Garden Diary - August
We have had a dry summer this year and watering will be very important, particularly
for trees and shrubs which have been planted in the last two years. Their root systems
will not have developed sufficiently to cope with dry conditions. Mulching out to
the edge of the foliage line will certainly help, but make sure the ground is nicely
damp before applying the mulch. Watering on to compacted soil will merely allow
the water to run off and not penetrate, so hoeing or lightly forking the soil will
not only get rid of weed competition but will help with water retention.
Containers will certainly require lots of water as will shrubs like Camellias which,
if allowed to dry out will not set sufficient flower bud for next year.
Lawns may look brown and drab but will almost always recover once the normal late
summer wetter weather returns. Keeping the mower blades high and mowing more often
allowing the cuttings to remain in place to form a mulch will also help. Any build
up of thatch in the lawn surface can be addressed later in the year with scarifying.
Obviously if you have some system in place to capture ‘grey ‘ or rain water and
are able to use it on the garden then your problems will be at least halved! If
the climate change theories are proved correct then maybe we will all have to consider
these things in the future!
Hardy Geraniums will by now have flowered and if cut back hard to ground level,
fed with a liquid tomato feed and watered will flower again. Keep dead-heading Penstemons,
bush and rambling Roses and bedding plants to encourage more flowering. Hebes and
Lavender will benefit from a light prune after flowering, and can be pruned harder
before the next growing season.
In the vegetable patch onions need their tops bending over and some 14 days later
the bulb should be gently eased up to expose the roots and allow the sun to dry
them out. Stop outdoor tomato plants at three to four trusses, keep side shooting
and well tied in to a stake. Lettuces should be sown which can be transplanted under
cloches for late autumn and winter use, there are varieties suitable for this and
it is worth reading the seed packets to find them.
After fruiting plums and damsons can be pruned giving attention to diseased or damaged
wood. Look for branches in danger of breaking on apple and pear trees where the
fruit is heavy and provide support if possible. Continue tying in new raspberry
canes and blackberry shoots.
Continuing the theme of watering problems, particularly with containers, why not
give a thought to using plants which are more drought tolerant and capable of giving
interest virtually all the year. Grasses certainly fall into this category with
more and more interesting species available in most garden centres.
Stipa tenuissima is one of the most popular forming clumps of soft green hair like
foliage with soft green flowers in summer. It moves well in the wind, likes a sunny
well drained position growing to a height of 40–60cm and is evergreen. You will
also find a constant supply of seedlings popping up throughout the garden for use
elsewhere.
Imperata cylindrica ‘Rubra’ is a Japanese blood grass with foliage turning blood
red as the season progresses. Liking a sunny open spot it grows to a height of 40–50cm
and is deciduous so is best mixed in with other varieties.
Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ becomes even bluer if the weather is warm and enjoys
a sunny open spot with silvery flowers held above the foliage. Growing to a height
30-40cm it is evergreen. After three to four years the clumps can be divided to
give a fresh supply.
These are just three examples of how grasses can be used and for virtually trouble
free container growing it is well worth your while having a look at what is available
in your area.
© David
Browning is a garden designer based in Oundle Northamptonshire who specialises
in the use of trees & shrubs. He particularly enjoys advising the best way to
tackle existing, more mature gardens to get the best out of them. 1st August 2010