Slugs and snails have had weather conditions they just love, it has been wet, and we have had some warmth, and I am sure they have seen the restaurant signs in my garden to feed on the more tender plants. There is a small army out there as soon as I turn my back.
I know that slugs and snails are not all that bad as many of them feed on decomposing organic matter including dead leaves and dung, so they are a valuable part of the composting process. They are also a source of food to other animals and birds. Having lost a number of small plants I give up and will return to planting the shrubs that slugs and snails do not like.
These include Hydrangeas, euphorbias, lavender, rosemary, geraniums, Japanese anemones, Stachys, fuchsias, Alchemilla, ajuga, aquilegias, brunnera, crocosmia, Elysium, hebes.
Hydrangeas
Seeds to sow
The weather and soil are warming, the days are getting longer so it is a good time for, as well as a cost-effective way, to fill your garden with beautiful flowers by sowing seed directly into bare soil.
Consider self-pollinators such as California poppy, cornflower, English marigolds, borage and phacelia tanacetifolia for summer long colour and lots of insects.
California Poppy
Nasturtiums are easy to grow in containers or direct sowings, and quick to flower — use them in beds, containers, baskets, and the vegetable plot.
Scatter nigella seeds in your borders now for some striking blue late-summer flowers.
Grow the tallest sunflower from direct sowings
Roses
Roses are starting to flourish and to keep the beautiful blooms going nip off the flowers as soon as they start to fade
Other Jobs
Support tall-growing perennials, including hollyhocks and delphiniums, with a sturdy cane
Continue planting summer bedding in pots and borders, and water regularly to help plants establish quickly
Cut back spring flowering perennials, such as pulmonaria, to encourage a fresh flush of foliage
Pinch out the tips of fuchsias and bedding plants to encourage bushier growth. Give hanging baskets a liquid feed every few weeks to encourage flowering. Prune late-spring or early-summer shrubs after flowering, such as weigela, thinning out the older stems
Shady Areas
Many gardens have shady areas, where sun-loving plants won’t thrive. However there’s plenty of plants that can tolerate or even do better in a shaded position.
What is meant by shade in gardening terms:
- Light shade means slight shade for all or most of the day
- Partial shade means plants are in sun for some of the day
- Dappled shade is blotchy shade created when the sun filters through overhead foliage
To give plants the best chance, take note of the amount of shade the plants you choose will tolerate.
These are some of my favourite plants for shade:
There are many varieties of spurge, but Euphorbia amygdaloids var. Robbiae is so pretty and vibrant. From late spring it has lime-green flowers above dark green leaves. Perfect for dry shade, it works well beneath trees and woodland borders. It grows to 70 cm in height and 1 metre spread.
Euphorbia Robbiae
Campanula lactiflora bears pretty clusters of purple-blue bell-shaped flowers, above heart-shaped green leaves, from summer to autumn. It’s perfect for growing toward the back of a border and works well in traditional or cottage garden planting schemes. Like all bellflowers, its blooms are a magnet for bees and other pollinators. It is 80 cm in height and 60 cm spread.
Brunnera macrophylla is the perfect plant for shady gardens. With mid-green, heart-shaped foliage and blue flowers forming on tall stems, it’s great for edging paths and mixing with other shade-tolerant plants, particularly in woodland borders. Height of 45 cm and 45 cm spread
Astrantias are superb perennials for growing in shade beneath under trees or in a moist border. They prefer moist soils but will tolerate drier conditions as long as the plants are mulched. Height 90cm x 25cm spread.
Astrantia