How to keep the show going

Cut out patches of brown stems and foliage in August to keep the garden looking fresh. Deadhead repeat-flowering roses, summer-flowering perennials and annuals to prevent them setting seeds – until mid-September. Plug gaps with penstemons, dahlias, red hot pokers and crocosmias. For bare gaps in the border, pot up new containers with flowering plants, or add a splash of foliage colour using heucheras in red and caramel hues. Feed containers with a high-potash tomato food weekly to encourage flowers and toughen up foliage. Keep watering containers to maintain even moisture.