Summer loving
It’s high season in the garden and lots of plants are blooming marvellous, so get out and revel in it...
What a strange year it’s been, not only with Covid-19 but also our weather. a brilliant sunny spring led into an early summer drought and now we are having downpours.
In turbulent times, the thing to cling on to is nature and gardening, which are always there and dependable. July is high season in the garden and it’s time to slow down and enjoy our plots in full bloom.
Unlike the first fast flush of May and June, July is not so fleeting and there is so much variety from roses, shrubs, annuals, herbaceous plants and exotics to appreciate.
So what is looking especially good this month?
If I were to pick something with interesting foliage, it’d be tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Rex,’ the rice paper tree. It’s a woody shrub, and nearly the size of a small tree with huge lobed leaves that can be as large as 2ft in diameter.
Later, there will be white flowers, but you really grow this to achieve an instant tropical effect. although exotic-looking, it’s hardy, hailing from mountains in taiwan, but I’d add some protection in very harsh winters.
another interesting specimen doing its thing this month is Sonchus arboreus, the tree dandelion. this odd-looking plant looks like Roald Dahl got his hands on a dandelion or a scene from honey, I Shrunk the Kids. the foliage is wonderful and topped with clusters of yellow flowers.
there’s no shortage of blossoms either. abutilons are a stunning addition to a sunny sheltered garden, but most will need moving to a conservatory for winter. ‘ashford Red’ is one of my favourites with deep red pendant flowers and handsome dark green leaves.
One of the zingiest colours available is from rose campion or Lychnis coronaria – the bright magenta pink flowers dazzle even on grey days and they form a beautiful contrast against the silvery grey felty leaves. It’s a shortlived perennial but will self-seed.
there’s also a gorgeous double-flowered variety ‘Gardeners World.’ the flowers are sterile so it won’t produce any seed, but you can propagate by division or taking basal cuttings in spring.
Other reliable herbaceous for the July border are achillea, which is so long-flowering, Knautia macedonica if you love those rich jewel-like crimson colours and, of course, campanulas for lots and lots of blue and white bell flowers. Eryngium Big Blue looks fantastic right now with its electric blue thistle-like flowers attracting bees in their droves.
It’s prime season for Nepeta or catmint, one of those easy-to-grow, delightful perennials. Depending on your space, go for the big ‘Six hills Giant’ or dwarf ‘Walkers Low.’
the young green heads of ‘annabelle’ are starting to turn white and I have some delicious purple mop heads – these I keep in pots because I don’t have acidic soil.
they’re quite a handy plant for shady areas so long as you remember to keep them watered. For sunny areas, you cannot beat lavender – the haze of purple flowers always seems to me to be the essence of summer. Roses are also a pure joy – ‘Munstead Wood’ is looking amazing with its deep crimson blooms. Named after Gertrude Jekyll’s own garden in Surrey, it’s a classic English rose with a delicious fragrance. Finally, annuals are sprinkling their magic through gardens right now – performing best for me currently are bright orange pot marigolds and pale blue Nigella, or Love-in-a-mist. these hardy annuals are so easy to grow and such good value – if you’ve any bare patches, be sure to get a packet of these and sow this autumn.
For sunny areas, you cannot beat lavender – the haze of purple flowers seems to me the essence of summer