Finding fantastic floral fragrances and colours

Now that summer is finally here and daylight hours are at their longest, the garden will be putting on an exuberant burst of growth and flower.

It is important to find time to relax outdoors enjoying your garden’s rich tapestry of colour and fragrance.

Here, Louise Golden, resident plant expert at Dobbies Garden Centre, gives her top tips to keep the garden looking good in June.

Terrace Gardens

Now that the risk of frost has passed, June is the perfect month to fill your patio containers, hanging baskets and window boxes with vibrant bedding plants to be enjoyed on long summer days spent outdoors. Our stores are blooming with an extensive range of quality British grown bedding plants, selected for their excellent garden performance and floriferous display guaranteed to fill your garden with high summer colour. Our in-house planting service means it’s super easy to get garden ready planted – simply pick your plants and container (or bring one of your own), and we’ll plant up for you, ready to pop straight on your terrace.

If you’re looking for a more permanent container planter as a statement piece or a focal point, there are various hardy shrubs that perform exceedingly well in containers. Consider Japanese acers in their beautiful foliage colours for an oriental look, topiary buxus clipped into balls, pyramids and standards for a classic look, hydrangea with sumptuously large flower heads which hold their own well into the autumn or cordyline with its bold architectural form and eye-catching foliage. See in store for our extensive range of hardy feature shrubs for year-round garden interest.

Colourful hydrangeas

Beds and Borders

Weeds grow quickly in the warm temperatures. To keep them in check hoe them off before they get chance to establish. Apply a thick layer of mulch over the soil surface to help keep further weeds at bay.

Prune spring flowering shrubs, such as Deutzia, Weigela and Philadelphus soon after flowering has faded to prevent them becoming overgrown. Remove spent branches with secateurs or loppers to allow new growth to develop that will carry next spring’s display. Extend the season of colour with summer flowering shrubs such as lavenders, hardy fuchsias and hydrangeas.

Clematis montana

Cottage Gardens

Early season herbaceous plants, such as hardy Geranium and oriental poppies can be cut back after flowering to encourage re-growth of tidy fresh new foliage. Geraniums will often put on as second late season flower display. Mulch and feed for an extra boost. In store we have an extensive range of quality British grown herbaceous plants perfect for adding colour to existing or new borders.

Clematis montana can be cut back after flowering to control growth if required. Also, tie in new growth on summer flowering clematis and honeysuckle. In store we have an extensive range of British grown climbers and clematis perfect for adding colour to your vertical spaces. Ideal for growing on walls and fences, or garden features such as obelisks, arches and arbours, either plant on their own or together with a climbing rose or wall shrub for an extended season of colour.

Dead-head roses to encourage repeat flowering. Feed with rose fertiliser and add a layer of mulch for an extra boost to support strong growth and a floriferous display. Roses are at their peak in June, the perfect time to choose new varieties to add to your summer display. See in store and online at Dobbies.com for a wide range of quality British grown plants, including highly recommended David Austin Roses for exuberant flowering, fragrance and excellent garden performance.

Kitchen Garden

Plant out courgette and squash plants once all risk of frost has passed, and pinch out the side shoots of tomatoes to concentrate energy into fruit formation. Once the first trusses start to set fruit, begin feeding weekly with tomato fertiliser.

Re-sow salads every 10 to 14 days for a contestant supply of fresh leaves. Or if you prefer, we have a wide range of young vegetable plants available for quicker results.

Louise Golden, senior plant buyer, Dobbies Garden Centres

Louise Golden is resident plant expert at Dobbies Garden Centre.