Scents of summer
WATER, RELAX, AND BREATHE IN THE SWEETEST BLOOMS
THE race is now on to keep plants hydrated after a hot time for the garden. It’s best to concentrate on watering anything in pots as they will be first to wilt.
I’ve also lined up quite a few pots in a shady area where they will be protected from more hot weather.
I usually water late in the evening as there will be less evaporation. Try to position the hose or water spout close to the ground rather than sprinkling water over leaves. The heat has also encouraged growth with many flowers producing their second buds so the July garden is full of colour.
Another effect of heat is how smells intensify. I came across a wonderful scent this week as I walked beneath a small leaved lime tree, Tilia cordata. This is a commonly planted street tree and in July and August, the small creamy yellow flowers hang in clusters beneath the leaves and emit an intoxicating fragrance.
It’s a beautiful native tree but due to its size, is only suitable for larger gardens.
Try to smell it if you can – it is truly unforgettable.
Other enjoyable scents abound. The syrupy honey fragrance from buddlejas is one of my favourites.
I grow ‘Black Knight,’ which has rich, dark violet blooms forming long tapering cone shapes, providvaluable mid-summer colour. Buddleja, also known as the butterfly bush, has spires of tiny purple, pink or white flowers. The nectar is a magnet for butterflies who have long tongues that probe the narrow flowers.
Prune bushes in spring to keep compact and cut dead flowers in summer to encourage a second flush.
There are lots of varieties, large and small. Buddleja ‘Buzz’ are suitable for patios as their smaller size will do well in pots. ‘Berries and Cream’ is a new variety from buding
dleja breeder Peter Moore, who is the keeper of the national collection in Longstock Park Nursery on Leckford Estate in Hampshire.
It is unusually bicoloured with a mix of purple and white flowers and Peter says, in his garden, more butterflies were attracted to this cultivar than any other.
You can visit the national collection of more than 100 buddleja cultivars and this is the best time of year to do so. Check out leckfordestate.co.uk
Star jasmine, Trachelospermum, is winding its way up the outdoor stairs and in the evening, the small white flowers produce a sweet perfume.
This is my go-to climbing plant for
sheltered areas as it’s a good-looking evergreen and easy to manage.
I love it mingling with the perfume of Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll.’ Rosa ‘Compassion’ is another gorgeous-smelling climber with beautiful coral pink-to apricot hybrid tea flowers. Sadly, shrub rose ‘Roseraie de l’hay’ has finished flowering – these are usually followed by attractive orange hips but this year I’ve been deadheading a bit to see if I might get a few more late blossoms as I just love their fragrance.
In hot weather, other than watering your pots, it’s time to rest, enjoy the sight and scent of your summer flowers and relax under a parasol or a leafy tree.