MIND THE GAP

It’s hard to keep the garden full of colour all through the summer.  Once the early rush is over (Delphiniums, Lupins, Geums and other cottage perennials), there can be a dull patch in the border before the late summer flowers like Dahlias, Asters and Rudbeckias arrive.  There are some ways of avoiding this:  The first is to grow long season performers that just keep on flowering from June until the frosts - things like Verbena bonariensis, Guara lindheimeri and Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (above). Secondly grow annuals like Cosmos, Nicotiana, Sweet peas and Mina lobata (a tender climber pictured right).  This is labour intensive, but will ensure fowers for a ong time - providing you keep dead-heading them.  I also cram bulbs like lilies and Crocosmia in between the other plants - either in the ground, or in pots, depending on the space available and the bleakness of the scene.

But whatever steps you take to avoid it, like a trapped air bubble, the gap can sometimes appear when you’re not expecting it.  Our weather makes it all very unpredictable. I have a feeling it will be late this year as all the end of summer stuff’s already here.  there’s no remedy for this, except perhaps to bring in some early autumn bedding plants ...