out sketches as part of my designing gardens in Hampshire!
If you want to get into “stopping and staring” mode, then join in The Big Butterfly Count from 14th July to 6th August. The initiative from Butterfly Conservation aims to assemble data to aid conservation efforts and details can be found at www.bigbutterflycount.org
For those of you who are up and running, there is plenty to do at this time of year:
• Water your containers and newly planted trees and shrubs: it is surprising how quickly they will dry out.
• Deadhead roses and keep an eye out for signs of powdery mildew, blackspot or rust. Prevention is always better than cure so water, feed and pick off rust or blackspot affected leaves.
• Cut back delphiniums and hardy geraniums and other herbaceous plants with a similar habit after the first flush of flowers: this will encourage a second flowering period. Feed after cutting them back.
• Prune June-flowering shrubs such as Philadelphus and Weigela after flowering. Prune deciduous magnolias if necessary.
• Prune Wisteria in cooler areas, waiting until next month in warmer counties to prevent the plant producing too much new growth after pruning. Cut back to 5 or 6 leaves.
• Fast-growing hedges such as Leyland cypress should be clipped as necessary throughout the growing season. Clip topiary to the desired shapes.
• Box plants and hedges have been increasingly susceptible to damage by moths/caterpillars in recent years. If you find any, pick them off or spray them but be aware that warm, wet weather can cause leaf drop due to box blight fungal infection.
• If your floral displays need perking up give them a weekly shot of high-potassium liquid fertiliser. Deadhead the flowers when they are over.
• Lawn growth begins to slow this month and by mowing as little as possible, lawn “weeds” can flower providing food for pollinating insects.
• The bird population will appreciate keeping the bird bath topped up but by keeping them clean, you prevent the spread of diseases such as bird pox.
• Ponds are never maintenance-free! Thin out vigorous oxygenating plants leaving the prunings on the side of the pond to allow the aquatic creatures back into the water. Try to keep about 30% of the water clear of plants.
• Use grey water where you can, harvested from baths, sinks and showers. For hygiene purposes, use within 24 hours and not on edible crops as pathogens and bacterial growth may cause harm.
• Baby hedgehogs will be looking for sustenance this month: leaving the slugs for them to eat and ensuring ponds gently sloped access points will help.
• Move your house plants outside to somewhere sheltered and shady for the hottest months of the year. This will strengthen them against pest and diseases such as Red Spider Mite.
Some of the nicest comments I have had this year have been about dark red and deep violet Buddlejas that I have planted (commonly known as Buddleas, or butterfly bushes). The commonest varieties are prolific along railway lines, chalky motorway cuttings and any place where the alkaline landscape has been scarred by industrial activity.
They are colourful, tough, fantastically scented and reliably floriferous every year: no wonder butterflies like hanging out on them! And a good plant to convalesce next to too.