JULY CLIPPINGS

TAKE SEMI-RIPE CUTTINGS BEFORE TRIMMING BACK MEDITERRANEAN HERBS

thyme, rosemary and sage if they are showing signs of legginess. They’ll have time to regrow before winter.

SOW CHARD AND PEPRPETUAL SPINICH

for valuable autumn and winter greens.

PRUNE STONE FRUITS, SUCH AS CHERRIES, PLUMS AND APRICOTS

now if necessary (including the removal of suckers), as they are prone to silver-leaf disease when winter pruned.

FOR A LATE-SUMMER CONTAINER, PLANT PURPLE SALVIAS SUCH AS ‘AMISTAD’ OR ‘BLACK KNIGHT’

with the lime-green Japanese forest grass Hakonechloa macra.

KEEP BLUEBERRIES WELL WATERED

and protect their fruits or the blackbirds will have them.

FAQ

What should I plant to encourage more butterflies into my garden?

To attract late-summer butterflies, plant herbaceous eupatoriums, Sedum spectabile, Verbena bonariensis, shrubby escallonias such as Escallonia ‘Red Elle’ and Buddleja davidii cultivars. Meadow areas with knapweeds, yarrow and bird’s-foot trefoil please the common blue, small coppers, orange tips and meadow browns. Don’t forget spring, when hibernated butterflies need pulmonarias (lungworts), aubrieta and hellebores.