If you’re growing these popular plants in your garden this month then don’t forget one important gardening task that will help your outdoor area look as good as possible
As your plants bloom over August, gardeners are advised to complete one task to make sure their garden remains lush and healthy.
With the warm weather and long, bright days, many Brits are spending more time in their gardens: planning barbecues, outdoor lunches and even just settling down on a chair with a great book. It also means that many of us are attempting to make our gardens look as appealing as possible.
After all, there are few things better than being able to enjoy a gorgeous nature-filled view every time you step outside. A great way to do this is by exercising your green thumb and planting different kinds of flowers. Some of the most popular and easiest flowers to grow in the UK include lavender and roses.
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Roses bring with them vibrant blooms, a delicious scent and connotations of romance. Meanwhile, lavender also carries a sweet fragrance and is known to attract pollinators – which can further boost your garden.
However, while both flowers are relatively simple to take care of, experts say there is one important task that should be completed in August in order to keep them looking neat and healthy.
Pruning is one of a gardener’s most common tasks, and roses and lavender are no exception. Both flowers benefit greatly from being trimmed back during the summer.
This is because pruning helps with far more than simply keeping your flower borders looking crisp. By cutting away dead, wilting or excess blooms and leaves, you help redirect energy and resources back to the plant.
This can encourage your flowers to produce fresh blooms and can lead to a more vibrant appearance. In turn, it will help your garden maintain a lush summer look.
Another important benefit of pruning is that it can help curb disease by cutting away afflicted parts of the plant. This way, you can help stop 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 feeding 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.