July is best month to plant bright pink flower in a sunny spot & it adds a splash of glamour to the garden in autumn

The Sun

2 days ago

GARDENING enthusiasts will find plenty of jobs to do in July to prepare for the autumn.
With temperatures soaring, many Brits will be outdoors and now is the perfect time to get on with some gardening tasks.
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When it is 35C degrees outside, autumn might seem like a distant future.
But a gardening expert has revealed that July is when you should start planting flowers for the colder seasons.
Jamie Shipley, managing director of Hedges Direct, suggested that people plant bulbs that bloom in the autumn, such as pretty-in-pink nerine, to get ahead of the game.
She told GB: "These flowers love a sun-baked spot at the base of a sunny wall."
Nerine has a long-lasting bloom, with its bright pink flower adding colour to your garden.
According to The Royal Horticultural Society, nerines are 'great for adding a splash of glamour to the autumn garden" as they produce "flowerheads in particularly vivid shades of pink, as well as bright white and red.'
Before planting, make sure to pick a warm, protected location, such a bed next to a sunny wall, in soil that drains well and holds moisture for hardy nerines.
Nerine bulbs should be planted 10cm apart, with the neck of the bulb visible above ground.
Ideally, spread a coating of grit around them.
They prefer to be planted alone in clusters as opposed to being mixed up with perennials.
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You can leave bulbs undisturbed in the ground to grow and flower.
The only time you need to tend to nerines is when lumps get crowded and flowering starts to wane.
At this time, you might want to split and replant them.
Nerine can become extremely dry if planted at the base of a wall since they are protected from the rain.
Water them once a week during dry weather throughout April to July.
The foliage naturally fading is a good indication to stop watering.
Jamie also added: "There are plenty of gardening jobs to get done during July.
"Weeding, deadheading, and tying in will help plants look their best, plus being on the lookout for pests and keeping sustainability in mind when it comes to watering and mowing."
According to the expert, this time of year is a good opportunity to tie in young growth on all your vertically growing plants that require a support.
Jamie also urged gardeners to remove faded or spent flowers from their plants.
Last but not least, gardeners should mow the lawn in July, making sure to increase the cutting height.
Top gardening trends of 2025
Gardening experts at Barnsdale Gardens has shared the top gardening trends of 2025.
Matrix planting
It seems that a top planting trend for this year is going to be Matrix Planting.
In essence, planting in groups or blocks to give an effect of being wild whilst actually being carefully managed.
Selection of the plants is essential, to give year-round interest either with flowers, seed heads or frosted/snowy spent flower heads. Some recommend using plants that seed around, but this could make managing your matrix planting harder to keep under control.
Chrysanthemum comeback
I hope that the humble Chrysanthemum makes as much of a comeback this year as Dahlias have over recent years, because the simple single flowered types, such as 'Innocence' and 'Cottage Apricot' would be spectacular within a matrix scheme.
The hardy varieties are so easy to grow in a sunny spot and give such a valuable burst of late summer and autumn colour that would lift any dull- looking border.
Blended borders
For some time now we have been promoting the growing of veg within ornamental borders and I think this could really take off this year.
The choice of ornamental-looking varieties available in seed catalogues is phenomenal and, if managed correctly, visitors to your garden will not even realise that you have veg growing!
Must-have tool
My secret is out. I discovered the Hori Hori a couple of years ago and now it seems so is everyone else.
It is such a well-made, adaptable tool that can be used as a trowel or weeding tool in the garden that and everyone I speak to who have used it absolutely would not now be without it. Enough said!