IN FULL bloom!

CREATE A STUNNING SUMMER DISPLAY WITH HARDY HYDRANGEAS

FLOWER of the month

Hydrang eas come in lots of shapes and sizes, but the most common are the mopheads (Hydrangea macrophylla) with their big flowerheads and easy-care nature. A close cousin is H. paniculata, prized for its large white flowerheads and tolerance of cold. For autumn colour, try one of the American oak-leafed hydrangeas (H. quercifolia), which will cope with quite heavy frosts. An evergreen hydrangea (Dichroa), from Vietnam, will suit warmer gardens.

JANUARY CHECKLIST

• To help revitalise plants after their spring growth spurt and keep them looking fabulous through summer, give them a tea break – a homemade organic tea, that is. Add water to seaweed, chopped-up comfrey leaves, animal manure, fish guts, compost or a mixture of any of the above, cover with a childproof lid and leave for 3-4 weeks. Dilute with water when feeding to plants and don’t make the mix too rich. You could also try a commercial brand of organic fertiliser such as Nitrosol or Ocean Organics.

• Make sure your garden watering system is fit for action this summer, with no leaks or blocked drippers.

• If you’re going away for more than a week in summer and don’t have an automatic watering system, find a kind friend or neighbour to water your garden for you. Ask them to do it in the morning if possible; late-night watering encourages fungal diseases, as well as slugs and snails.