Plant now for a summer garden
if you want a riot of colour and scent, now’s the time to get green-fingered
CULTIVATE YOUR OWN CUT FLOWERS
For colour from June to September, the combination of cornflowers, lupins and poppies is brilliant – and they can also happily be planted in a container. ‘They all love full sun,’ says Jennita Jansen, author of The Flower Garden (Quadrille), a beginnerfriendly guide to creating your own cut flower garden, even if you just have a windowsill. ‘The first buds will open late June and the box will be filled with flowers that will bloom well into September.
‘You can pre-sow the lupin indoors now and plant them in your container from mid-may, when the cornflower and poppy seedlings will have already sprouted. If it freezes, cover the box with a towel at night. If you want to sow all the varieties directly into the soil, do this from mid-april; they will flower one after the other.’
For a shady spot, Jennita suggests a mix of small scabious, columbine and gypsophilia. ‘These flower for almost the whole season and they don’t need much sun. Sow directly into the soil in April and they will flower from May to October.’
Other gorgeous summer blooms: echinacea, nigella, zinnas, cosmos, sunflowers, ranunculus and dahlias.
SCENTED SWEETPEAS
Sweetpeas are the flowers that just keep on giving – cut them for a vase and more will grow in their place, giving you months of joy. They grow upwards, so attach them to a teepee or other structure. Many modern varieties are scent-free so, for flowers with a lovely fragrance, opt for Mrs Collier, Matucana, Mollie Rilstone, Painted Lady, Blue Velvet and Restormel.
HERBS TO GO
As with vegetables, it’s hugely satisfying to pick a few fresh herb leaves from your own plants when cooking. If you’re growing indoors on a windowsill, make sure they have light and air. ‘Light makes the plant grow strong and the sun brings the oils to the surface of the leaf, enhancing flavour,’ says herb guru Jekka Mcvicar. ‘These ones will be happy inside: basil, wild rocket, coriander, dill, red frills mustard, parsely, oregano and
thyme.’ GROW-YOUR-OWN VEG ‘There’s nothing better than growing your own vegetables,’ says Rebecca Searle (@Sow_much_more), an ecologist and kitchen gardener who grows 85% of the veggies her family eats. ‘Harvest them for super-fresh, delicious food. It’s also a great way of staying calm and connected to nature. Here are five to get started with.’
RAINBOW CHARD: Delicious and the bright pink, yellow and red stems bring a splash of colour that lasts into winter. Also called Swiss Chard, give each plant about 40cm of space in all directions as, by summer, they’ll be large and you’ll get more tender stems from well-spaced plants.
TOMATOES: Short on space? Try a Bush variety, such as Lizzano, or a micro-tomato that will fit on a windowsill. Sungold will need some support as the plants can get very tall, but the tomatoes are delightfully sweet and worth the effort!
CARROTS: Easy to grow and can be raised in tubs. For something a bit different, try Cosmic purple, which has a wonderful colour and high levels of antioxidants.
SUGAR SNAP PEAS: I love them because you can eat the entire pod for a crunchy snack. Plant three seeds in a little pot then plant out as a clump of three plants. They grow to a metre, so give them a climbing frame.
LETTUCE: For fresh salad whenever you want it, try Lollo Rosso. Give them plenty of space and pick the bottom leaves – they will go on producing fresh leaves from the top.
STAY INSIDE!
It’s too early to plant seeds in the garden – too chilly at night and a sudden frost can kill your fledgling plants. Instead, sow them in a greenhouse or inside in plenty of light – a windowsill as long as it is not draughty.