May and June are the transition months from Springtime into Summertime. May is the last call for planting out summer bulbs, corms, rhizomes and tubers including Dahlia, Begonia, Gladioli and Freesia. They need some time in the ground to fully establish their roots and grow to create lovely flower displays during the peak summer season. Dahlia is a favourite of mine and their tubers can be planted this month to give a summer flower display that will delight us all the way to the first frost in Autumn. Dahlia thrive in well-drained soil with full sun.
The green shooting vines of climbers like Passion Flower, Clematis, Jasmine, Wisteria and Honeysuckle should be supported onto trellises, fences, arches and walls. We can use green string, plant rings and wire to secure the new vines into place. To get the best out of our climbers we need to train them to be neat and tidy, grow into the shape we want and of course successfully flower, plus prevent vine and branch damage on windier days.
The garden plants will need to be kept moist to keep them happily growing throughout the warmer months. During any hot spells we should water our plants early in the morning or later in the evening, this ensures the water gets deep into the ground and evaporation is minimised. Do remember to water at the base of plants and not the leaves downwards, so to get the water to the root systems and prevent plant disease.
The lawn grass is now enjoying warmer soil so we can now cut it weekly, but not too short as we want the grass to flourish in the summer months. A longer grass leaf supports a healthier lawn, as the longer the grass the better the lawn grass can cope with dry spells. If you have any bare patches in your lawn, then hand sow grass seed into patches to ensure germination in time for summertime.
Many of the spring bulbs will have flowered and flourished and be at the end of their flowering season as we gently transition from springtime into summertime. We can deadhead spent flowers but leave the green leaves to die back naturally as they will be catching the sunlight to store energy for next year’s flower display. You can carefully lift and divide any overcrowded daffodils and spring flowering bulbs and plant into new areas of the garden ready for next spring’s flower display.
June, the month us gardeners enjoy sunny, warm and long days in our gardens. June is the halfway point of the gardening calendar, to now we have seen the garden progress from a state of dormancy to a colourful and lush green space. The garden is at its lush green peak and although a gardener’s work is never really finished we should not feel guilty for putting down our garden tools and simply enjoying the garden.
We should get amongst our plants and flowers as much as we can, being outside is both good for our wellbeing and allows us to spot any jobs to maintain and improve the beds and borders. We may notice that floral arrangements are getting overcrowded, if so we can thin them out and put the flower cuttings into a vase for indoor arrangements.
The lawn grass will be growing quickly if the weather is rainy and warm and slower if the weather is hot and dry. If the grass is growing quickly and is lush green, then we can cut it once per week. During very hot and dry spells grass can become straw like so we should cut the grass less often and on the highest setting to reduce stress and the risk of disease. We should also trim the edges of our lawns to keep them looking neat and tidy.
If entering the summer planting a little late then don’t worry we can still plant out nursery grown Begonia, Petunia, Aster, Salvia, Rudbeckia, Zinnia, Verbena, Dephinium, Pansy, Geranium, Lobelia and Thunbergia. Once planted into your borders, beds, pots and tubs the established plugs will grow bigger and give you a summer of bright floral colour. We must remember to regularly water our plants and flowers to get the very best displays from them.
The rose flowering season is here and many will have had a first bloom in late spring continuing into early summer. We should deadhead the faded and spent rose flowers by pinching and pruning to ensure the plants energy is preserved for future buds and blooms. We need to look out for Aphids amongst the new growth and ideally remove them with a soapy spray or the gentle stroke of a clean and unused soft paintbrush.
We can encourage bees and butterflies into the garden by letting a patch of grass grow to its natural height. If we want to create our own wildlife area in the garden, whatever the size, then we can choose a space to be a natural patch. The position should ideally be at the back of the garden and in part shade, this will encourage wildlife into the patch and prevent too much disturbance whilst enjoying the garden.
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