Tom Brown, who is the Head Gardener at West Dean Gardens in West Sussex, has shared a top tip to make sure that your garden doesn’t “run out of steam” by the end of the summer – and now is the best time to get started.
In his latest column for The Daily Telegraph, Tom revealed he’s been “experimenting with biennials at West Dean”.
His particular favourites are forget-me-nots, poppies, sweet rocket, foxgloves and lupins, which “look amazing through the entirety of May and into June as well”.
However, the gardening expert went on to explain that many spring-flowering plants tend to need replacing by the beginning of July.
As a result, Tom advises sowing five “late-performing annuals around the beginning of May” so you’re covered until Autumn begins.
From this weekend into next week, Tom suggests planting sunflowers, zinnias, love lies bleeding, tobacco plants and cosmos.
He insisted that these five plants “will give a tremendous display towards the end of August” if they are sown now.
Tom wrote: “Many of our gardens can look a little tired as we reach the end of August, but by sowing these late tender annuals at this time of year, you can ensure they reach their peak of vibrancy when everything else in the garden begins to exhale.”
Giving some guidance on how to prepare your summer blooms, Tom says seeds can be started off in pans or trays and then pricked out into modules. He adds that zinnias and sunflowers, which have larger seeds, can be direct-sown into modules.
Gardeners should add a couple of seeds per module, then remove the plant if both germinate.
Meanwhile, if you need another gardening task to keep you busy this month, Tom also suggests planting dahlias once the risk of frost has diminished.
He advises: “For those in sheltered gardens or in the south of the country, I would suggest that your dahlias can go out in the garden from the middle of May onwards.
“If you are further north, you may have to wait until the end of the month to ensure that the main risk of frost has passed.”
Comments are closed.