GARDENING TIPS FOR SUMMER

Summertime—when the living is easy and the whole world is like a giant solarium—marks the season for tropical plants and flowers. This is the place for exotic specimens, not the garden. There are certain “bulbous tender things which are suitable for the garden, providing they are put in the right places.” For example, gladioli are almost psychedelic in their rich beauty—if not for their vivid colours, then for their sheer size and shape. When one plants a border of gladioli, the area becomes a sort of nursery and needs to be tended specifically for these. Gladioli, for instance, thrive in full sun and need to be planted deep (about four times the depth of the corm or bulb). While corms should be planted in late winter or spring, tropical climates allow for year-round planting. Some warm-weather favourites for solariums and greenhouses include tropical houseplants like monstera, bird of paradise, palms, hibiscus, and banana plants. The idea is to cultivate a variety of plants in varying sizes to create depth and interest. Trailing vines like pothos, ivy, and philodendron add unexpected shapes and colourful blooms to your lush indoor oasis.

Did you know that England has one of the largest populations of senior citizens? It must be all the gardening! Nostalgia Gardening calls for planting flowers like your grandmother had in her garden. “It’s part of a larger trend that’s coming with increased interest in reconnecting with nature and slowing down to appreciate the little things.” Sentimental scents trigger a primal response, and one whiff can send us right back to childhood. Box hedges in summer, lilacs in spring, roses (of course) all take us back to the familiar garden path of our youth. There’s nothing quite like our very own vegetable patch in summer to bring back childhood memories. Vine-ripened tomatoes so shiny and red you can eat them like an apple, watermelons so juicy the insides drip down your chin, and lettuces pretty enough for Peter Rabbit himself to sneak a bite out of: these are what should go in your veggie garden. Cabbages are also wonderful to plant alongside roses. A favorite like broccoli is delicious to eat, but it will also bloom into a flower if you leave it. Unpicked, a broccoli’s little green buds will blossom into hundreds of yellow flowers.

No matter where you live on the globe, summers are getting hotter and more unpredictable. Some surefire tips for flower and vegetable gardens include consistent watering and doing it at the right time of day. So, is it really true that evening watering is best? Actually, mornings before the sun is at its peak or evenings while the sun is setting both work. The goal is to keep roots strong and soil moist. Regular deadheading, pruning, fertilizing, and mulching also work wonders. By regularly snipping away dead flower heads, the plants can use their energy to produce new buds rather than overexerting on seed production for wilted blooms. An extra layer of mulch helps flowers and vegetables retain moisture without becoming waterlogged. Coffee grounds make a suitable mulch and fertilizer for plants like roses (whose roots need a little nitrogen boost from time to time), azaleas (which thrive in conditions with lower pH), hostas (which flourish in rich soil), radishes, and carrots.

Try to plant under trees, tall plants or even vines to shield your garden from the sun’s harshest rays. While summer is beloved for long days that end in cooling off with a swim and heat-loving flowers everywhere, there are plants to look out for. When on a picnic or hike through the woods, it’s important to avoid certain flora such as poison oak and sumac. A clever way to identify and remember what’s what includes the popular saying “leaves of three, let it be,” as poison oak and ivy are known for their three-leaf clusters, while poison sumac has stems with anywhere from seven to thirteen leaves.

Since Chelsea Flowers is a UK-based florist, we know all about England and the country’s love of and special connection with gardening and plants. To learn more, check out the website and stay up to date with the blog for more floral tips.

https://archive.org/details/makinggardentobl00tabo

https://www.countryliving.com/gardening/garden-ideas/a70591225/what-is-nostalgia-gardening

https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/planting-and-growing/how-to-grow-gladioli