How To Fill The Colour Gap

It’s easy to keep things interesting all summer, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

WE always expect the height of summer to be packed with flowers and colour, but sometimes the garden can look a little sparse.

The bouncy alliums, foxgloves, ornamental thistles, knapweeds and pulmonarias of spring and early summer are starting to fade and the full glories of midsummer may not have got fully into their stride.

By tending plants carefully, cutting back, deadheading and planting, you can create a seamless wall of colour.

Keep plants flowering strongly for as long as possible by feeding, watering, deadheading and keeping them free of pests and disease. Control weeds every week by running a hoe over your soil to cut unwanted seedlings off at the roots.

At this time of year you can still just about get away with the Chelsea chop – removing a third of stems on certain perennials including catmint, hellenium and Echinacea to encourage a second burst of flowering.