109 In your garden this month…

Above all else, spend time in your garden this June, during what’s arguably the most beautiful month of the year

Learn how to let your garden bloom this June, including the best climbing plants

Perennials are the backbone of any beautiful garden but it’s during June that they make the biggest impact. Such is their versatility that no matter what soil type or aspect your garden offers, there will be a wide selection of perennials suitable for these conditions. And it’s always worth adhering to the old adage ‘right plant, right place’ because plants will perform well and live longer if they are getting the right amount of light, nutrients and moisture they require to keep them in good health.

Claire Austin (pictured) of the awardwinning nursery Claire Austin Hardy

Plants has over 30 years’ experience growing herbaceous perennials and only sells varieties she feels are worthy of a position in the garden as well as being reliable growers.

Three of Claire’s top picks include the stalwarts, Alchemilla mollis, Sedums and

With the arrival of June comes the departure , of frosty nights making it safe to grow tender vegetables outside.

Knautia macedonica. For eye-catching focal points, she recommends including Hybrid Herbaceous Peonies and Bearded Iris of which she holds the National Collections. While they may not flower over a long period, their unique beauty is something to look forward to each year.

With the arrival of June comes the departure of frosty nights, making it safe to grow tender vegetables such as tomatoes, courgettes and runner beans outside. The same applies to bedding plants for window boxes, hanging baskets and containers. If they have been started off in a greenhouse or heated conservatory, acclimatise them to outdoor conditions by putting them outside for a few hours each day for about a week.

This is also the month to sow seeds of biennials such as wallflowers, hollyhocks, foxgloves and honesty. These will flower in the spring of 2022, and will be well worth the wait.

Sow biennial seeds outdoors in seed trays and transplant them individually into pots when they have developed their true leaves.

Sedum is a much-loved hardy perennial. This bright variety will add colour to a border while its nectar-rich blooms will draw in bees and butterflies year after year

Less hardy vegetables can really flourish in the warmth of June. Make sure climbing varieties have plenty of support to grow high

If you’ve started growing any tender bedding plants inside, now’s the time to relocate them to their outdoors home

Alchemilla mollis, or lady’s mantle, is one of Claire Austin’s favourite perennials and it will flower right through to autumn